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About Rhinoplasty

Which Nose Shape Is Most Suitable for Your Face Type, And How Is It Determined?

What Does It Mean That The Nose Shape Is Suitable For The Face Type?

I get questions from our patients such as “I have a round (or oval, square, long, short, wide, etc.) face, which nose shape is best for my face type?” In this article, I want to clarify this issue.

Rhinoplasty is intended to obtain an aesthetic nose that is in harmony with the other elements of the face. The nose should be reshaped to be harmonious with the forehead, cheekbones, lips, lower jaw tip, and jowl. In some cases, giving the right shape to the nose can be adequate, while in some other cases an aesthetic touch to other elements of the face is required.

The type of nose that is considered aesthetically beautiful and natural may differ depending on the ethnic origins and cultures in societies. The surgeon who will perform a rhinoplasty operation should know all these details about the nose and be able to approach the face holistically.

How To Determine The Most Suitable Nose Shape For Your Face Type?

Thousands of nose and face types considered aesthetically beautiful in men and women were analyzed, and some angles, dimensions, and proportions in both nose and face were determined. Some of those;

  • Nose length,
  • Nasal tip projection (height),
  • The ratio between nasal ridge and nasal tip projection,
  • Nasofrontal (nose-forehead) angle,
  • Nasolabial (nose-upper lip) angle,
  • Nasal base width,
  • Size and shape of the nostrils.

An aesthetic nose appearance is obtained by adhering to these ratios and measures, which are aesthetically important when viewed from the front, profile and diagonally.

I’d like to mention about an issue that is well known by plastic surgeons but is not well understood by patients. It is the fact that every desired shape cannot be given to every nose type. For example, a nose with thick and oily skin cannot be reduced or given fine angular details.

Reducing the nose as much as possible does not result in a more aesthetic result, and it may be necessary to make one part of the nose more prominent while reducing another to ensure harmony in the nose. For example, while the nasal ridge is rasped down, the height of the nose tip is increased, in order to achieve an aesthetic ratio between the nose length and the nasal tip length.

Or, a straighter nasal ridge can be obtained by filling a significantly sunken nasal root. Determining which of these possible changes is more suitable for the patient requires significant experience and aesthetic foresight.

Another very important point in rhinoplasty is that there are some gender-specific differences between male and female noses, and these details should be taken into account. For example, giving a man a concave and excessively upturned nose will weaken the masculine features of the face, giving him a feminine appearance.

On the other hand, there is no a one-size-fits-all nose shape that will look good on every man or woman. A small, concave and retrousse nose will not look natural on a woman’s face that has strong cheekbones and chin contours and prominent facial angles. In such a face, a slightly upturned strong-looking nose with a more straight nasal ridge and unexaggerated nasolabial (nose-upper lip) angle will be more compatible with the face.

While rhinoplasty is one step toward achieving aesthetic harmony between the nose and the face, the next step is to add aesthetic touches to other parts of the face.

For example, in a patient with a flat forehead, indistinct cheekbones, and a small recessed lower jaw tip (bird face deformity), you cannot get a perfect result, no matter how beautiful a nose you make. Trying to reduce the size of the nose in this type of face is not the right approach. Instead, it is more appropriate to accentuate the cheekbones and lower jaw tip. In this way, the necessary aesthetic harmony is achieved by slightly reducing the nose while slightly enlarging the surrounding structures.

Accentuating the cheekbones will make the nose look smaller. In a face type where the midface is recessed and sunken, the lower jaw is excessively prominent, and there is a dental malocclusion problem, it is necessary to eliminate the incompatibility between the lower and upper jaw by performing orthognathic surgical procedures, and then a rhinoplasty operation should be performed to reshape the nose accordingly.

When discussing what nose shape is suitable for a face, where the corners of the lower jaw and masseter muscles (chewing muscles) are very prominent while the chin is relatively small, we should take into account not only reshaping the nose, but also the possibility of rasping down the corners of the jaw and moving the chin forward to achieve a more oval and proportional face.

When viewing from the front, we see different types of faces, which differ from each other with the height of their upper, middle and lower parts, forehead width, their width on the line passing through the cheekbones, protrusion of the cheekbones, prominence of the lower jaw corners, shape of the lower jawline, and the largeness or smallness of the lower jaw tip. In general, the following are some of the most common face types:

  • Diamond face
  • Oval face
  • Round face
  • Heart shaped face
  • Square face
  • Rectangular face

Which Nose Shape Is Suitable For Diamond Face Type?

In the diamond-shaped face type, the plane passing through the cheekbones is the widest part of the face in the horizontal plane. The forehead and jaw corners are narrower, while the chin is prominent. It is characterized by curved forehead, prominent cheekbones, jawline and chin, and more angled transitions. This face type, proportional in both the horizontal and vertical planes, is one of the most aesthetic face types.

Which Nose is Suitable for Diamond - Diamond Face Type?

In this face type, the nasal tip projection should be prominent while the nasal ridge is relatively flat. Such a nose looks more harmonious with the prominent parts of the face such as cheekbones and chin. The nasolabial (nose-upper lip) angle should not be excessively broad, that is, too upturned. The transitions between the regions of the nose should also be more angled, as in the jawline.

Which Nose Shape Is Suitable For Oval Face Type?

It is characterized by more rounded jawline and less angular jaw corners. The upper half of the face is more prominent than the lower half. The plane passing through the cheekbones is the widest part of the face in the horizontal plane. This face type adds a feminine look to the person. The lines are not angular or sharp, and the transitions are smoother. Many women who are considered beautiful have an oval-type face.

Which Nose is Suitable for Oval Face Type?

In this face type, the nose lines should be more rounded and smoother as harmonious with the jawline, and forming sharp lines should be avoided.

Which Nose Shape Is Suitable For Round Face Type?

The width of the face is equal to or close to the height of the face. The jawline is more rounded, and there are no sharp angular transitions.  The face’s lower and upper halves are of equal size, as well.

Which Nose is Suitable for a Round Face Type?

In this face type, the nose lines can also be more curved and transitions are smoother. On the other hand, some other changes can be considered for such a face, such as increasing the height of the chin with an implant or fat injection, accentuating the cheekbones by reducing the fullness of the cheeks with bichectomy or liposuction, and making the face look more oval than round. When such a path is followed, it is possible to achieve a more aesthetic face than can be achieved with rhinoplasty alone.

Which Nose Shape Is Suitable For Heart or Inverted Triangle Face Type?

In this face type, the plane passing through the cheekbones is the widest part of the face, and the jaw line sharply narrows toward the small and narrow chin.

Which Nose is Suitable for the Heart or Inverted Triangle Shaped Face Type?

On such a face, a nose that is not small enough causes the prominent middle face to look more prominent. In addition to achieving a small nose, it is possible to obtain a face that is more balanced with the middle face and more aesthetic as a whole by making the edges of the jaw tip and jawline fuller and oval with fat injection.

Which Nose Shape Is Suitable For Square Face Type?

In this face type, the width of the face is close to the height of the face, and as a difference from round face type, the jaw corners and transitions at the tip of the jaw are sharper angled. The distance between the two jaws is equal to the distance between the cheekbones and the forehead.

Which Nose is Suitable for a Square Face Type?

Since the facial contours of such a face are straight and angled, the nose contours should be more straight and sharply angled, in harmonious with this feature.

Since the height of the face is greater than the width, the length of the nose should also be short.  In this face type, it is possible achieve a face that has longer and smoother lines by making accentuating the cheekbones with fat injection, rasping down the corners of the chin, injecting fat into the jawline, and lengthening the tip of the lower jaw. By performing these procedures, a nose with smoother lines can be obtained.

Which Nose Shape Is Suitable For Rectangular Face Type?

In rectangular face type, as in square face, the distances between the forehead, cheekbones and chin corners are equal, but as a difference, the height of the face is longer than the width. In this face type, the jawline shows a clear angulation, giving the face a stern look.

Which Nose is Suitable for Rectangular Face Type?

In this face type, the nose length should be equal to the mid-face height. On such a face, a short and small nose will not look natural. Since the entire face contour including the jaw line is angular, the angles between the nose structures should be more pronounced and not too smooth. On the other hand, rasping down the corners of the jaw will make the face look more oval.

Which Nose Shape Is Suitable For Long Face Type?

In this face type, the height of the face is significantly higher than the width. The cheekbones are not prominent and wide, whereas the upper, middle and lower 1/3 part of the face are all long.

Which Nose is Suitable for Long Face Type?

The nose on such a face should also be long enough in proportion to the face. A small, concave and retrousse nose will not look natural on a long face. On the other hand, it is possible to increase the width of the face and bring the width-height ratio closer to natural by accentuating the cheekbones with fat injection. On faces with an excessively long and prominent chin, reducing the chin will provide a more proportional and aesthetic appearance.

Which Face Type Is A Retrousse Nose (Upturned Nose) Suitable For?

In the past years, when rhinoplasty has just started being performed in our country, the nose appearance obtained with incorrect use of surgical techniques, by making the nasal ridge more concave than necessary, lifting the nasal tip and shortening the nose excessively was incorrectly referred to as retrousse nose. A nose configured in this way looks incompatible with the other parts of the face, and serious respiratory problems are experienced due to the collapse of the middle part of the nose.

In a true retrousse nose or concave nose, the nasal ridge is 2 mm below the imaginary line extending from the nasal root to the nasal tip. The nasal ridge, including the nasal tip, is not a completely straight line, instead, there is an angulation between the nasal ridge and nasal tip. The tip of the nose is small and elegant, not wide or fleshy.  In addition, the nasolabial (nose-upper lip) angle is a few degrees wider than normal; in other words, the nose is a bit more upturned, but it is still within normal limits.

If we use the term retrousse nose in accordance with the criteria that I described, we can say that the retrousse nose gives the face a very feminine and delicate expression. We can say that this nose type is more suitable for oval or round face types, especially for those whose skin is not thin or those who have not sharp and angled jawlines and facial contours.

Carey Mulligan’s nose is an example of this nose shape.

Hokka Nose - Which Type of Face Is a Curved Nose Suitable For?

After identifying your face type, you can determine the type of nose that is pleasing to your eyes by examining the front and profile images of the noses of people who have that face type. You can talk to your plastic surgeon about how feasible that nose shape is in your nose.

Rhinoplasty is intended to provide a natural and beautiful looking nose, while ensuring the ideal harmony between this nose and other parts of the face. Before the surgery, the nose and face are assessed as a whole for this purpose. The aesthetic interventions that should be made to the nose and other areas of the face to achieve the desired aesthetic harmony are determined. At this stage, the relationship between the nasal ridge and the nasal tip is evaluated with the simulations to be made on the profile photos in particular.

Different alternatives can be introduced by making minor changes to adjust the height of the nasal tip and the nasolabial (nose-upper lip) angle. The surgeon and the patient jointly decide which of these minor differences is best suited to the patient’s face. While doing all this, it should be kept in mind that changes made on photographs cannot always be achieved exactly in real biological systems.

Aquiline Nose

In our society, the aquiline nose is the most common nose type and the one most frequently requested to be corrected. An aquiline nose causes the female face to look more stern, but a more feminine and soft facial appearance can be obtained by rasping down the nasal hump within the scope of a rhinoplasty operation.

In men, on the other hand, a slight nasal hump may be perceived as a sign of a strong and leading personality, and may not require surgery. However, excessively arched and long noses, which are common in the Black Sea region, can be corrected with rhinoplasty, in such a way as to obtain a more natural-looking nose that is compatible with the face.

Designing a beautiful face and a beautiful nose that is compatible with this face is a job that requires vast experience and knowledge, and requires working on each patient separately.

For frequently asked questions about suitable candidates for rhinoplasty, preoperative period, surgical procedures, postoperative period, and rhinoplasty, you can visit our rhinoplasty page

Reference

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