Nose Types – Shapes

Nose types, i.e. nose shapes, vary by race and geographic region. Different nose types are distinguished with their different features, and in rhinoplasty operations, all these features are taken into account to achieve a more aesthetic and natural-looking nose. Nose types show great differences in people of different races living in different geographical regions of the world.

The nose types of the black race living in Africa stand out with their different features, while the nose types of the yellow race living in Asia stand out with their specific features. Nations that are generally known as the white race (caucasians), including people living in our country, have nose types that have different characteristics compared to other races.

Common Nose Types Among Caucasians

In this article, I will describe the most common nose types and nose shapes seen among the caucasians.

Some of the most common nose types of the Caucasians are as follows.

Bulbous Nose: Especially the lower part of the nose, where the nasal tip and nasal wings are located, are more prominent than the upper half of the nose and shows the nose significantly larger. Correction of the excessively wide nasal tip with rhinoplasty gives very satisfactory results. However, in these nose types, the nasal tip skin may be so thick that prevents reducing or reshaping the nose as desired.

Greek Nose: The most important feature of this nose type, named after the noses in Greek goddess statues, is its extremely straight nasal ridge (also called the nasal dorsum) that has no bumps or fluctuations. It has a wide nasofrontal (nose-forehead) angle. The forehead and the nasal ridge are almost on the same plane. In cases with this type of nose, the angle between the forehead and the nose (nasofrontal angle) should be narrowed, which is a technically challenging procedure.

Roman Nose: Unlike Greek sculptors who made idealized noses, Roman sculptors made more realistic noses. This nose type characterized by a slightly arched nasal ridge that is prominent on the face creates a strong perception of personality, especially in men.

Retrousse Nose: It is the nose type most desired by women, which is proportionately smaller in size compared to other parts of the face, and is characterized by a slightly inward curved nasal ridge and upturned nasal tip. This nose type gives the face a more feminine and elegant look.

Hawk Nose: It is the nose type characterized its arched ridge and its downwardly extending tip that resembles the beak of birds of prey. Its nasolabial angle (angle between the nasal tip and the lip) is narrow. In men, it reflects a strong personality. In this type of noses, the arched nasal ridge should be rasped, and the nasal tip should be proportionally reduced and lifted. The nasal wings and nostrils should also be reduced in proportion to the reduction of the nasal tip.

Crooked Nose: In both the horizontal and vertical planes, curvatures are observed on the nasal ridge. There a high demand for rhinoplasty among patients with this type of nose, which can also cause respiratory difficulties. These patients benefit greatly from rhinoplasty, because the operation not only improves their respiratory functions, but also provides them with a more aesthetic nose.

Nixon Nose: In this type of nose, named after one of the former US presidents, Nixon, the nasal ridge extends straightly down, but it is extremely long and the nostrils are narrow and large.

Combined Nose: This nose type, which does not have the typical features as mentioned above, is characterized by a slightly arched nasal ridge and a bit excessively long or droopy nasal tip, and this type of noses are sometimes accompanied by varying degrees of nasal curvatures. It is the most common type of nose that we see in practical terms. In the 3-Dimensional evaluation of the nose, the nasal ridge (dorsum), nasal tip, nose length, nasal tip width, nasal tip height, sizes of the nostrils, condition of the nasal wings, nasofrontal (nose-forehead) angle, and nasolabial (nose-upper lip) angle are evaluated one by to reveal abnormalities. Based on these findings, a surgical plan is made.

Is Nose Type Important in Rhinoplasty?

The type of the nose is determined in the examination performed before rhinoplasty. Features that negatively affect the aesthetic appearance differ in each type of nose.

Therefore, the points that have a negative effect on the appearance of the nose should be well known and especially they should be corrected.

For example, in case of a long nose, it is important to shorten the nose and ensure the correct proportion between the height and the length of the nose In case of a crooked nose, surgical techniques are used to correct the curvature of the bone and cartilage structures, while in case of a Greek nose, the excessively wide nasofrontal (nose-forehead) angle is narrowed to give the nose a more natural-looking appearance. For hawk noses, the reduction rhinoplasty procedure is performed, and the nostrils and nasal wings are also reduced proportionally to the reduction.

Besides nose types, face types are also important in rhinoplasty. You can learn which nose shape is more suitable for which face type by reading our blog post