The nostrils and base of the nose play important roles in nasal appearance. Flared or large nostrils can be a distracting trait, and a wide nasal base impacts overall facial balance and harmony. Reshaping and reducing the size of the nostrils or nasal base can be accomplished through rhinoplasty for a balanced, beautiful nose. Dr. Steven Rueda at Precision Medical Specialists is a highly-respected and sought-after plastic surgeon in West Palm Beach who specializes in nose surgery, including nostril reduction surgery.

The alar base is the wide portion of the nose at the bottom of the nostrils. When the alar base is too wide, it can contribute to large or flared nostrils. While noses vary greatly in size and shape from person to person, the alar base and nostrils may seem too large if they extend too far into the lower cheek. If the outside of each nostril is wider than where the inner eye begins, it can throw off the balance of the facial features. Alarplasty, or alar base reduction through rhinoplasty, can be used to reduce the nostril size and width of the nose to create a more balanced nose and facial appearance.

Alar Base Reduction Surgery

To perform alar base or nostril reduction surgery, a section of the outer nostril wall is removed to make the nostrils and alar base smaller. In most cases, incisions are made at the crease on the outside of the nostrils, and a wedge of the nostril tissue is removed. The placement of the incision at the crease hides the scar to make it discreet and almost invisible. If alar base reduction is performed on its own without other nose reshaping or rhinoplasty procedures, it can be completed under local anesthesia in about an hour at our facility in Wellington, FL, and requires less downtime and recovery than some other rhinoplasty procedures.

If you are unhappy with your nose appearance due to large, wide or flared nostrils, alar base reduction surgery may be the solution. To learn more about nostril reduction surgery, contact our team at Precision Medical Specialists to schedule a consultation with Dr. Steven Rueda.