Dealing with the overprojecting pinched tip.

OBJECTIVE

When reshaping the pinched and/or pointed nasal tip, the use of cartilage grafting and internal sutures has been proven to be an excellent tool when the skin is not too thin. A new technique in tip aesthetics is presented. Its surgical applications are discussed.

STUDY DESIGN

A tip reshaping without cartilage grafting or internal stitching was performed on 355 patients with thin skin; 317 were female and 38 were male. The follow-up period ranged from 6 months to several years, with an average of 16 months.

METHODS

The closed approach was used. Parallel incisions on the alar cartilage have been made and alternate spicules of cartilage have been then excised to reduce the length of the arc of the cartilage and to reshape the tip.

RESULTS

The technique was effective in achieving aesthetic norms.

CONCLUSIONS

When dealing with a very thin skin, the pinched or pointed tip may sometimes need a different approach. The use of cartilage crafting or internal stitching for the reshaping of the tip, in those cases, is not obligatory.