Dimensions of a Perfect Nose
The nose is one of the most important elements of your overall physical appearance. While we all have a certain idea of what a beautiful nose looks like, we can’t really tell what makes a perfect nose. What appeals to you in terms of colour, form, shape, and proportions? Does the frontal view determine the symmetry of your nose or does a profile view makes a difference? These are very hard questions to answer especially when you are considering a nose job.
While scientists have tried to set basic principles and rules to define beauty, beauty is an elusive concept. The concept of beauty is drastically different around the world based on ethnicity, independent tastes, cultural differences, social media influencers, celebrities, and media.
Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Jeremy Hunt has completed hundreds of nose surgeries in Australia. Dr Hunt is a Sydney plastic surgeon who practices in Sydney and Wollongong NSW.
What Does an Attractive Nose Look Like?
We all know that being the central feature of the face, the nose holds a very important value when it comes to the overall balance and facial proportion. Your face might not look as attractive if the nose is off-balance. Social media and the entertainment industry have heavily influenced the standards of beauty for men and women around the globe. This has given rise to multiple cosmetic surgery procedures including Rhinoplasty.
We all know that the concept of beauty is ever-evolving. However, one thing has managed to stay constant throughout these years. That is the golden ratio. The concept of the golden ratio goes far back to ancient Greece. Humans have been fascinated with the concept of symmetry and fractal patterns for ages.
Balanced Proportions and Symmetry
A proportionate and symmetrical human face is considered to be ideal. While some people are born with a proportionate and fairly symmetrical face, others are not. Luckily, cosmetic surgery can help patients achieve a more beautiful looking face.
A human face can be divided into three parts: upper, middle and lower. The upper part of your face includes your forehead and eyebrows. The middle part extends from the eyebrows to the base of the nose. The lower part of the face refers to the area extending from the nose to the chin. When the concept of the golden ratio is applied to the human face in cosmetic surgery, both vertical and horizontal symmetry is achieved and you get a balanced face shape.
Characteristics of an Ideal Nose
One of the biggest challenges that come with cosmetic surgery from a surgeon’s perspective is determining what the patient wants from the surgery. And this explanation is the hardest part for the patients as well. Every individual has a unique face and it becomes increasingly hard to outline the characteristics of a nose that you would like to achieve. It is important to be aware of the reference points so you can communicate clearly during the consultation. Let’s discuss these points briefly:
- Width – A lot of people want their noses to look thin. Narrowing the overall width will make your nose appear thinner.
- Nasal Tip – Another common characteristic that people want to be altered is their nasal tip. A lot of people are born with thick nasal skin which makes their nose tip appear round instead of pointy.
- Straighter Lines – Nobody likes the look of a humpy or bumpy nose. Most people which to achieve straighter lines and get their bumps removed. In some cases, the result can be temporarily achieved with a dermal filler. For permanent removal of the dorsal hump, surgery is required.
- Nostril Size – While the purpose of nostrils is to purify the air that enters your lungs, the size of the nostrils plays an important role in how your overall nose will look like. Surgery can help you achieve smaller and symmetrical looking nostrils.
- Angle Between Lip & Tip – A very important yet basic metric of an ideal nose is to determine the angle between the tip of your nose and the top of your lip. This angle is responsible for creating a more masculine or feminine look and can be altered to achieve the desired results.
- The shape of the Face – Last but not least, no matter how beautiful your nose is, it should match the rest of your face.
Selecting a Nose Shape and Nose Size when Considering Rhinoplasty
Different people have different kinds of noses. It’s fascinating yet complicates the process of rhinoplasty. So, how could you decide what nose shape fits you? The process is very complex and requires a lot of research. Plus, you need to choose the right surgeon who can help you determine what will work based on your facial features and face shape.
3D stimulation is often used to help their patients visualise the results of rhinoplasty. While this isn’t an accurate representation, it will give you a fairly clear idea of how your nose is going to look after surgery. Let’s discuss a few pointers that can help you determine the ideal nose shape prior to getting the cosmetic surgery:
1. Upper Part of the Nose
The upper part of your nose is essentially made of nasal bones. The most common types of changes people require for this part are: eliminating the bump on the nose and narrowing down the bridge of the nose. In certain cases, Dr Hunt will alter the height of the nasal bones to match the angle between the top of the nose and forehead. It will result in a straighter nose. It is important to remember that reducing the bone excessively can cause indentation. This can make the results look unnatural and can also make your face appear bigger than it actually is. Moreover, it will also restrict the airflow which can create problems with breathing. The right surgeon will narrow down the nose and straighten it without going overboard.
2. Middle Part of the Nose
The middle section of the nose is essentially made of bendable cartilage. It starts from the nasal bones and ends towards the tip. The central part is known as the septum. Think of it as a rectangular piece of cartilage that serves the purpose of dividing your nostrils. It extends deep into the nasal cavity. You will notice that there is a small curve of cartilage on either side of the septum: Which helps with keeping the airways open.
Most patients would like to make this area appear straighter. Moreover, this area shouldn’t be too wide or narrow. In some cases, patients have a deviated septum that they want to be corrected. Dr Hunt usually aims to make the middle part of the nose match the height of the nasal bones. During the surgery, Dr Hunt will also focus on reducing the bumps and the curves in this area if needed. Again, it shouldn’t be overdone otherwise it can lead to restrictive breathing and can cause your nose tip to appear larger. In some cases, the middle part of the nose needs extra support which requires the use of special cartilage grafts. It not only helps with nose straightening but keeps the airway open.
3. Tip of the Nose
The tip of your nose comprises 2C shaped cartilages. The aesthetics of your nose are heavily dependent on the size shape and projection of the tip. In certain patients, no changes are required when it comes to the tip. While in others, minor alterations to the tip of the nose might be needed. Ideally, the tip of the nose should be in line with the height of the profile line.
Common changes made to the tip during the surgery include increasing projection of the tip, decreasing projection of the tip, narrowing a boxy tip, and making an uneven tip look symmetrical and balanced.
4. The Skin of the Nose
All of us are born with different skin types and thicknesses. Think of the skin on your nose as a wrapping or an envelope to the underlying structure. Certain patients are born with fairly thick and oily skin. If that’s the case, it is very difficult to see significant changes. On the other hand, if you are someone with thin skin, even the smallest changes will be seen. During rhinoplasty, your skin won’t be removed. The focus is on the underlying structure instead. Based on your skin structure, Dr Hunt will let you know what changes can and cannot be achieved with the surgery.
5. Nasal Airway
The nasal airway is the final consideration when it comes to rhinoplasty surgery. Nasal breathing is essential to your comfort, sleep, exercise and overall health. In certain cases, nasal airways can create problems with breathing and must be treated separately. This isn’t a part of cosmetic rhinoplasty. In some cases, the blockages in airways are caused by the curvatures in the cartilage or the thickening of turbine glands. If that is the case, it can be addressed during rhinoplasty.
Balancing Your Nose with other Facial Features
One of the most important elements of rhinoplasty is to ensure your nose matches the rest of your facial features. A lot of the time, treating the nose alone is sufficient to make patients satisfied with the results. However, it isn’t always the case. In some cases, patients will also need minor alterations to their facial structure to achieve an optimal outcome. For instance, individuals with small and recessed chins often appear to have large noses. This is due to the fact that the nose protrudes beyond the end of the chin. In this scenario, a chin implant might fix the problem instead of a rhinoplasty. That is why it is important to choose a highly credible and experienced surgeon who isn’t afraid to be honest with you. The surgeon should be able to tell you upfront what is and isn’t suitable for you.
Importance of an Open and Honest Discussion
It is important to choose a surgeon who is truly invested in your well-being. With an open and honest discussion, you will get to know whether rhinoplasty is the answer to your aesthetic worries or not. Please make sure that you are completely comfortable with your surgeon and can openly share all your concerns. If you feel that you aren’t able to communicate freely with your surgeon, keep on researching and book a consultation with the next one.
Rhinoplasty is a great surgical procedure when done right. It is important to remember that there is no one size fits all approach when it comes to a perfect nose. For each individual, the perfect nose will look completely different based on their face shape, features, and ethnicity. What might look great on one person will look completely ridiculous on another.
Hence, it is important to do significant research and determine what you want prior to heading for a consultation with a plastic surgeon. The right surgeon will be able to understand your vision, help you visualise the results, and more importantly will be honest with you in regards to what can and cannot be achieved. In some cases, you might need alterations to other facial features instead of your nose.
Further Reading about Nose Surgery
- Read Dr Hunt’s Nose Surgery page
- Read Dr Hunt’s Rhinoplasty page
- See Dr Hunt’s Real Patient Nose Surgery Before and After Photos
- Blog How to find the Right Nose Surgeon in Sydney
- Blog Ethnic Rhinoplasty – A Nose Job for Different Ethnic Groups
Medical References about Ethnic Rhinoplasty
About Dr Jeremy Hunt – Specialist Plastic Surgeon
Dr Jeremy Hunt is a specialist plastic surgeon performing breast, body, face and nose surgery. He is a member of FRACS & ASPS and has over 20 years of experience providing cosmetic and plastic surgery in Sydney.
Careful, considerate and honest, Dr Jeremy Hunt works with you to find a solution that is optimal for your body and your lifestyle. Every patient is unique and, through his guidance, can achieve good results.
Dr Hunt’s personal, one-on-one service and attention to detail has given thousands of women and men from the Sydney & Wollongong NSW area and across Australia the aesthetic results they desire.
Dr Hunt’s qualifications and education
Dr Jeremy A Hunt MBBS FRACS graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine degree from Sydney University in 1990 and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and member of ASPS – the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons. He completed a Fellowship at the prestigious University of Texas in the United States, where he learnt from some of the world’s very best plastic surgeons.
Next Step – Make an Enquiry or Request a consultation with Dr Hunt
Want more information before scheduling your consultation?
- Find out more about pricing, medical payment plans and paying for your surgery
- Request more information about the procedure – call on 1300 157 200 or contact us
If breast reduction is something you’re considering, Dr Hunt can thoroughly explain all the options to you in a one-on-one consultation.
- Make an Enquiry or Request a consultation with Dr Hunt
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health professional.