Tip-plasty is aimed at changing the shape of the nasal tip to improve the appearance of the nose. A changing the shape of the nasal tiptip-plasty may be performed to reduce a large, square or bulbous nasal tip, to treat an upturned or sagging nasal tip, or just to refine the tip of the nose.
Tip-plasty is one of the most challenging aspects of nose surgery as disruption of the cartilage that supports the tip of the nose can cause the tip to collapse, rotate or lose projection.
The surgery includes realignment of alar cartilage by resection and suture, fibroareolar and subcutaneous tissue resection, tip graft, and columellar strut. The nasal tip is positioned high and elegant, methods such as cartilage suture, cartilage grafting and blocking up the nasal septum etc. are opted as decided by the surgeon. The ideal shape can be achieved only if the nose has the adequate length.
Therefore, the operation of embedding the supporting platform is often included. The tips of nose are made high and straight by suturing cartilage, performing cartilage grafting on sutural cartilage or embedding allroderm. In order to support the structure, the process of embedding nasal septum is very important. The embedding of nasal septum can also optimize the angle shaped by lips and tips of nose, and enhance the effect of nose augmentation operation.
A round or bulbous nasal tip, is due to a well-developed and large cartilage at the nasal tip. This cartilage widens the tip of the nose and makes it less defined. This is corrected through a tip-plasty procedure that excises the excess cartilage at the tip of the nose to narrow it down and give it more definition. Tip-plasty also increases the projection of the nasal tip, something much needed in an Asian nose which is usually deficient in height at the nasal tip.
This procedure is generally under local or general anesthesia and usually takes around 1 hour depending on the surgical treatment. The surgeon would choose the approach that is most suited depending upon the extent of reshaping required.
The typical recovery would be aound 3 weeks. Sutures are removed within 10 days after the procedure.
The patient can be discharged from the hospital on the same day of the surgery. The patient is recommended to be on the bandage for a period of 3 days after the surgery.
