No lie: Your nose doesn’t grow as you age | Miami Herald

Q: My nose seems to have gotten bigger after my pregnancy. Is it possible that my nose is growing as I get older?

A. Are you telling lies? Just kidding. I often have patients who ask me if their nose grows as they get older because they have noticed that their nose has gotten a bit wider and that the tip droops. Unless you believe in Pinocchio, this obviously is not true. What happens as you age is that you lose support of the tissues around the nose. In addition, the skin thins out and the underlying cartilage is more visible. When this occurs the tip droops. The tip also appears to be wider, and a bump suddenly appears on the nose.

Because of the above reasons, rhinoplasty is not only for young kids! I have a significant amount of patients in their 30s, 40s and above who undergo rhinoplasty because they feel they have a big and bulbous nose. Obviously, the operation performed on younger patients is different from the operation performed on patients in their 40s and above.

If patients would like to make an improvement but do not want surgery they may have a non-surgical rhinoplasty. This procedure allows for improvement of the nasal appearance with an injectable such as Restylane, Juvederm or other hyaluronic acid injections. In addition, other fillers such as Radiesse may be used. The procedure is done in an office setting and is usually completed within 10 to 15 minutes.

Obviously, it is important to consult with someone who understands the anatomy and the vascular structures in the nose so as not to create a complication.