Tip Rhinoplasty also known as a mini nose job is a cosmetic surgical procedure that can reduce and refine the shape of your nose tip. A tip rhinoplasty, performed by Gold Coast Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Mark Doyle, is a less invasive, surgical alternative to a Full Rhinoplasty.
Your nasal tip is the most prominent part of your face and thus contributes to the overall appearance of your face in addition to just the nose. If the tip of your nose is bulbous you may be a suitable candidate for a bulbous nose job or tip rhinoplasty.
Tip Rhinoplasty, at a glance
Target area: Nasal tip only
Time off work: 1 – 2 weeks
Total recovery: 6 weeks
Scar position: On the skin that separates the nostrils
What is a tip rhinoplasty?
Tip rhinoplasty typically has minimal scarring and is a less invasive surgery when compared to a full rhinoplasty. It is a cosmetic surgical procedure that can change the shape of your nasal tip and the overall prominence of your nose and face shape.
Your nose tip is made of cartilage whereas the nasal bridge is bony in composition. Tip rhinoplasty is done by altering the cartilaginous tip without operating and altering bony structures present in the nasal bridge. If you would like to alter the bony structures of your nose or suffer breathing difficulties due to problems with your septum, we recommend researching and reading up on rhinoplasty and septoplasty surgery.
Reducing your nasal tip can give your nose a more defined nose tip and can reduce the nose width. Thus providing a more narrow nose and potentially more narrow facial features. Tip rhinoplasty is also known as a mini nose job or tip plasty. This surgery may be suitable for you if your main concern regarding your nose is the tip and not its shape, size, structure, or length.
Specialist Plastic Surgeon, Dr Mark Doyle will listen to you and tailor a unique surgery plan with your anatomy, to achieve a nasal tip that best aligns with your unique facial features.
Am I a Suitable Candidate for Tip Rhinoplasty?
If your area of interest is your nasal tip and not the structure, shape, size or length of your entire nose, you may be a suitable candidate for a Tip Rhinoplasty surgery. Also known as a ‘Mini Nose Job’ may be suitable for you if you have a deformity of the nasal tip including:
- A bulging/bulbous nasal tip
- Wide nasal tip that looks out of proportion to other facial features
- Hook nose tip
- Low nasal tip
- Projected nasal tip
- Long nasal tip
- Short nasal tip
- Flat nasal tip
- Collapsed nasal tip
- Narrow nasal tip
The best candidates for Tip Rhinoplasty are adults who don’t smoke and are in good physical and mental health. To be a suitable candidate you must have realistic expectations about what this surgery can achieve. You’ll need to understand what the potential changes will do to your overall nose.
Book a consultation or take our quiz to find out if you meet the criteria for Tip Rhinoplasty surgery.
Download the Rhinoplasty Surgery Guide
What are the benefits of a tip rhinoplasty?
Tip Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure to reduce the size of your nasal tip or your nostrils. What can Tip Rhinoplasty do:
- It can surgically define the nasal tip
- It can lift a lowering nasal tip
- It can help reduce a bulbous or wide nasal tip
- It can reduce nasal flaring
- It can straighten a curved nasal tip
- It may help improve nasal function and breathing in certain cases
As well as surgically changing the physical features of the nasal tip, a Tip Plasty also may have medical benefits of improving nasal function and breathing. If the procedure is performed with Septoplasty, a procedure to treat a deviated or crooked nasal septum – the results are not only a reduced nasal tip but also potentially improved breathing and reduced snoring.
If you have any questions about nose tip surgery book a consultation with Dr Doyle to learn how you may benefit from a tip rhinoplasty today.
What’s involved in a tip rhinoplasty procedure?
Tip rhinoplasty or mini nose job is a cosmetic surgical procedure performed to reduce the shape of your nose tip. It is a surgically less invasive alternative when compared to full rhinoplasty surgery if your concern is the shape of your nose tip. The surgery goal of tip rhinoplasty is a symmetrical nasal tip, with reduced projection, rotation, and surgical proportion to other parts of the nose. It is done as an outpatient procedure meaning you will be able to go home on the day of the surgery following a few hours of monitoring.
This surgery typically takes under an hour to complete and can be done using two different techniques.
- The closed technique: In this technique, the incision is made on the inside of your nostril, thus generally giving you no visible scarring after the procedure.
- The open technique: In this technique, an incision is made on the skin in between the nostrils called the columella. This technique also has minimal visible scarring. Dr Doyle uses this method as it gives greater visibility of the nasal structures and allows a lot more control of the tip giving a much more engineered result.
Depending on your surgical goals, your nose can be changed in one of two ways, cartilage surgery or a nostril/ alar reduction surgery.
In cartilage surgery, the tip of the nose is changed by targeting the nasal cartilage.
The Cartilage is shaped, repositioned and reduced in size. If it needs an increase in size cartilage grafts which can be taken from the septum inside the nose. Less commonly cartilage can also be taken from an ear or rib if the tip needs to be made larger.
If you have a short and upward-facing nose, the septal cartilage of the nose can be repositioned for a lower tip and less prominent nose.
Ala Reduction surgery is done to reduce the size of your nostrils which can also change the shape of the nasal tip. This is performed by removing a small piece of the nostril above the lip.
Stages of the procedure
The following steps outline different stages of the procedure
Anaesthesia: You will be sedated under general anesthesia, to ensure full comfort during the procedure.
Making the incision: The incision can be made either on the inside of your nostril or in the columella (the skin present in between your nostrils) depending on the method of nose tip surgery. Either way, your surgeon will make sure you have minimal post-operative scarring.
Nose tip surgery: Following appropriate incision your surgeon either reduces or increases the tip of your nose using one of the variants of either cartilage surgery or alar reduction. After this, the incision site is stitched with absorbable sutures.
Post-Operative recovery: Immediately following the surgery you may experience pain, swelling, and bruising around your nose. You will be prescribed pain medications. The recovery is generally quicker than traditional rhinoplasty surgery. The stitches generally get absorbed on their own. You will generally be able to go home on the day of the surgery itself but you will require someone to drive you home.
How long does it take to recover following a tip rhinoplasty?
Tip rhinoplasty surgery generally has much less downtime and a faster recovery, when compared to full rhinoplasty surgery. Please note, that swelling can take up to 6 months to fully subside. For 5 days following the surgery, you will be required to wear a nasal splint. This helps keep the bones and cartilage of your nose protected and helps minimise swelling. You should avoid strenuous physical activities or exercise for the first two to six weeks. Glasses should not be worn for up to three weeks after surgery and you should avoid picking or blowing your nose. Cigarette smoking should also be avoided for at least 3 weeks after the surgery, as this can result in delayed wound healing.
Following your surgeon’s advice and taking the recommended medications for the recovery period, can help you have a comfortable recovery. Any complications during the recovery period should be immediately brought to the attention of your surgeon.
Why choose Dr Mark Doyle?
Dr Mark Doyle is an experienced specialist plastic surgeon with over 30 years of experience, who has received his training in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the US.
He puts his patient’s safety first and he approaches every case with up-to-date knowledge and innovative techniques he has learnt to achieve patient results.
Tip Rhinoplasty Frequently Asked Questions
How is tip rhinoplasty different from full rhinoplasty?
A full rhinoplasty can surgically change your nose, it can include the bridge of the nose, the nose bone, nose hook, and nose cartilage. It can surgically change the nose by surgically altering the shape and size of the nasal bone and septal cartilage.
Tip Rhinoplasty, on the other hand, is a variant of traditional rhinoplasty that targets the nasal tip, nostrils, and cartilaginous part of the nose. The bony structure of the nose is left untouched during tip rhinoplasty surgery. It may be suitable for people preferring to change their nose tip. It is less invasive than traditional rhinoplasty. It generally has less downtime and a shorter recovery period, when compared to full rhinoplasty.
How long does Tip Rhinoplasty take to heal?
The healing process for a Tip Rhinoplasty can last up to 12 months with final results visible generally at this time. With some patients, results may become visible within the first two to three months following your operation.
Initial recovery is just two to three weeks, however, swelling may hide the final results of the surgery. The full results may take up to a year to become visible.
Am I too young for a Mini Nose Job?
In Australia, you must be 18 years of age to undergo cosmetic surgery. You can undergo a Mini Nose Job at any point in your young adult life, as long as you meet the criteria to be a successful candidate for this surgery. If your preferred results cannot be achieved with a Tip Rhinoplasty, a Full Rhinoplasty may be the recommended alternative.
How long does tip rhinoplasty take?
Depending on the method of surgery and the characteristics of your nasal tip, the procedure can take anywhere between 30 minutes to 60 minutes.
Is tip rhinoplasty risky?
Tip Rhinoplasty, when performed by a specialist plastic surgeon, has minimal risks and complications. Uncommon risks include temporary numbness, swelling, or bruising, all of which generally will resolve with time.
How much does a Tip Rhinoplasty cost?
Depending upon the requirements, the cost of tip rhinoplasty is different from person to person. The total cost also includes the anesthetist fee, the surgeon’s fee, and the hospital’s fee. Also as a mini nose job is a cosmetic surgical procedure usually done without medical indications, you will not be eligible for a Medicare rebate. You can learn about how much you can expect to spend on the surgery by booking a consultation with Dr Doyle.
You can access our list of pricing resources to find out more about the cost of Tip Plasty surgery:
- Surgery pricing
- Will Medicare cover my plastic surgery?
- Super for surgery
- Available payment options
- Payment plans
Does a mini nose job hurt?
Generally, you will not feel pain during the surgery, as you will be under a general anesthetic. Mild pain can be experienced for the first few days following the surgery. You will be prescribed pain relief medications by your surgeon to relieve pain during your recovery period.
What are the Potential Risks of a mini nose job?
A mini nose job is a low-risk surgery procedure, but it is not risk-free. Like all surgical procedures, it is associated with potential risks and complications. Your surgeon will talk you through these risks and complications and will discuss the appropriate steps to minimise them.
Potential risks and complications associated include:
- Complications related to anesthesia including allergic reactions
- Infection
- Severe bruising
- Swelling
- Bleeding
- Loss of sensation around the nose
- Difficulty breathing
- The need for secondary rhinoplasty
The nose is a crucial organ of your body assisting in multiple functions including breathing, providing immunity, and olfactory functions. Therefore, it is vital that you undergo a Tip Rhinoplasty or any nasal surgery from an experienced specialist plastic surgeon.
Book a consultation with our senior specialist plastic surgeon, Dr Mark Doyle, to discuss the procedure in detail and see if you are a suitable candidate to undergo tip rhinoplasty.
Medical References
- Pre-Surgical Information About Tip Plasty – MedisetterMedisetter
- What is Tip Rhinoplasty Procedure? – Medicine Net
About Dr Mark Doyle FRACS (Plas) – Queensland Plastic Surgeon
Servicing patients in Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Cairns and New South Wales NSW – Northern Rivers, Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore and more.
Dr Mark Doyle is a fully qualified Specialist Plastic Surgeon with over 30 years of experience performing breast, body, face and nose surgery. He has completed all required training and only carries out approved surgical practices. There are NO undertrained doctors or cosmetic doctors acting as surgeons at Gold Coast Plastic Surgery.
