Rhinoplasty Glossary: Nose Surgery Terms Explained

Quick answer: The ala is the soft, curved outer wall of each nostril — commonly just called the “nostril.”

On a front-on view, the alar rim is the visible border of the nostril opening; on profile, it’s the gently curved lower edge of the nose just above the lip. Because the ala has little cartilage support on its outer portion, this is an area Dr. Reilly evaluates closely when planning tip work, since over-aggressive reshaping elsewhere in the nose can pull the alar rim out of its natural position.

Quick answer: Alarplasty is a targeted procedure that narrows wide or flared nostrils by removing small wedges of tissue at the base of the nose.

It’s often performed alongside a full rhinoplasty rather than as a stand-alone treatment, and is used to bring nostril width into better proportion with the rest of the face. The resulting scars sit in the natural crease where the nostril meets the cheek, making them very difficult to see once healed.

Quick answer: An autologous graft uses the patient’s own cartilage — typically from the septum, ear, or rib — to reinforce or reshape the nose during surgery.

Because the tissue comes from the patient’s own body, autologous grafts carry a lower risk of rejection or infection than synthetic implants. Septal cartilage is the first choice whenever there is enough available; ear or rib cartilage is used when additional material is needed, such as in revision cases.

Quick answer: Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a small catheter with an inflatable balloon to gently widen blocked sinus passages.

It’s typically performed for patients with chronic sinus congestion or recurrent sinus infections rather than for cosmetic nasal concerns, and is frequently combined with a functional or cosmetic rhinoplasty when a patient has both breathing and sinus issues to address in a single visit.

Related service: Balloon Sinuplasty

Quick answer: The bridge, or nasal dorsum, is the ridge that runs down the middle of the nose from between the eyes to the tip.

It’s made up of bone in its upper portion and cartilage in its lower two-thirds. Most requests to “smooth a bump” or “straighten the nose” are really requests to modify the bridge, which is why its shape is central to nearly every rhinoplasty consultation.

Quick answer: A cartilage graft is a custom-shaped piece of cartilage placed inside the nose to add support, improve symmetry, or refine contour.

Grafts can strengthen a weak tip, straighten a crooked bridge, open a narrowed airway, or restore structure lost in a previous surgery. Dr. Reilly’s approach favors adding structural support with grafts rather than relying solely on removing tissue, which tends to hold its shape better over the long term.

Quick answer: A cephalic trim is a technique that removes a strip of cartilage from the upper edge of the tip cartilages to narrow or refine the nasal tip.

It’s one of the older, more traditional tip-shaping methods. Used conservatively it can produce excellent results, but removed too aggressively it can weaken tip support and lead to pinching or nostril notching over time — one reason surgeons now often pair trimming with supportive grafts.

Quick answer: Closed rhinoplasty is a surgical approach in which all incisions are hidden inside the nostrils, leaving no visible external scar.

It offers less direct visibility of the nasal structures than the open technique, which can make it a good fit for more limited or straightforward changes. The choice between open and closed technique depends on the specific anatomy and goals discussed during consultation.

Quick answer: The columella is the narrow strip of skin and cartilage that separates the two nostrils and connects the tip of the nose to the upper lip.

Its height, shape, and visibility on profile view play a large role in how balanced the nose appears from the side. In open rhinoplasty, the columella is where the small connecting incision is placed, typically healing to be virtually unnoticeable.

Quick answer: A columellar strut is a piece of cartilage placed inside the columella to add support and help control the position of the nasal tip.

It’s commonly used to stabilize the tip after reshaping, and can help fine-tune both how far the tip projects and how it rotates relative to the upper lip.

Quick answer: A caudal extension graft (CEG) is similar to a columellar strut graft in that it is a piece of cartilage placed inside the columella to add support and help control the position of the nasal tip.  The difference is that this graft is often larger than a columellar strut graft and is is fixed to the native nasal septum with sutures rather than resting in the columella.

It’s commonly used to stabilize the tip after reshaping, and can help fine-tune both how far the tip projects and how it rotates relative to the upper lip in a more reliable way than columellar strut grafting alone.

Quick answer: A deviated septum is a shift or curve in the wall of cartilage and bone dividing the two nasal passages, which can partially block airflow on one or both sides.

Deviated septums can be present from birth or result from an injury later in life, and they’re one of the most common reasons patients have trouble breathing through their nose. Correcting a deviated septum is called a septoplasty and can be performed on its own or combined with cosmetic rhinoplasty in the same operation.

Related service: Septoplasty

Quick answer: A dorsal hump is a bump or ridge along the bridge of the nose, usually most noticeable from the side.

It can be made of bone, cartilage, or both, and is one of the most frequent cosmetic concerns that brings patients in for a rhinoplasty consultation. Reducing a dorsal hump changes the profile view significantly and is often combined with tip refinement for a balanced result.

Quick answer: Functional rhinoplasty is surgery performed specifically to improve nasal breathing rather than to change the nose’s cosmetic appearance.

It addresses structural issues such as a deviated septum, weak nasal valves, or enlarged turbinates that restrict airflow. Because it treats a medical breathing problem, functional rhinoplasty may be eligible for insurance coverage — unlike purely cosmetic nasal surgery — and can be performed at the same time as cosmetic changes when a patient wants both.

Related service: Functional Rhinoplasty

Quick answer: IRVC is a rare but serious complication in which injectable filler enters a blood vessel and cuts off circulation to surrounding tissue.

In the context of “liquid rhinoplasty,” filler injected near the nose sits close to blood vessels that connect to the eye, and in rare cases can travel toward the eye and cause vision loss. This risk is a key reason Dr. Reilly generally does not recommend filler as a substitute for surgical rhinoplasty.

Quick answer: Liquid rhinoplasty is a non-surgical technique that uses injectable filler to temporarily smooth bumps or adjust contour on the nose.

It avoids the downtime of surgery, but results are temporary and the procedure carries an uncommon but serious risk of vascular complications (see Injection-Related Vascular Compromise). For patients seeking lasting, structural change, surgical rhinoplasty remains the more predictable and safer long-term option.

Quick answer: The nasal valve is the narrowest part of the nasal airway, where airflow is naturally most restricted.

Because it’s already the tightest point in the breathing passage, even small amounts of collapse or narrowing here — whether from anatomy, aging, or a previous rhinoplasty — can cause noticeable breathing difficulty. Nasal valve problems are a common focus of functional rhinoplasty and revision surgery.

Quick answer: Open rhinoplasty is a surgical approach that uses a small incision across the columella, in addition to internal incisions, to fully expose the nasal structures.

This wider view gives the surgeon direct visibility of the cartilage and bone, which is especially valuable for complex reshaping or revision cases. In experienced hands, the small columellar scar typically fades to be nearly invisible within several months.

Quick answer: An osteotomy is a controlled surgical break in the nasal bones, used to narrow, straighten, or reposition the upper portion of the nose.

Osteotomies are commonly performed after removing a dorsal hump, to close the open space left behind and keep the bony bridge looking smooth and proportionate rather than wide or flat.

Quick answer: A pollybeak deformity is a convex bump above the tip that gives the nose a beak-like profile, often from too much fullness in the middle of the bridge relative to the tip.

It can occur naturally, but is also a well-known complication of a previous rhinoplasty in which the tip wasn’t given enough projection or support relative to the bridge. Correcting it is a frequent goal of revision rhinoplasty.

Quick answer: A rhinoplasty splint is a small external support, usually made of plastic or plaster, placed over the bridge of the nose after surgery.

It protects the reshaped bones and cartilage while initial healing takes place and helps control swelling. Most patients wear it for five to ten days before it’s removed at a follow-up visit.

Quick answer: A saddle nose deformity is a collapse or indentation of the middle portion of the nasal bridge, giving the nose a scooped or “saddled” profile.

It can result from trauma, certain autoimmune conditions, or over-removal of cartilage during a previous rhinoplasty. Correction typically requires rebuilding the collapsed area with a structural cartilage graft, often sourced from the rib in more advanced cases.

Quick answer: The septum is the wall of cartilage and bone that divides the nose into a right and left breathing passage.

It also provides central structural support for the entire nose, which is why septal cartilage is often the preferred source of grafting material during rhinoplasty — surgeons take care to preserve enough of the septum to keep the nose structurally sound.

Quick answer: A spreader graft is a thin strip of cartilage placed along the middle portion of the nose to widen a pinched area and support the airway.

Spreader grafts are especially useful after hump reduction, when narrowing of the middle vault can otherwise cause both a cosmetic “pinched” look and a functional breathing problem. They’re a hallmark of structural, breathing-conscious rhinoplasty technique.

Quick answer: Tip projection describes how far the tip of the nose extends forward from the face, as seen in profile.

A tip that projects too little can appear flat or underdeveloped, while one that projects too much can look overly prominent. Adjusting tip projection is a key part of achieving facial balance in both primary and revision rhinoplasty.

Quick answer: Tip rotation describes the angle of the nasal tip relative to the upper lip — whether it points upward (rotated) or downward (de-rotated).

A slightly upturned tip is often considered a softening, feminine feature, while a more neutral or downward rotation tends to read as more masculine or natural depending on the rest of the face. Ideal rotation varies by patient and is discussed individually during consultation.