I was looking through pictures of myself with friends and family. The first thing I noticed is that my nose looks much different as I’ve gotten older. It doesn’t look like the nose I had when I was younger. So I researched the nose and how it ages. Sure enough, I found a lot of information about how the nose changes shape as you age.
When we age, the tip of the nose drops and gets longer due to gravity. The skin loses elasticity and the soft tissue underneath weakens and stretches. Also, the bone under the tip and above the teeth (maxilla) loses volume, and that further drops the tip. When the tip drops, it gives the appearance as if the nose developed a bump.
The nasal cartilage itself doesn’t change much with age, but the ligaments around the nasal cartilages weaken also contributing to a droopy tip. The nose appears longer too. Nasal skin also gradually thickens with age so it is less smooth. (Sorry for all the bad news)
Plastic Surgery for the nose (Rhinoplasty):
Many plastic surgeons perform nasal surgery in older patients. It usually involves only tip work to elevate the tip with cartilage grafts. There is usually rapid recovery. It is nearly painless with 3D endoscopic technology. A further reason to perform nasal surgery in older patients is for better breathing. As the tip drops, it also collapses certain areas of the nose with weak support and adversely affects breathing. If you push up on your nose, you will find that you can breathe easier.
It’s best to have a consultation with a plastic surgeon to get a better idea about how involved your Rhinoplasty surgery will be. Go to a board-certified plastic surgeon and one who has good experience with Rhinoplasty.