The columella is the strip of skin and underlying tissue that separates your two nostrils, running from the tip down to the upper lip. It plays a significant structural role in tip surgery, since it houses the columellar strut — a key piece of cartilage support that determines tip projection and stability.
The columella also matters cosmetically — its length, angle, and how much it shows relative to the nostrils (columellar show) all factor into how balanced the nose looks from the side profile. Too little columellar show can make the tip look underprojected, while too much can look unusual, so this is calibrated carefully as part of your overall tip and profile design.
Consultation Tip
If you have a specific concern about how much of your columella shows from the side, mention it directly — it's a subtle detail that's easy to overlook but genuinely affects how balanced your profile looks.
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— Dr. Hyung-taek Kim, KOWON Plastic Surgery