Drooping nasal tip (muscle correction)

An underlying solution for your nasal tip

A tip that spreads and drops when smilingA tip that keeps dropping after surgery

Direct correction of the depressor muscle

Treats the cause of arrow, long and drooping noses

Minimises the chance of relapse

Operated by the director himself

What causes a drooping nasal tip?

A drooping tip can have several interacting causes. Assessment considers the muscles and balance of the whole face, as well as the nose.

Location of the Depressor septi nasi — Depressor septi nasi(Depressor septi nasi m.)
Can pull the nose downward
May cover the philtrum and create a sad or older appearance

Location of the Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi — Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi(Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi m.)
Can make the nose spread sideways
May deepen nasolabial folds and make the nose look wider

KOWON's approach to nasal tip surgery

Cartilage correction and muscle correction are considered together to refine the nasal tip.

Tip cartilage grafting

Tip cartilage suturing

Depressor septi correction

Nasal elevator muscle correction

kowon plastic surgery

What guides nasal tip surgery at KOWON?

Muscle correction toReduce tip drooping

Columella and philtrum angles for a less protruding profileHarmonious proportions

Considering the whole faceBalanced features

Across facial expressionsEase appearance concerns

REAL RESULT

Before & After

Drooping nose — before and after — Drooping noseBefore & After

Wide nose — before and after — Wide noseBefore & After

Outcomes and side effects vary from person to person. Bleeding, infection, swelling and asymmetry may occur. Please consult our medical team before making a decision.

How the surgery proceeds

STEP 01

Why does the tip droop?

Between the tip of the nose and the upper lip sits a muscle that pulls the tip downward. When it acts strongly, the tip looks low even at rest and drops further when you smile or speak, giving the look of an arrow or long nose. Lifting the tip with cartilage work alone leaves that pull intact, so it can droop again over time.

STEP 02

Tip muscle correction at KOWON

Alongside shaping the tip cartilage, we adjust the muscle responsible for the problem. Once its pull is released, a support structure — septal extension and related techniques — sets a stable tip angle that does not shift with expression. The nasolabial angle is designed at the same time, so the profile line stays natural.

STEP 03

Who this is for

Suited to people whose expression changes because the tip drops when they smile; who want to address an arrow, long or drooping nose at its cause; who still have a drooping tip after previous surgery; or who want to improve the balance between the tip and the mouth area together.

STEP 04

Recovery

The splint and sutures come out on days 5–7, at which point you can return to daily life. Most tip swelling settles over 2–4 weeks, and the final line comes together over 3–6 months. We check your recovery at regular follow-up visits.

KOWON Youtube

Nasal tip — 195 videos in which Dr. Kim explains the technique and real cases

Video 123 · Nasal tip · Dorsal hump (Korean original)

All Nasal tip videos

Frequently asked questions

Ordinary tip surgery concentrates on reshaping cartilage. Tip muscle correction adjusts the pull of the muscle that draws the tip downward. By addressing the cause as well, it fundamentally reduces both the drop when you smile and the chance of drooping again.

It varies with the extent of the work, but usually takes about 1.5–2.5 hours under sedation anaesthesia. The exact plan is explained at your consultation, after your nose has been assessed.

The muscle work is done in the direction of releasing excessive pull, so expression does not become unnatural. There can be a temporary stiff feeling early in recovery, which settles as the swelling goes down.

Go deeper with columns by the doctor

257 columns on Nasal tip — the questions that come up most in the consulting room, written up by the doctor himself.

See all columns

Related procedures

J-Curl Rhinoplasty

J-Curl Rhinoplasty (nasolabial angle correction)

A protruding-mouth look, solved through rhinoplasty

RIBFIT™ Autologous Implant

If silicone isn't for you — RIBFIT™

Consultation

A tip that stays put, even when you smile

Dr. Kim Hyung-taek takes personal responsibility from diagnosis through surgery and aftercare.

Book a 1:1 consultation

Outcomes and side effects vary from person to person. Bleeding, infection, swelling and asymmetry may occur. Please consult our medical team before making a decision.