Nose
Nostril shape correction in Korea
Nostril shape correction lowers a nostril rim that arches upward, so less nostril shows from the front. It uses tip cartilage, cartilage grafts, or ear cartilage with skin for a deep arch. Our partner clinic lists about 1 to 2 hours under sedation, its standard rhinoplasty figures; plan about 7 days in Seoul, up to 10 with an ear graft.
Who is a good candidate for nostril shape correction?
- From the front, more of your nostril openings show than you would like, although the tip sits at a normal angle
- The rim of one or both nostrils arches upward, at its inner, middle or outer part
- The rim lifted after earlier nose surgery, which is common in the inner type
- Your nostrils look uneven from the front because the rims sit at different heights
When it may not be the right choice
- The whole tip sits high on a short nose, not just the rim. Short nose correction deals with the length instead
- Your nostrils look too wide rather than too visible. Alar reduction narrows them
Which method fits you?
Surgeons call a raised rim alar retraction. The clinic sorts it into three types by the part of the rim that is lifted, and chooses the method by how deep the arch is. The deeper it is, the more tissue the rim needs.
| Method | What happens | Suits | Downtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moving the tip cartilage down | The tip cartilage is freed and fixed lower, bringing the nostril rim down with it. | A mild arch | Stitches out after about a week |
| Cartilage graft under the rim | Your own septal or ear cartilage is placed beneath the tip cartilage to push the rim down. | A moderate arch | A donor wound inside the nose or at the ear |
| Ear cartilage with skin (composite graft) | A piece of ear cartilage with its skin attached is set into the nostril lining, adding support and the skin the rim lacks. | A deep arch | An ear wound to heal, and a graft that needs time to take |
What happens on the day of nostril shape correction?
- Consultation. The surgeon looks at your nostrils from the front, the side and below, finds which part of the rim is raised, and checks the septum, which the clinic’s 3D CT scan of the nose shows.
- Sedation. The clinic lists about 1 to 2 hours, the same as its standard rhinoplasty, so ask how long nostril work alone will take. When nostril work is part of a rhinoplasty, it happens in the same operation.
- Through incisions inside the nostril, the tip cartilage is lowered or a graft is placed. A composite graft from the ear is stitched into the nostril lining.
- Fine stitches close the inside of the nostril and any ear wound, and you return to your hotel the same day.
What is recovery like after nostril shape correction?
- Days 1 to 3
- The nostril rims are swollen and tender, and stitch lines inside the nostril may ooze a little. Clean them the way the clinic shows you.
- Around day 7
- The stitches come out, though after an ear graft they can stay in until day 10. The rims can look uneven while swelling remains.
- Weeks 2 to 6
- Swelling settles and the position of the rim becomes clearer. Do not pick at crusts inside the nostril.
- Months 3 to 12
- The rim and any graft settle. Judge the final line once swelling has fully gone.
How long should you stay in Seoul after nostril shape correction?
How long to stay depends on what is done. Nostril shape correction alone needs about 7 days in Seoul, so that the stitch removal the clinic lists at around one week happens before you leave. An ear cartilage graft, or combining it with rhinoplasty, stretches that to 7 to 10 days, as stitches can stay in up to day 10 when ear cartilage is taken; ask whether a septal cartilage graft changes your timing. As after any operation, if you become breathless or have chest pain, get emergency care first, then tell the clinic. Heavy bleeding from a nostril or the ear calls for the same steps.
What are the risks of nostril shape correction?
- The rim rising again, or less change than you hoped. The clinic describes the outer type as the hardest to correct
- Nostrils that look uneven from side to side
- A slightly blunter tip after the middle type is corrected, which the clinic mentions
- A graft that does not take, shows as a bump or feels firm inside the nostril
- Soreness, a scar or a change in ear shape where ear cartilage is taken
- Bleeding, infection and a blocked nose
- A rim position you are not happy with, which may need a second operation
What affects the cost of nostril shape correction in Korea?
This page gives no price for nostril shape correction yet, because the method is chosen only after the surgeon has seen your nostrils. The type and depth of the arch, whether a graft is needed, where it comes from (septum or ear, with or without skin) and any rhinoplasty at the same time all shape the quote. A patient coordinator answers first, then the surgeon at the partner clinic that fits your case reviews your photos and consults in depth. Any graft and its donor site, along with who operates, should appear on the written quote. Our consultation is free for you, and you pay only the clinic’s own price for treatment.
More questions
Why do my nostrils show so much from the front?
Often because the rim of the nostril arches upward, which surgeons call alar retraction, rather than because the tip turns up. A study of Asian noses describes it as the most common change in the shape of the nostril wings, and a difficult one to treat. A deeper arch may need a graft for support, and the deepest may need ear cartilage with its skin attached.
What are the inner, middle and outer types of visible nostrils?
The clinic names them by the part of the rim that is raised. The inner type often follows earlier nose surgery and tends to respond well. The middle type is relatively easy to correct but can leave the tip slightly blunter. The outer type is often present from birth and is the hardest to correct.
How is nostril shape correction different from alar reduction?
Nostril shape correction lowers a rim that arches up, so the nostrils show less from the front. Alar reduction narrows nostril wings that are too wide or flared. Some noses need both, and they can be done in the same operation.
Can nostril reshaping be done during rhinoplasty?
Yes. Nostril reshaping is often planned with rhinoplasty, because lowering the tip cartilage moves the rims as well. Done together, the stay follows the rhinoplasty timing of 7 to 10 days in Seoul.
Related procedures
Sources
- Clinic figures as published by Urban Plastic Surgery, collected October 3, 2026. Your surgeon confirms your own plan.
- Correction of Alar Retraction Based on Frontal Classification. PubMed Central, US National Library of Medicine
- The Use of Auricular Cartilage Grafts in Septorhinoplasty: A Dual-Centre Study of Donor Site Patient-Reported Outcome Measures. PubMed Central, US National Library of Medicine
- Rhinoplasty Risks and Safety. American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Cases and clinic figures come from our partner clinic, Urban Plastic Surgery. The partnership does not change what we publish about risks and recovery.