What is the Columella?

A Guide to a Hanging or Retracted Columella in Beverly Hills

The part of your nose known as the columella is the skin and cartilage bridge in between the nostrils. It divides the nostrils into right and left sides. It can be wide, flared at the bottom, hanging, or retracted. It is important to not ignore this area when aesthetically shaping the nose. In addition, if there is septal deviation or if the internal nose is crooked, then the columella can look crooked and would need to be straightened as well.

Dr. Ghavami is a Beverly Hills rhinoplasty surgeon who can adjust all parts of the nose, including the columella to give patients the perfect nose they’ve always dreamed of. Feel free to contact his office today to schedule a consultation.

Columellar retraction or a retracted columella can mean that the skin is pulled up into the nostrils and appear hidden on front and profile view. In this situation the entire nose can look too short for the face. The septum and columella will need to be lengthened in this situation with cartilage grafts and repositioning.

The opposite situation is when the columella is hanging, known as a plunging or hanging columella. Dr. Ghavami will likely suggest trimming and lifting of the cartilage with possible skin reduction in this area. The goal is to improve the relationship between the columella and the alar area (nostrils). By re-shaping the columella, the nose can appear in balance from all views and be in harmony with the rest of the nasal and facial architecture.