Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsChanges Over TimeEarly LifeLater LifeImplicationsAddressing Nose Issues
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Changes Over Time
Early Life
Later Life
Implications
Addressing Nose Issues
Each person’s body naturally changes over time. Your nose does grow with age, but only up to a certain point. The nose stops growing in most people during the teen years. After that, it may change size and shape—but not because it’s actually growing.
As you age, there are changes to thebone, skin, and cartilage that shape your nose. Cartilage is the strong, flexible tissue that supports the end of your nose. In later years, it’s common for nose tip support to be a priority when surgery is used to treat the nose.
This article explains how and why your nose changes as you get older. It answers some common questions about nose growth and discusses some of the treatment options for the nose.
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How Your Nose Changes Over Time
In one study, researchers examined photos of 700 faces of White people aged 20 to 80 years old. The purpose of the study was to make facial recognition software better at predicting how faces change over time so images of missing persons can be updated. Researchers looked at 36 different facial “landmarks,” measuring the distances between them.
They found that age-related changes cause the nose to slope downward with age. The distance from your nose to your mouth also decreases as you get older.
The researchers also noted that the outer part of the nostrils tended to widen. These changes don’t mean the nose is getting bigger, but that its changing shape could make itlookbigger.
Other parts of the face change with age, too, and affect the appearance of the nose. They include bone structure of:
When Does Your Nose Stop Growing?
When exactly the nose stops growing is debated among experts. Some researchers report that the nose stops growing around age 12, while others say it stops at an older age, around 16 or 17, or even early adulthood.Gender and ethnicity may explain these differences.
Once you reach adulthood, the nose stops growing. Therefore, a “larger” nose isn’t because of growth, but because key structures within the nose change.
Structural Nasal Changes in Later Life
In adulthood, the nose undergoes many structural or anatomical changes, such as:
These changes can lengthen your nose even though it isn’t actually growing. It’s not just structure, though, that changes with time: The environment affects your nose health, beginning with bacterial exposure at birth that can affect the nose later in life (with asthma and its severity, for example).This nasal microbiome, with its normal mix of bacteria and microorganisms, changes over the years, too.
Living With a Larger Nose
The nose serves two key purposes: bringing warm, humidified air into your lungs and providing the sense of smell. Age-related changes to the nose can impact how well it works. Certain changes (like adeviated septum) can lead to an obstruction or blockage.
Good skin care can help to protect your nose, including sun damage prevention. You can talk with your healthcare provider about usingneti potsor other products to keep nasal passages clear. Also, consider using a humidifier in your home to keep the nasal passages moist and avoid tobacco smoke.
Surgery may resolve the age-related changes to the nose. It was once thought that surgeries on the nose were for younger people seeking aesthetic change, particularly for a larger nose or aRhinoplastywas still the most common “plastic surgery” in the United States in 2020, but 10% of those cases involved people ages 55 and older who often seek to restore function.
Sometimes, the changes to your face aren’t because of your nose. Time and gravity can affect your cheekbones, for example, and the resulting optics make it look like the nose is bigger.
Before and After Septoplasty
The nose hasaestheticvalue for many people. Its age-related changes can mean you aren’t as happy with the way your face looks. Some people opt for surgery on their nose to improve their appearance and/or quality of life.
With small noses, a surgeon can elongate the nose. Cartilage from other areas of the body (such as the ribs) or synthetic materials can besurgicallygrafted onto the cartilage to fill out the nose.
Plastic surgeons need to consider changes to the older nose when planning surgery and recovery. The nasal tip, for example, may require more support in an older person.This is important for breathing function as well as appearance.
Not everyone is a good candidate for surgery, but surgery may not always be needed. Some people opt fordermal fillersto make aesthetic changes to a drooping nose tip, or smooth out bumps in the surface when serious functional issues aren’t a problem.
Surgeons recommend conservative approaches to change among older people, because they usually have lived with the same nose shape and structure over a lifetime.Counseling to discuss the changes to appearance can help ensure satisfaction with results at any age, but especially in older people.
Summary
Your nose grows throughout childhood and your teen years. It may even grow a bit during early adulthood. But after that, any changes you notice are not related to nose growth. Instead, they’re the result of changes to your skin and cartilage that alter the shape of the nose.
These changes are a natural part of aging, but some people may need or want treatment. Beyond self-care to keep skin healthy and nasal passages clear, surgery on the nose may be a consideration. Your healthcare provider can discuss treatment options to help with your nose’s appearance and function.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Navaratnam A, Stoenchev K, Acharya V, Saleh H.The Ageing Nose: Challenges and Solutions.Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep10, 253–261 (2022). doi:10.1007/s40136-022-00408-3Baldasso RP, Damascena NP, Deitos AR, Palhares Machado CE, Franco A, Nogueira de Oliveira R.Morphologic alterations ear, nose and lip detected with aging through facial photoanthropometric analysis.J Forensic Odontostomatol. 2019;37(2):25-34.Mendelson BC, Wong CH.Changes in the Facial Skeleton with Aging: Implications and Clinical Applications in Facial Rejuvenation.Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2020 Aug;44(4):1159-1161. doi:10.1007/s00266-020-01785-0.Sharma P, Arora A, Valiathan A.Age changes of jaws and soft tissue profile.ScientificWorldJournal. 2014;2014:301501. doi: 10.1155/2014/301501Helal HA, Ghanem MAM, Al-Badawy AM, Abdel Haleem MM, Mousa MH.Histological and Anthropometric Changes in the Aging Nose.Aesthet Surg J. 2019 Aug 22;39(9):943-952. doi:10.1093/asj/sjy245.MedlinePlus.Rhinophyma.Dimitri-Pinheiro S, Soares R, Barata P.The Microbiome of the Nose-Friend or Foe?Allergy Rhinol (Providence). 2020 Mar 13;11:2152656720911605. doi:10.1177/2152656720911605.Flushing Hospital Medical Center.Truth or Myth: Our Nose and our Ears Never Stop Growing.Wei J, Zhang J, Herrler T, et al.Correction of severe short nose using a costal cartilage extension framework.Ann Plast Surg. 2020;85(5):472-475. doi:10.1097/sap.0000000000002395Additional ReadingFeng Wen Y, Ming Wong H, McGrath CP.A longitudinal study of facial growth of Southern Chinese in Hong Kong: Comprehensive photogrammetric analyses.PLoS One.2017; 12(10): e0186598. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186598
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Navaratnam A, Stoenchev K, Acharya V, Saleh H.The Ageing Nose: Challenges and Solutions.Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep10, 253–261 (2022). doi:10.1007/s40136-022-00408-3Baldasso RP, Damascena NP, Deitos AR, Palhares Machado CE, Franco A, Nogueira de Oliveira R.Morphologic alterations ear, nose and lip detected with aging through facial photoanthropometric analysis.J Forensic Odontostomatol. 2019;37(2):25-34.Mendelson BC, Wong CH.Changes in the Facial Skeleton with Aging: Implications and Clinical Applications in Facial Rejuvenation.Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2020 Aug;44(4):1159-1161. doi:10.1007/s00266-020-01785-0.Sharma P, Arora A, Valiathan A.Age changes of jaws and soft tissue profile.ScientificWorldJournal. 2014;2014:301501. doi: 10.1155/2014/301501Helal HA, Ghanem MAM, Al-Badawy AM, Abdel Haleem MM, Mousa MH.Histological and Anthropometric Changes in the Aging Nose.Aesthet Surg J. 2019 Aug 22;39(9):943-952. doi:10.1093/asj/sjy245.MedlinePlus.Rhinophyma.Dimitri-Pinheiro S, Soares R, Barata P.The Microbiome of the Nose-Friend or Foe?Allergy Rhinol (Providence). 2020 Mar 13;11:2152656720911605. doi:10.1177/2152656720911605.Flushing Hospital Medical Center.Truth or Myth: Our Nose and our Ears Never Stop Growing.Wei J, Zhang J, Herrler T, et al.Correction of severe short nose using a costal cartilage extension framework.Ann Plast Surg. 2020;85(5):472-475. doi:10.1097/sap.0000000000002395Additional ReadingFeng Wen Y, Ming Wong H, McGrath CP.A longitudinal study of facial growth of Southern Chinese in Hong Kong: Comprehensive photogrammetric analyses.PLoS One.2017; 12(10): e0186598. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186598
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Navaratnam A, Stoenchev K, Acharya V, Saleh H.The Ageing Nose: Challenges and Solutions.Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep10, 253–261 (2022). doi:10.1007/s40136-022-00408-3Baldasso RP, Damascena NP, Deitos AR, Palhares Machado CE, Franco A, Nogueira de Oliveira R.Morphologic alterations ear, nose and lip detected with aging through facial photoanthropometric analysis.J Forensic Odontostomatol. 2019;37(2):25-34.Mendelson BC, Wong CH.Changes in the Facial Skeleton with Aging: Implications and Clinical Applications in Facial Rejuvenation.Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2020 Aug;44(4):1159-1161. doi:10.1007/s00266-020-01785-0.Sharma P, Arora A, Valiathan A.Age changes of jaws and soft tissue profile.ScientificWorldJournal. 2014;2014:301501. doi: 10.1155/2014/301501Helal HA, Ghanem MAM, Al-Badawy AM, Abdel Haleem MM, Mousa MH.Histological and Anthropometric Changes in the Aging Nose.Aesthet Surg J. 2019 Aug 22;39(9):943-952. doi:10.1093/asj/sjy245.MedlinePlus.Rhinophyma.Dimitri-Pinheiro S, Soares R, Barata P.The Microbiome of the Nose-Friend or Foe?Allergy Rhinol (Providence). 2020 Mar 13;11:2152656720911605. doi:10.1177/2152656720911605.Flushing Hospital Medical Center.Truth or Myth: Our Nose and our Ears Never Stop Growing.Wei J, Zhang J, Herrler T, et al.Correction of severe short nose using a costal cartilage extension framework.Ann Plast Surg. 2020;85(5):472-475. doi:10.1097/sap.0000000000002395
Navaratnam A, Stoenchev K, Acharya V, Saleh H.The Ageing Nose: Challenges and Solutions.Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep10, 253–261 (2022). doi:10.1007/s40136-022-00408-3
Baldasso RP, Damascena NP, Deitos AR, Palhares Machado CE, Franco A, Nogueira de Oliveira R.Morphologic alterations ear, nose and lip detected with aging through facial photoanthropometric analysis.J Forensic Odontostomatol. 2019;37(2):25-34.
Mendelson BC, Wong CH.Changes in the Facial Skeleton with Aging: Implications and Clinical Applications in Facial Rejuvenation.Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2020 Aug;44(4):1159-1161. doi:10.1007/s00266-020-01785-0.
Sharma P, Arora A, Valiathan A.Age changes of jaws and soft tissue profile.ScientificWorldJournal. 2014;2014:301501. doi: 10.1155/2014/301501
Helal HA, Ghanem MAM, Al-Badawy AM, Abdel Haleem MM, Mousa MH.Histological and Anthropometric Changes in the Aging Nose.Aesthet Surg J. 2019 Aug 22;39(9):943-952. doi:10.1093/asj/sjy245.
MedlinePlus.Rhinophyma.
Dimitri-Pinheiro S, Soares R, Barata P.The Microbiome of the Nose-Friend or Foe?Allergy Rhinol (Providence). 2020 Mar 13;11:2152656720911605. doi:10.1177/2152656720911605.
Flushing Hospital Medical Center.Truth or Myth: Our Nose and our Ears Never Stop Growing.
Wei J, Zhang J, Herrler T, et al.Correction of severe short nose using a costal cartilage extension framework.Ann Plast Surg. 2020;85(5):472-475. doi:10.1097/sap.0000000000002395
Feng Wen Y, Ming Wong H, McGrath CP.A longitudinal study of facial growth of Southern Chinese in Hong Kong: Comprehensive photogrammetric analyses.PLoS One.2017; 12(10): e0186598. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186598
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