Nasal ala botox: how it works on a nose that flares when you smile, and when it is suitable
If you are bothered that your nostrils spread wide to the sides in smiling photos, making your nose look bigger, it is worth first checking the muscles that move when you make facial expressions rather than the size of the nose itself. Nasal ala botox is a treatment that injects botox into the small muscles that pull the nostrils outward and upward when you smile or breathe deeply, reducing their force.
A nose suited to nasal ala botox is one where the nostrils become noticeably wider when you smile than when your face is at rest. For a nose with wide cartilage or a lot of tissue in the nostrils even at rest, the extent of change from reducing muscle strength is small. At our Suwon clinic, during consultation we look in turn at your face at rest, smiling, and taking a deep breath, first checking the position of the muscles, left-right differences, and the influence of cartilage and nostril fat, and then decide the area and method.
In this article, we go through why the nostrils flare when you smile, the criteria for identifying the type that changes with botox, the injection points for nasal ala botox and nasal tip botox, aftercare, and side effects.
Key points about nasal ala botox
- The nostrils flare when you smile because the small muscles that widen the nostrils and lift the alae move together.
- Nasal ala botox addresses muscle movement, so the changes mainly appear when you make facial expressions.
- Wide cartilage or thick nostril fat that is present even at rest changes little with botox.
- If the nasal tip drops when you smile, we separately consider nasal tip botox placed below the columella.
Why do the nostrils widen when you smile?
Several small muscles that move the nose with facial expressions are attached around the alae. The muscle that pulls the edges of the nostrils outward widens the nostrils when you breathe deeply or strain, and the muscle running down from the inner corner of the eye to the alae and upper lip lifts the alae upward when you smile.
When these muscles are strongly developed or used heavily together when you smile, the nostrils spread sideways and tilt upward, making the nose look wide and short. This is why the same person's nose can look very different in a neutral photo and a smiling photo.
How do you identify a nose that changes with nasal ala botox?
If you compare the outer width of your nostrils in front of a mirror with your face at rest and with a big smile, you can get a rough idea of the cause.
| Category | Muscle type | Cartilage type | Fat type | Drooping nasal tip type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it looks like | The nostrils flare wide only when smiling | Nostrils look wide and firm even at rest | The nostril wings feel soft and plump | The nose tip drops and the nostrils show when you smile |
| Main cause | Muscles that flare the nostrils | Shape of the cartilage | Fat in the nostril wings | Muscle that pulls the nose tip down |
| Main approach | Nostril botulinum toxin | Consultation on other options after examination | Consultation on nose contouring injections | Nose tip botulinum toxin |
Nostril botulinum toxin does not directly shrink cartilage or skin; it works on muscle movement. If you are hoping to change the size of your nose at rest, it is best to have the cause checked through an examination first.
Where are nostril Botox and nasal tip Botox injected?
How injections are placed to match muscle location
For nostril botulinum toxin, small amounts are divided and injected along the outer edge of each nostril wing, where the muscle that flares the nostrils runs. If the two sides flare to different degrees, the amount on each side is set differently to help even out the asymmetry. For nose tip botulinum toxin, the injection goes below the columella, where it meets the upper lip, to reduce the pull of the muscle that drags the nose tip down when you smile.
The medication blocks the contraction signal sent from the nerve endings to the muscle, so the injected muscle cannot move as strongly. Muscle strength fades gradually over several days, and as the nerve endings recover over time, movement slowly returns.
What we check during consultation
During consultation, we look at the direction in which the nostril wings and nose tip move with expressions, the difference between left and right, and the thickness of the nostril wings when pinched. If there is a lot of fat in the nostril wings, a nose contouring (GPC) injection at the Suwon clinic can be planned alongside. The injection takes about 10 minutes or less, fat breakdown progresses over 2 to 3 weeks, and the standard plan is 3 or more sessions spaced 2 to 3 weeks apart. The timing of the next botulinum toxin session is decided based on how much nostril movement has returned.
View special-area Botox treatment information
Recovery and care after nostril botulinum toxin
- On the day of treatment, avoid blowing or rubbing your nose hard, and limit wearing heavy glasses that press on your nose for long periods.
- For a few days, avoid heavy drinking, smoking, saunas and jjimjilbang, hot baths, and intense exercise.
- Do not rub the injection sites hard or massage them strongly.
- If you also had a nose contouring injection, gently massage the nostril wings for about 3 minutes, 3 times a day, for at least 3 days so the solution spreads evenly.
Muscle movement returns little by little over time, so the timing of the next injection is decided not only by the date but by how much the nostrils flare when you smile. Repeating at short intervals can lead to resistance to the medication, so it is better not to get injections more often than necessary.
Side effects and precautions of nostril botulinum toxin
Common reactions are stinging at the injection site, small bruises, swelling, and small raised bumps, and most settle down soon. The area around the nose has dense blood vessels, so small bruises can form easily, and the degree of reaction and effect varies from person to person depending on muscle strength and nose structure.
Rarely, if the medication spreads to nearby muscles, the upper lip may lift less when you smile so your expression looks awkward, the nose tip may look droopy, or wrinkles on the bridge of the nose may deepen; these return as the effect wears off. If you also had a nose contouring injection, an allergic reaction to the ingredients may rarely cause itchy swelling. Please tell us before treatment if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a neuromuscular disease, or have ever had a hypersensitivity reaction to botulinum toxin.
If your mouth turns crooked to one side when you smile, breathing becomes uncomfortable, or the injection site keeps getting more swollen and hot, please contact the clinic right away.
What is checked before nostril botulinum toxin?
In these cases, start by having the muscles around your nose checked
- Your nostrils look fine at rest but flare wide to the sides when you smile.
- Your nostrils visibly flare when you take a deep breath.
- Your nose tip drops and your nostrils show when you smile.
- Your left and right nostrils flare to different degrees.
If two or more apply, it is best to first check whether your nostrils look wide because of muscle, cartilage, or fat before treatment. Whether to treat, the method, and the area are decided together in consultation after a physician's examination.
In short, nostril botulinum toxin works on the flaring movement when you smile, so the key is to first identify whether the cause is muscle, cartilage, or fat, and to decide the next timing by watching how your expressions change.
FAQ
Q. Will nostril Botox make my nose smaller?
A. Nostril botulinum toxin reduces muscle movement, so it addresses the flaring of the nostrils when you smile or breathe. It does not change the size of the cartilage at rest, so if your nostrils look wide even when your face is relaxed, the cause is checked through an examination.
Q. When does the effect of nostril Botox start to show?
A. Muscle strength begins to fade gradually over several days, and after a little more time, we check how much the nostrils flare when you smile. When the effect appears and how long it lasts varies from person to person depending on muscle strength.
Q. How should I schedule the interval for nostril Botox?
A. The next treatment is timed based on how much the nostril movement has returned when you smile, rather than on a set date. Repeating at short intervals can lead to resistance to the medication, so it is better not to get injections more often than necessary, and the timing is decided together in consultation.
Q. In what cases is nasal tip Botox appropriate?
A. It is considered when the nose tip drops and the nostrils show when you smile. The injection is placed below the columella to reduce the pull of the muscle that drags the nose tip down, and if your nostrils also flare when you smile, it may be planned together with nostril botulinum toxin.
Q. Can I get nostril Botox and nose filler together?
A. Nostril botulinum toxin addresses movement, while filler addresses the height of the nasal bridge and tip, so they can be planned together. The nose has many blood vessels, so the position and amount of filler are decided separately after examination, and the treatments are sometimes done on different days.
Q. How can I find out the cost of nostril botulinum toxin?
A. The cost depends on the treatment area and dosage. We confirm in consultation whether you need only the nostrils or also the nose tip or nostril wing injections before giving you details, and related items by area can also be found on the treatment information page.
This content is provided as general treatment information and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a medical professional to decide whether and how to proceed with a treatment.