Anatomy

The nasal shape is formed by the interplay of soft tissue structures with the underlying cartilaginous and bone framework. Variations of muscle, skin, cartilage, or bone thickness contribute to the surface anatomy. The profile on the nose, as well as its projection and ethnic features, are related to the position and the shape of the bony and cartilaginous structures caused by congenital, iatrogenic, or post-traumatic events. On the frontal view, the nose is composed of a nasal base, where one can identify the two nostrils, two nasal alae, and a central portion which is the columella. The upper part of the nasal base is the nasal tip, which is deeply supported by the alar cartilages and in the midline has the Pitanguy ligament as well as the nasal superficial muscular aponeurotic system. The dermal-cartilaginous ligament of Pitanguy is retrievable in the medial portion of the nose and continues down to join both medial crura with the septum.