Alarplasty narrows the base of the nose by removing a small wedge of skin and soft tissue where the nostrils meet the cheek or from the nostril sill. It is for nostrils that look wide or flared from the front.
It changes nostril width and flare only. It does not refine the tip, lower a hump or improve breathing, and because skin is removed it is very hard to reverse if overdone.
What Alarplasty (Alar Base Reduction) involves
With you sitting up, the surgeon measures the alar width against the distance between the inner corners of your eyes and marks the wedges precisely on both sides. Local anaesthetic with adrenaline is injected. A crescent or wedge a few millimetres wide is cut out in the crease where the nostril joins the cheek, sometimes extending into the nostril floor. If flare rather than width is the problem, the excision is kept to the alar wall; if the whole base is broad, a sill excision or a cinch stitch passed under the skin between the two sides draws them together. Fine sutures close the wound so the scar lies in the natural groove.
Who is a good candidate for Alarplasty (Alar Base Reduction)?
Best for people happy with the rest of their nose whose only concern is nostril width or flare.
- Nostril base clearly wider than the gap between the eyes
- Flaring that is most obvious when smiling
- Patients who had rhinoplasty and are left with a relatively wide base
- Thick-skinned noses where tip work narrowed the tip but not the base
It is usually not the right choice if:
- Anyone whose main concern is the tip, bridge or profile
- People with narrow nostrils or nasal valve collapse, in whom narrowing can worsen breathing
- Those prone to keloid or dark scarring, who need a cautious plan
- Smokers unwilling to pause, because of wound healing
Technique options
- Alar wedge excision: Removes tissue from the nostril wall in the alar crease. Used mainly to reduce flare.
- Sill excision: Removes tissue from the nostril floor. Used to reduce true base width.
- Combined wedge and sill: For noses that are both wide and flared.
- Alar cinch suture: A buried stitch that pulls the bases together with little or no skin removal; effect is modest and may relax.
What happens during your treatment
Alone, it takes 30 to 60 minutes under local anaesthesia, with sedation if you prefer. You feel the injections and then pressure. You leave the same day with small tapes or ointment over the stitches and no packing or cast.
Preparing for your trip
Plan for 5 to 7 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.
- Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
- Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
- Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
- Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly
Recovery and results
Expect swelling and mild bruising around the nostrils for a week. Stitches are removed at 5 to 7 days. Most people are presentable at work after a week. The scars are pink for 2 to 3 months and fade over 6 to 12 months; sun protection helps. Avoid pulling on the nostrils or strenuous exercise for 2 weeks.
- Back to everyday activity: About 1 week
- When results show: Shape at 2 to 4 weeks, scars mature by 6 to 12 months
- How long they last: Permanent
Safety, risks and revision policy
The risks are mostly about shape and scarring rather than general health.
- Asymmetry between the two nostrils
- Visible, notched or widened scars in the alar crease
- Over-narrowing that gives a pinched look or restricts airflow
- Under-correction needing a further small excision
- Infection or wound separation
- Altered nostril shape, such as a teardrop or unnatural outline
Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.
Cost of Alarplasty (Alar Base Reduction) in Türkiye
Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Alarplasty (Alar Base Reduction), because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:
- Alone under local anaesthesia versus as part of a rhinoplasty
- Primary or revision surgery
- Sedation or general anaesthesia if requested
Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the scars show?
They sit in the groove beside the nostril and usually fade well. They are more noticeable in the first three months and in skin that scars darkly.
Can it be done without a full rhinoplasty?
Yes, if the base is your only concern. If the tip is also broad, narrowing the base alone can make the tip look bigger.
Can it be undone?
Not easily. Rebuilding a nostril needs grafts, which is why surgeons remove conservatively and adjust later if needed.