In this guide17 sections
- Key Points
- Why Is One Nostril Bigger Than the Other?
- Is It Normal to Have Uneven Nostrils?
- What Causes Uneven Nostrils?
- Why Do My Nostrils Look Uneven in Photos?
- Can a Deviated Septum Cause Uneven Nostrils?
- Why Is One Side of My Nose Blocked?
- When Should I See a Doctor About Uneven Nostrils?
- How to Fix One Nostril Bigger Than the Other
- Alarplasty for Uneven Nostrils (Alar Base Reduction)
- Tip Rhinoplasty and Septorhinoplasty for Uneven Nostrils
- Uneven Nostrils After Rhinoplasty: Is It Normal?
- Recovery and Risks of Surgery for Uneven Nostrils
- Uneven Nostril Correction in London
- Frequently Asked Questions: Uneven Nostrils
- Book a Consultation
- References
Key Points
- Is it normal for one nostril to be bigger than the other? Yes. Perfectly matched nostrils are unusual, because the nose, like the rest of the face, is slightly asymmetrical.
- What causes uneven nostrils? The commonest causes are natural asymmetry of the nasal cartilages and alar base, a deviated septum, a tip that is rotated or tilted to one side, an old nose injury, a previous nose job, and the angle of the camera.
- Do uneven nostrils affect breathing? Usually not. A nostril that is persistently blocked, or an obvious change after an injury, is the point to see a doctor.
- Can uneven nostrils be fixed without surgery? Makeup contouring can soften the difference. Nothing non-surgical changes the underlying cartilage or bone permanently.
- Which surgery corrects uneven nostrils? It depends on the cause: alarplasty (alar base reduction) for a wider or flared side, tip rhinoplasty for a rotated or pulled-up tip, and septorhinoplasty when a bent septum is involved.
If one nostril looks bigger, rounder or higher than the other, you are in very good company. Most people have some difference between their two nostrils, and it is usually only noticed after a close-up photo or a long look in the mirror. This guide explains why one nostril can look bigger than the other, how to tell a harmless variation from something worth checking, and what can be done if the difference bothers you, from camouflage to rhinoplasty.
If your main concern is that both nostrils are wide, see our guides to flared nostrils and nostril reduction surgery; for a nose that leans to one side, see fixing a crooked nose.
Why Is One Nostril Bigger Than the Other?
One nostril looks bigger than the other because the structures that shape the nose are rarely identical on both sides. The nostril is an opening bordered by the thin skin and cartilage of the nasal rim, the fleshy outer wing of the nose (the ala), the nasal floor and the lower edge of the septum, the wall of cartilage that divides the two sides of the nose. A small difference in the length, curve or position of any one of these changes how open and how round the nostril looks. In most people the cause is a combination of several small differences rather than one obvious fault.
Is It Normal to Have Uneven Nostrils?
Yes. Nobody has a perfectly symmetrical face, and the nose is no exception. Small differences in how the cartilage and bone develop on each side, plus any knocks along the way, mean the two halves of the nose seldom match exactly.
The difference is easiest to see from underneath, in a basal (base) view. From the front, where other people see you, the same nostrils usually look much more alike. If the difference is mild and your breathing is comfortable, it is a normal variation rather than a problem. What people notice is usually a difference in shape (one rounder, one more slit-like), height or width.
What Causes Uneven Nostrils?
Several separate things can make one nostril look bigger. Finding which applies to you matters, because each points to a different solution.
Natural asymmetry of the cartilage and alar base
The lower lateral cartilages shape the tip and the rim of the nostrils, and they are rarely mirror images. One may be stronger, wider or set at a slightly different angle, which changes how the ala and nostril rim curve. The alar base, where the wing of the nose meets the cheek, can also sit wider or lower on one side. Surgeons who treat the nasal base describe these variations as a recognised pattern, and they tailor the planned incisions to the individual shape of the alar base[1]. This is the most likely explanation if you have always had uneven nostrils.
Deviated septum
The septum should sit centrally, but it often does not. When the front edge of the septum (the caudal septum) leans into one nostril, it can narrow that side and push the other side open, so one nostril looks smaller and the other larger. In a 2014 retrospective study of 52 people having septoplasty with a caudal septal batten graft ↗, 71% had an external nasal deformity before surgery, and 15 of them had nostril asymmetry[2]. Our guide to what a deviated septum is explains the internal side of the problem.
Tip rotation or tilt
If the tip of the nose is rotated or tilted to one side, the nostril on the side it leans towards can look higher and more oval, while the opposite nostril looks lower and rounder. This can happen in slightly crooked noses and in noses that have been through nose tip surgery where the tip healed unevenly.
Previous nose injury
A broken nose in childhood, a sports knock or a fall can displace cartilage and bone without being noticed at the time. Fractures that involve the septum are linked with lasting problems: a 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 studies ↗ of adults with nasoseptal fractures reported persistent nasal obstruction, cosmetic deformity and a need for later revision surgery as recognised complications, with fewer problems after early septoplasty than after closed reduction alone[3]. If your nostrils changed after an injury, the injury is a likely reason.
Previous nose surgery
Uneven nostrils after rhinoplasty are common in the first months, as swelling is rarely identical on both sides. We cover this below.
The nasal cycle
Your nose swaps airflow from one side to the other every few hours. During the nasal cycle, one side congests and the other decongests, a well-recognised physiological pattern[4]. This changes how open a nostril feels, and it can change how swollen the lining looks, so one nostril may seem larger at one time of day and smaller later. It is normal and does not need treatment.
Why Do My Nostrils Look Uneven in Photos?
Photographs, and selfies in particular, exaggerate nostril differences. A phone held at arm’s length sits close to the face, so the nose, which is the part nearest the lens, appears larger and the angle from below shows the nostrils directly. A 2018 mathematical-modelling study in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery ↗ showed that photographs taken at short distances increase the apparent size of the nose, with the size of the effect depending on how close the camera is[5].
A tilted head, wide-angle phone lenses and the direction of the light also change what you see. Before deciding that your nostrils are uneven, look in a mirror at normal distance with your head level, or ask someone to photograph you from a metre or two away at eye level. If the difference largely disappears at a normal distance, the camera was exaggerating it.
Can a Deviated Septum Cause Uneven Nostrils?
Yes, though it is not the only cause, and a deviated septum can exist without making the nostrils uneven at all. A bend at the front of the septum is the form most likely to alter the nostrils, while one further back mostly affects breathing.
What are the symptoms of a deviated septum?
Typical symptoms include a nose blocked on one side, noisy breathing, snoring, nosebleeds or mouth breathing, though many people have none. A clinician can examine the inside of the nose, which cannot be judged from outside. Septoplasty straightens the septum for breathing and is not designed to change how the nose looks, which is the main difference from septorhinoplasty.
Straightening the septum can improve the outside as well, but only to a limited extent. In the study above of caudal septal batten grafting, nostril asymmetry was corrected in only a minority of those who had it, so septum surgery alone is not a dependable way to even the nostrils[2].
Why Is One Side of My Nose Blocked?
Most one-sided blockages are temporary. A cold, hay fever or the nasal cycle can all make one nostril feel narrower for hours or days. A blockage that never clears, or that is always on the same side, suggests a structural cause such as a deviated septum, enlarged turbinates (the ridges of tissue on the sidewall of the nose) or nasal valve collapse, where the sidewall of the nose draws inwards as you breathe in. Our guide to narrow nostrils and breathing difficulties explains how the outer shape of the nose and breathing are linked.
When Should I See a Doctor About Uneven Nostrils?
Uneven nostrils that you have always had, with comfortable breathing, are not a medical concern. Book an assessment with your GP or an ENT or plastic surgeon if you notice any of the following:
- a nostril that stays blocked or whistles when you breathe
- frequent nosebleeds, crusting or dryness inside the nose
- a sudden change in the shape of your nose, especially after a knock
- pain, swelling or a lump at the edge of the nostril
- snoring, mouth breathing or disturbed sleep that you did not have before
- a new difference after nose surgery that is not improving over several months
After a recent blow to the nose with pain, swelling or bleeding, do not wait: early assessment matters, as the fracture meta-analysis above found[3]. In an emergency, such as bleeding that will not stop or trouble breathing, call 999.
How to Fix One Nostril Bigger Than the Other
The right approach depends on how much the difference bothers you and what is causing it. There are three realistic routes: leave it alone, camouflage it, or correct it surgically.
How to fix uneven nostrils without surgery
Nothing non-surgical permanently reshapes cartilage or bone. These options can soften how noticeable the difference is:
- Makeup contouring. Shading the larger side lightly and highlighting the smaller side changes how the eye reads the shape, in photographs as well as in person.
- Dermal filler. Some practitioners use filler to add volume to a smaller nostril rim or the nasal base. The effect is temporary, the nose is a delicate area, and it is only suitable where the problem is a lack of volume, so discuss risks carefully with an experienced practitioner.
Nostril exercises and “nose shaping” gadgets do not change the cartilage, and we are not aware of good evidence that they work.
When surgery is worth considering
Surgery is a choice rather than a necessity. Most people consider it when the asymmetry is clearly visible face to face, affects confidence, or comes with a breathing problem. Which operation suits depends on whether the issue lies in the alar base, the tip or the septum, and our guide on whether to get rhinoplasty or septoplasty explains the difference.
Alarplasty for Uneven Nostrils (Alar Base Reduction)
Alarplasty, also called alar base reduction or nostril reduction, reshapes the base of the nose where the nostrils meet the cheek. It suits people whose main problem is that one ala is wider, more flared or set lower than the other. A small piece of skin is removed from the nostril sill, the crease where the ala meets the cheek, or both, and the incisions are placed so the scars lie along natural lines.
A 2020 systematic review of 22 studies and 1,599 patients ↗ in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery found that nostril surgery, using excision techniques, cinching sutures or flap advancement, gave good outcomes and was often done at the same time as rhinoplasty. In that review, excision techniques were used in 45.5% of patients and cinching sutures in 40%, and 795 patients had their nostril surgery alongside a rhinoplasty[6]. A newer expert-opinion paper proposes classifying alar base deformities (wide base, isolated flare, combined deformities) so that the incision and the amount of tissue removed fit the individual[1].
Our pages on how long alarplasty takes to heal and scarring after alar base reduction cover what to expect afterwards.
Tip Rhinoplasty and Septorhinoplasty for Uneven Nostrils
When the unevenness comes from the tip or the septum, the nostrils are corrected by treating the structure behind them. Tip rhinoplasty adjusts the cartilages that shape the tip. By repositioning, supporting or reshaping them, the surgeon can lift a lower nostril, lower a high one, or straighten a tilted tip. In a 2026 retrospective case series of 41 patients ↗ who had a cartilage-sparing septal extension graft to control tip position and rotation, 87.8% were satisfied with the appearance and support of their nasal tip at 12 months and 4.8% needed revision surgery for tip appearance[7]. It is a single technique in a small series, so treat it as an indication rather than a promise.
Septorhinoplasty combines septal straightening with reshaping of the outside of the nose, and it is the usual choice when a bent septum is contributing to the asymmetry or when you also have a breathing problem. Our guide to whether rhinoplasty and septoplasty can be done together sets out who benefits.
See more results in our rhinoplasty before and after photos.
Uneven Nostrils After Rhinoplasty: Is It Normal?
Yes, in the early months. Swelling after a nose job is never perfectly even, and one nostril often looks higher, rounder or larger while the tissues settle. The tip is the last area to finish healing, so a difference that is obvious at six weeks may be much less noticeable at six or twelve months. Our rhinoplasty recovery guide sets out the timeline, and the page on a blocked nose after rhinoplasty explains why one side can stay stuffy.
Some surgeons ask patients to wear a silicone nostril retainer for a period after surgery to help the nostril keep its shape while it heals. In a 2026 prospective, non-randomised study of 52 people who had primary rhinoplasty ↗, the 26 who wore a retainer showed a bigger improvement in nostril area symmetry between week 1 and month 3 than the 26 who did not[8]. A 2026 narrative review concluded that retainers may be a useful adjunct in selected patients, but that the evidence is limited[9]. Whether one is right for you is a decision for your surgeon.
If the unevenness persists well after the first year, it can usually be assessed for a refinement. Our revision rhinoplasty page explains when that is considered, and it is usually wiser to wait until swelling has fully settled before deciding.
Recovery and Risks of Surgery for Uneven Nostrils
Recovery depends on the operation. Alarplasty is a smaller operation than a full rhinoplasty, although the incisions still need careful scar care, while tip rhinoplasty and septorhinoplasty follow the longer timeline described in our rhinoplasty recovery guide, with swelling that continues to settle for around a year. For the NHS patient overview of the operation, see the NHS guidance on nose reshaping ↗.
All nose surgery carries risks, and your surgeon should explain them in full at consultation. They include bleeding, infection, scarring, a result that is not fully symmetrical, narrowing of the nostril if too much is removed, and the possibility of further surgery. Our guide to rhinoplasty risks explains which problems are expected, uncommon and rare.
Nose surgery can affect breathing as well as appearance. A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 studies ↗ of functional and aesthetic nasal operations found average improvements in nasal airflow, smell and quality of life, with a temporary dip in some measures straight after surgery[10]. That is why a good assessment looks at how the nose works as well as how it looks.
Perfect symmetry is not a realistic aim, and a surgeon who promises it is overselling. A better goal is nostrils that look balanced from the angles other people see.
Uneven Nostril Correction in London
At Centre for Surgery, nose surgery is carried out at our CQC-regulated hospital on Baker Street, and the surgeon who assesses you at consultation is the surgeon who operates. At your appointment the surgeon will look at your nose from the front, side and below, examine the inside of the nose and ask about previous injuries or surgery. Bring older photographs from before any injury or operation. If you would like an opinion on uneven nostrils, our rhinoplasty and alar base reduction pages explain the options, and you can ask about costs at your consultation or in our rhinoplasty cost guide.
Frequently Asked Questions: Uneven Nostrils
Is it normal to have one nostril bigger than the other?
Yes. Most people have some difference between their two nostrils, because the cartilage, alar base and septum are rarely identical on both sides. Mild asymmetry with comfortable breathing is a normal variation and does not need treatment.
Can uneven nostrils be fixed without surgery?
Not permanently. Makeup contouring and photographing your nose from a normal distance can make the difference less noticeable. Dermal filler is sometimes used to add volume to a smaller side, but the effect is temporary and the nose is a delicate area, so it needs a careful risk discussion with an experienced practitioner.
Can a nose job fix uneven nostrils?
In many cases surgery can improve the balance, though not always perfectly. The right operation depends on the cause: alarplasty for a wider ala, tip rhinoplasty for a rotated or uneven tip, and septorhinoplasty when a bent septum is involved. Your surgeon should explain what improvement is realistic for your nose.
Can a deviated septum cause one nostril to look bigger?
Yes, when the front edge of the septum leans into one nostril. It can narrow that side and make the other look larger. In one small study, septoplasty with a caudal septal batten graft corrected nostril asymmetry in only a minority of those who had it[2], so a bent septum does not always explain the nostrils.
Do uneven nostrils affect breathing?
Usually not. A difference in how the nostrils look is mostly cosmetic. Persistent blockage on one side, noisy breathing, snoring or frequent nosebleeds suggest a structural cause such as a deviated septum or nasal valve collapse, and they are worth having examined.
Why does one nostril look bigger in photos?
A phone held close to your face makes the nose look larger, and the angle from below shows the nostrils directly. Short-distance photographs increase apparent nasal size[5]. Check in a mirror at a normal distance before deciding.
Are uneven nostrils after rhinoplasty normal?
In the early months, yes. Swelling is uneven and the tip settles last, so a difference at six weeks often reduces over the following months. If it persists beyond a year, ask your surgeon whether a refinement would help.
Book a Consultation
If uneven nostrils bother you, or you also have a blocked nose on one side, a consultation with a plastic surgeon will establish what is causing the difference and whether treatment is worth considering. Find out more about rhinoplasty at Centre for Surgery.
Phone: 020 7993 4849 | Address: 95–97 Baker Street, Marylebone, London W1U 6RN
Contact us to schedule a consultation
References
- Alp A, Ozbay I. Refined classification and surgical techniques for alar base reduction in rhinoplasty: a stepwise approach for optimal aesthetic outcomes. American Journal of Otolaryngology 2026;47(6):104954. doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2026.104954 ↗
- Yi JS, Jang YJ. Effect of septoplasty with a caudal septal batten graft on changes in nasal shape. Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology 2015;124(4):288–293. doi:10.1177/0003489414555899 ↗
- Wadsworth EW, Duckett KA, Nguyen SA, Patel KG. Early septoplasty versus closed reduction for acute nasoseptal fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery 2025;172(2):386–398. doi:10.1002/ohn.1007 ↗
- Soane RJ, Carney AS, Jones NS, et al. The effect of the nasal cycle on mucociliary clearance. Clinical Otolaryngology and Allied Sciences 2001;26(1):9–15. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2273.2001.00423.x ↗
- Ward B, Ward M, Fried O, Paskhover B. Nasal distortion in short-distance photographs: the selfie effect. JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery 2018;20(4):333–335. doi:10.1001/jamafacial.2018.0009 ↗
- Gandolfi S, Laloze J, Chaput B, et al. Nostril surgery: indications, surgical procedures and outcomes – a systematic review of published cases. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2020;44(6):2219–2229. doi:10.1007/s00266-020-01911-y ↗
- Caropreso CA, Rodrigues JLT, Astudillo JM, et al. The slice extension graft: a cartilage-preserving modification of the septal extension graft. Facial Plastic Surgery 2026. doi:10.1055/a-2940-5404 ↗
- Gülhan Yaşar N, Yeniçeri A, Hazır B, Kayalı Dinç AS, Çayönü M. The effect of nostril retainer use on nostril aperture symmetry after primary aesthetic rhinoplasty. Medicina 2026;62(8):1436. doi:10.3390/medicina62081436 ↗
- Cortés Fuentes I, Fuenzalida Rozas C, Bravo Cordero G. Nasal retainers in rhinoplasty and nasal reconstruction of non-cleft patients: a narrative review. JPRAS Open 2026;52:27–34. doi:10.1016/j.jpra.2026.07.043 ↗
- Pfaff MJ, Bertrand AA, Lipman KJ, et al. The effect of functional nasal surgery on olfactory function. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 2021;147(3):707–718. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000007667 ↗
