Notching of the ala

When the central part of the nostril peaks upwards. This can be a natural finding for a nostril or it can be a result of over-resection of the lateral cartilages during rhinoplasty.

Some patients like the way this looks, but most are unhappy if there is too much notching. Rhinoplasty surgeons can fix this by using grafts that use cartilage taken from the ear, septum or rib.