The Asian nose may appear inharmonious with the rest of the face if it is either too long or too short.

Standard proportions are hard to establish since normal Asian facial width can vary from slim to very wide, but the "ideal" or most attractive nose is often said to be about 1/3 of the height of the face.

The columella should sit about 1-2 mm below the alar edges, while the average angle between the lip and nasal tip is about 95-105 degrees.

A short nose on a wide face tends to look the most imbalanced.

• Reduction of Nose Length

A nose seems too long if the nasal tip droops so much that the nostrils become hidden in front view.

In side profile, the tip appears to sit too close to the upper lip.

Nasal length can be reduced slightly by redirecting and elevating the nasal tip.

• Augmentation of Nose Length

A short nose is one that is overly upturned with overly exposed nostrils.

The nose can be lengthened by transferring cartilage from the alae (wings at the nasal base) downward toward the nasal tip while simultaneously extending both the inner nasal surface (mucous membrane) and the skin. Alternatively, a free graft may be used. Most commonly, the bridge is also flat and benefits from augmentation.

Lengthening the Asian nose is a technically complex and delicate procedure; full symmetry after surgery is not usually achieved.