Skin and soft tissues

Like the underlying bony-cartilaginous framework of the nose, the overlying skin may also be divided into vertical thirds. The skin of the upper third is fairly thick but tapers into a thinner mid-dorsal region. The inferior third regains the thickness of the upper third owing to the more sebaceous nature of the skin in the nasal tip. The dorsal skin is usually the thinnest of the 3 sections of the nose. The difference in the skin thickness must be appreciated during dorsal reduction.

The nasal muscles are encountered deep to the skin and comprise 4 principal groups: the elevators, the depressors, the compressor, and the dilators. The elevators include the procerus and levator labii superioris alaeque nasi. The depressors are made up of the alar nasalis and depressor septi nasi. The compressor of the nose is the transverse nasalis, whereas the dilators are the dilator naris anterior and posterior. The muscles are interconnected by an aponeurosis termed the nasal superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS).

The internal nasal lining consists of squamous epithelium in the vestibule. This transitio