FORMA FEATURE / NOSENose Proportions & Nasal Tip Projection: Measurements and Ratios
Projection is how far the nasal tip extends forward. It should be distinguished from nasal length, tip rotation, and alar-base width. This page separates published measurements from interpretation, preference experiments, and community speculation.
What nasal tip projection means
Goode method: draw a vertical baseline through the alar-facial groove and measure perpendicular tip projection (P). Divide P by the straight nasion-to-tip nasal length (L). Use the same published construction every time: P ÷ L.
Facial measurements only become comparable when the view, head position, soft-tissue landmarks, and endpoint definitions are held constant. A number copied from a profile photograph is not interchangeable with a value measured from a clinical scan or a front-facing portrait.
Official measurements, ratios & competing claims
0.55–0.60 The Goode reference range
A commonly used clinical reference places tip projection at 55–60% of nasal length. The ratio is based on profile landmarks, not alar width or intercanthal distance.
Clinical guide: A rhinoplasty planning convention, not a universal attractiveness result. Chin position, upper-lip length, and facial type affect how projection looks. Rhinoplasty Tip-Shaping Surgery
≈ 0.67 A different method gives a different number
A 2024 study discusses Byrd–Hobar’s two-thirds reference alongside Goode’s 0.55–0.60. Its AI-assisted analysis found support for a roughly 0.67 tip-length/nasal-length relationship in the studied groups.
Study: Methods and landmarks must be matched. AI-derived “ideal” images do not substitute for representative human preference testing or a surgical outcome trial. Role of Artificial Intelligence in Determining Ideal Nasal Tip Projection in Diverse Populations
Practical takeaway
Use Goode’s ratio for the first profile comparison.
Measure projection against nasal length with the published Goode construction. Then read the tip’s prominence relative to the upper lip and chin.
What changes the answer
A longer nose needs more absolute projection to keep the same ratio. A recessed chin can make that nose appear more dominant. Alar width helps assess the front view but does not calculate the required tip projection.
Use these ranges to ask a better question about proportion—not to grade a face or choose a procedure by number alone. A qualified clinician still needs to examine function, tissue, skeletal structure, and your goals in person.
Connected facial features
Read or start nasal tip projection discussions · Explore the interactive atlas