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by Ellen Blake

originally posted 9.11.2019
updated 3.13.2020

Do noses grow with age?

Looking in the mirror the other day, I noticed my nose seems larger. It’s always been prominent, but is it getting even bigger? Does your nose grow with age?

It’s not my imagination!

I decided to go through some old photos to determine if this appendage was actually smaller in my younger years, or if I was just being overcritical of myself. No, my nose definitely appeared more petite in earlier years – and it seemed to be a different shape too.  I then started to discreetly examine other older people who have been a part of my life for decades. It seemed to me their noses looked larger as well. Was I imagining it? Apparently not.

How can my nose be growing?

Bones stop growing sometime after puberty. Muscle and fat cells also stop dividing. But cartilage, the firm plastic-like connective tissue found in many parts of the body, including the nose, is made of collagen and other fibers that break down as we age. In addition, bone recedes with time, so less foundational support exists to hold up the skin and cartilage. The result is drooping. While our noses start to sag, our cheeks and lips actually lose volume, which makes everything else look comparatively bigger.

What can you do?

Unfortunately, aging – and gravity – are both unavoidable. It’s just one of the many joys of growing older. While you can’t prevent your nose from drooping, you can minimize it. The best defense is to avoid the sun, smoking and weight fluctuation.

The bottom line:

So, do noses grow with age? The answer is yes. Sort of. While noses do get bigger as you age, they’re not actually still growing. But no, it is not your imagination.