Very broad nose

What does an index over 100 mean?

The width across your nostril wings is greater than the height from the root of your nose to its base. A nose 46 mm wide and 44 mm tall has an index of about 105.

It often goes with a short nose. Because the index divides width by height, a short nose with ordinary width can land here.

Who has very broad noses

Very broad noses are most common in populations whose ancestors lived in hot, humid regions, including parts of West and Central Africa, Melanesia and Australia. They appear in every population.

The climate pattern has been studied for a century. Thomson and Buxton described it in 1923, and Zaidi and colleagues confirmed the link with nostril width in a 2017 PLOS Genetics paper.

Want your own number? The free nose shape analyser measures your nasal index from one front photo and deletes the photo once you have seen the result.

Check the result before you trust it

The very broad band is where photo problems show up most. A big smile spreads the nostrils. A head tilted back shortens the measured height. Both raise the index.

For a clean reading, use a front photo at eye level, with a neutral face, the mouth closed and even light. If two such photos both read over 100, the result is solid.

Profile shapes that are often very broad

Nubian and Flat noses are the profile types most often found here. A Bulbous tip can also push the index up, because the widest point may sit at the tip rather than the nostrils.

Your result also shows nostril flare. A high flare with a very broad index means most of the width comes from the nostril wings.

Glasses and practical tips

A very broad nose often comes with a low, wide bridge. Frames labelled low bridge fit, with taller nose pads, keep the lenses off the cheeks.

Choose a bridge measurement that does not pinch. The middle number on the frame arm is the bridge width in millimetres; go up one or two sizes if frames leave marks on the sides of your nose.