Are gender differences in external noses caused by differences in nasal septal growth?

Background: The nasal septum plays an important role in nasal growth, but there have been few reports on the relationship between the septum and nasal growth. The authors investigated the relationship between septa and external noses using computed tomography during the growth period.

Methods: One hundred and ninety-eight patients under the age of 21 were enrolled in this study between 2008 and 2012. The authors evaluated a total of 9 measurement items (five for nasal bones and septa, and four for external noses).

Results: In the final age group, most measurement items were significantly larger in males than in females. However, there was no remarkable difference between male and female growth processes. Nasal bridge length and nasal height were significantly correlated with the nasal bone or septum in almost all age groups. The relative proportion of the cartilaginous septum decreased significantly with age, and was negatively correlated with the perpendicular plate in all age groups.

Conclusions: Nasal septa and external noses were both larger in males than in females at the beginning of the study period, although not significantly. The differences became significant throughout the study due to differential increases between the sexes during the monitored growth spurts.