Human Nose Anatomy

The human nose is a structure made up mostly of bone and cartilage, with some fatty tissues under the skin. It is used for the sense of smell, and also provides air for breathing, warming and filtering this air as it is inhaled.

The nostrils are separated by the septum, a wall of cartilage. This cartilage extends up into the point of the nose, and forms a layer around the nasal bone. The nasal bone is in fact two bones, which join to form the bridge of the nose. The size and shape of the nose is determined more by the ethmoid bone, which sits behind the nasal cavity and joins it to the rest of the skull. Men's noses tend to be larger than women's

Inside the nostrils are millions of tiny hairs which act as receptors for different smells. They also, of course, allow us to appreciate flavour in food.

Rhinoplasty, or nose job, is an increasingly common type of surgery to reshape large or strangely shaped noses. If someone undergoes a nose job, the surgeon will peel back the layers of skin, after making an incision in the septum. The bone and cartilage will then be reshaped before the skin is reattached.