Why you need to heal your relationship with your nose

In a world where filters can cinch waists, plump lips, and blur every wrinkle, many women still shy away from profile photos. They're fearful of highlighting a feature they've been taught to hide, aka, their noses.

A typical Arab nose may look striking with a bump on the bridge. A Greek nose, also known as the Greco-Roman nose, is known for having a very high profile. A Roman nose is characterised by a prominent, slightly curved nasal bridge that projects forward, i.e., it has a marked bridge. But does it mean they all need to be modified?

Women still have a love-hate relationship with their noses

Across cultures and continents, women are taught, often subconsciously, that their noses must be small, straight, and dainty. In other words, they must look Eurocentric.

Social media face apps offer presets that whittle noses into near invisibility. Cosmetic clinics advertise "nose jobs" as a path to confidence. Women and even girls, as young as 11, may grow up believing their nose needs modification.

And yet, something vital is being lost in this quest for perfection: the structure, strength, and elegance that a prominent nose can bring.

Take Gisele Bündchen, for example. The Brazilian supermodel, one of the highest-paid in history, was once lauded for her striking looks. But in her photoshopped images, fans can notice subtle changes.

Her face appears softer and her nose looks more upturned. Ironically, rather than enhancing her appearance, the smaller nose seemed to throw off her natural balance.

Without the grounding structure of her original nose, her strong jaw and chin now overwhelm her mid-face, making her features seem less powerful, even less memorable.

It’s a compelling example of how conventionally “attractive” changes don’t suit every face. Gisele’s original nose added intensity to her beauty, power to her presence.

This isn't a new idea. Look at Donyale Luna, the first Black supermodel to grace the cover of Vogue. Her nose was large, regal, commanding. It elevated her features, instead of softening them. Luna's beauty was expansive, unapologetic, and unforgettable.

Your nose is a part of your identity and background

The irony, of course, is that the very thing many women feel self-conscious about—their “big” noses—often contributes to what makes them uniquely beautiful.

A large or prominent nose can add dimension, character, and even elegance to a face. Yet countless women seek to erase theirs, believing it detracts from their femininity or appeal.

Not everyone is proud of their nose job either. Model Bella Hadid, who has Palestinian and Dutch roots, had surgery when she was just 14. She confessed she regretted having a nose job.

“I wish I’d kept the nose of my ancestors, I think I would have grown into it,” she says in the interview.

If you choose to get a nose job, are you truly comfortable letting a surgeon erase a piece of your heritage?

Your nose is not ‘imperfect’

This insecurity about our noses isn't born in a vacuum. It's fed by a steady diet of Western beauty ideals, celebrity culture, and now, AI-driven face edits that promote an eerily uniform appearance. We're told to “snatch” and “sculpt” until nothing remains but smooth, indistinguishable symmetry.

But beauty is born from individuality. And yes, sometimes it’s a nose that’s a little too big, too bold, or slightly crooked, yet absolutely perfect in the way it anchors a face.

So if someone calls it “brave” that you’ve embraced your so-called imperfections, remind them that your nose was never imperfect to begin with.

Stop looking at “before and after” photos of people who’ve had a nose job, or using filters on your face to see how small noses would look on your face. Western beauty standards don’t make things easy for women – particularly women of colour. 

Maybe it's time we stop shrinking ourselves to fit into narrow molds. Not every face is meant to be upturned and delicate. Some are meant to be strong and structured. And sometimes, it’s the nose that makes that possible.