Stereophotogrammetric study of growth and development of the nose

A total of 269 contour maps of the face were measured in three dimensions to study growth and development of the nose. The maps were derived from a mixed longitudinal study of 26 boys and 26 girls between the ages of 9 and 16 years, and were recorded annually. Various nasal parameters were measured to study growth of linear parameters and external nasal volume. Apart from dorsum of the nose between 9 and 11 years of age, all linear parameters were larger for boys by an amount increasing with age. The early growth in girls and late growth in boys suggested the presence of an adolescent growth spurt in the nose, which was confirmed by volumetric measurements. Developmentally the greatest change occurred in anteroposterior prominence of nasal tip in both sexes and the least change occurred in intercanthal width.