The ala of the nose are the sides lateral to the tip. They are the fleshy areas that flare when you smile or breathe in. An alarplasty reduces these areas of the nose. It is commonly done in conjunction with a rhinoplasty, but not always. When analyzing the ala you need to think of the nostril opening as one curvilinear line and the outer skin as another. The surgeon then assesses whether the ala needs to be reduced from the inside only, outside only or both. The incision is then planned accordingly to achieve the desired result.