# Do noses continue to grow? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 27, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277 "2003-07-27T17:03:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AboveFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@AboveFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboveFate)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/1 "2003-07-27T17:03:20Z")
I have alway noticed that a lot of older men have very large noses. My question is, is this just because people were just ugly, or does one’s nose grow over the years? ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/2 "2003-07-27T17:41:58Z")
I am 74 and my nose is like it always was. No extra growth at all. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/3 "2003-07-27T18:12:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AboveFate \* > \*\*I have alway noticed that a lot of older men have very large noses. > \*\* I don’t think Asian men are in this category. ---
**Author:** ![Bandanaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ab097/32.png) [@Bandanaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bandanaman)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/4 "2003-07-27T18:25:52Z")
I’ve heard noses and ears grow throughout your life. No cite, but looking at old pics, I’m tempted to believe it. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/5 "2003-07-27T18:33:23Z")
If your nose is growing after you reach adulthood, you should be evaluated for acromegaly, a disease where the body produces excess growth hormone. It’s not a happy situation. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/6 "2003-07-27T19:31:17Z")
I don’t know QtM, I’ve seen many older men (including my father) whose noses are much bigger than when they were younger. Many Google hits agree, including [this](http://www.research-projects.unizh.ch/med/unit42200/area313/p3743.htm) one. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/7 "2003-07-27T19:47:36Z")
Maybe their faces just get smaller. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/8 "2003-07-27T19:54:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by x-ray vision \* > \*\*I don’t know QtM, I’ve seen many older men (including my father) whose noses are much bigger than when they were younger. > > Many Google hits agree, including [this](http://www.research-projects.unizh.ch/med/unit42200/area313/p3743.htm) one. \*\* Well, your cite admits only partial data exists. Frankly, the trend could be due to rhinophyma from rosacea, which causes the nose to become enlarged and disfigured in sufferers. Their noses certainly do enlarge. And that will cause a trend in increased nose size in a population, even when most people’s noses don’t enlarge. Doubtless more research is needed. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/9 "2003-07-27T20:28:41Z")
Oo! After reading **Qad’s** post I’m thinking “phew!” I too had also read (probably apocryphal) info that said something like (to paraphrase horrendously): “ears and noses have lots of cartilage tht keeps growing, and which is why older folks have large ears and noses.” I had thought myself doomed to look like a horse by 70. ---
**Author:** ![AboveFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@AboveFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboveFate)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/10 "2003-07-27T22:17:23Z")
Thanks everyone! That sounds very plausible, as the men I am thinking of nose’s seem slightly disformed.😃 ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/11 "2003-07-28T02:21:58Z")
**QtM** is that a sign of alcoholism or complications from alcohol, ala WC Fields and his “gin blossom” nose? We’re trying to convince my dad to stop drinking and I noted to my mom that his nose was getting red and puffy. I was thinking it was from drinking…he might be vain enough to stop drinking cuz of ugly nose! ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/12 "2003-07-28T04:18:35Z")
The cartilage angle intrigues me. My mom’s 87, and she is shrinking. In the last couple of years she’s lost about 4" in height. Could it be that the heavily cartilaginous parts don’t shrink as much as the rest, and thus appear to be growing? ---
**Author:** ![Rapunzel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Rapunzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rapunzel)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/13 "2003-07-28T12:47:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \* > \*\* > Frankly, the trend could be due to rhinophyma from rosacea, which causes the nose to become enlarged and disfigured in sufferers. \*\* I worked in the wine trade and many of the older, traditional male traders had these noses, due to their drinking day starting at 11am for years on end, and doing most of their business in restaurants instead of phone, fax and computer, like the younger, keener, (smarter) ones. Frightening and a very good reason not to drink too much (if one were needed with everything else). ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/14 "2003-07-28T14:38:03Z")
We beat this to death in previous threads. Cartlidge in the ears and nose droops over time, appearing to ‘grow’…essentially it’s drooping cartlidge. We posted various plastic surgeon sites are references. Not ‘growing’ in the traditional sense, lest you consider granny’s droopy boobs to be growing. Can’t search for old threads…too slow. ---
**Author:** ![PiscesPrincess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@PiscesPrincess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PiscesPrincess)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/15 "2003-07-28T17:31:54Z")
I read it was because of gravity - pretty much what Philster said I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/16 "2003-07-28T18:14:43Z")
Damn! So I’ll still be horse-faced by 65! ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/17 "2003-07-28T19:10:21Z")
Why the long face? ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-noses-continue-to-grow/191277/18 "2003-08-15T22:35:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ZipperJJ \* > \*\ ***QtM** is that a sign of alcoholism or complications from alcohol, ala WC Fields and his “gin blossom” nose? > > We’re trying to convince my dad to stop drinking and I noted to my mom that his nose was getting red and puffy. I was thinking it was from drinking…he might be vain enough to stop drinking cuz of ugly nose! \*\* To answer an unanswered question: rosacea is not a sign of alcoholism, it is a dermatological condition. However, alcohol is one of things that can aggravate rosacea. Source: [www.rosacea.org](http://www.rosacea.org).