A Congenital Alar Defect and Its Reconstruction

Abstract

The development of the face occurs mainly between the fourth and eighth weeks. By the end of the fourth week, bilateral oval thickenings of the surface ectoderm, called nasal placodes, develop on each side of the inferior part of the frontonasal prominence. The frontonasal prominence forms the forehead, dorsum of the nose, and apex of the nose. The alae of the nose are derived from the lateral nasal prominences (1).