Transversal nasal line Q30.2

Combleet 1951

The transversal nasal line represents a rarely noticed, but on close observation not so rarely occurring malformation of skin and nasal cartilage with possible origin in the early history of development.

Women are preferentially affected (w:m= 8:2)

The formation of the transverse nasal line is attributed to the different rates of growth of the lateral triangular cartilages and the nasal wing cartilages in childhood and puberty.

Although congenital, the transversal nasal nasal line is only noticed and diagnosed at a later age (15-45 years) (Sathyanarayana BD et al. 2012).

Usually a transversal line or furrow at the transition of the 2 proximal thirds to the distal third, usually skin-coloured, but sometimes reddish tinged or flatly deepened since birth. In this area there is often the additional occurrence of milia, cysts or comedones. A conspicuously transversely oriented band with milia and comedones is in individual cases considered a minus variant of this nasal malformation even without furrow formation (Waller B et al. 2012).

In terms of differential diagnosis, the "transverse nasal line" must be delimited from an artificially induced transverse fold, which can form in patients with allergic rhinitis as a result of constant upward rubbing of the nose (allergic greeting).

1. Pavithran K (1989) A Survey for Transverse Nasal Groove. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 55:105-107.
2. Sathyanarayana BD et al (2012) Appraisal of transverse nasal groove: a study. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 78:439-442.
3. Waller B et al (2012) Transverse nasal crease and transverse nasal milia: clinical variants of the same entity. Arch Dermatol 148:1037-1039.