Transverse nasal line is characterized by the presence of a transverse line, band, or groove in the skin between the middle and lower third of the nose. This line can be erythematous, hypopigmented, or hyperpigmented, and in some cases associated with comedones or milia cysts. It arises as a consequence of an alteration in embryonic development during fusion of the alar and triangular cartilage of the nose. Familial cases have been described, and a possible autosomal dominant inheritance pattern has been proposed. Due to its benign and asymptomatic nature, the frequency of this lesion is thought to be underestimated. Transverse nasal line should be distinguished from the groove that forms on the nose of patients with allergic rhinitis as a consequence of the “allergic salute” (upward rubbing of the nose) and from those that occur secondary to photoaging, both of which disappear upon stretching the skin. No treatment is required, although topical retinoids can be used in patients with cosmetic concerns. Fig. 1A shows a 10-year-old girl with a hyperpigmented transverse nasal line with milia cysts. Her mother (Fig. 1B) has a transverse nasal line with dilation of the follicular orifices, supporting the possible hereditary character of this entity.

Figure 1.

A, Transverse nasal line in our patient. B, Transverse nasal line in the patient’s mother.

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