FaceShift Expands with NoseShift

Apr 27, 2026 | 3 min read

“A product that is both grounded in clinical need and driven by technical innovation.”

Craniofacial deformities are among the most common birth defects, affecting approximately 600,000 infants in the United States. These conditions—including ear deformities and cleft lip-palate—can significantly impact a child’s self-esteem, social development, and mental health, often driven by social stigmatization. Current treatment options frequently rely on invasive, costly surgical procedures that are delayed until later in childhood, prolonging both physical and psychosocial challenges.

Last year, we featured FaceShift, an initiative led by pediatric plastic surgeon Dr. Alexander Lin at UCSF, which aims to change this reality through customizable, noninvasive devices that gradually reshape craniofacial structures. At the time, the team primarily focused on ear deformities. 

This year, a new cohort of MTM students have been building on that foundation, expanding the technology in an impactful direction. 

FaceShift’s new focus? The nose.

Expanding the Vision: Introducing NoseShift

NoseShift is a device that targets deviated nasal septum. A condition that affects up to 35% of children, deviated nasal septum is often associated with chronic breathing difficulties. Despite its prevalence, treatment options remain limited, with surgery as the only definitive solution. 

NoseShift aims to change that. By applying controlled, sustained, and gentle mechanical pressure, the device realigns the septum over time. As a nonsurgical alternative, it offers a promising new way to improve breathing and overall quality of life. 

From Concept to Clinical Readiness

Last year’s team focused on early-stage development of the FaceShift platform by introducing its first application, EarShift. Building on that foundation, this year’s team advanced NoseShift from initial concept to wearable prototypes. Alongside product development, the team evaluated market opportunities, identified patentable features and freedom-to-operate considerations, and established a preliminary regulatory pathway for NoseShift. Now, they have submitted to the IRB for FaceShift’s first in-human clinical trial.

Tackling Challenges

A core challenge for FaceShift has been customization. Each device requires a precise 3D model of a patient’s anatomy in order to build a series of progressive molds tailored to their treatment. 

Last year’s team explored smartphone-based 3D scanning as a solution, and this year’s MTM team has expanded the 3D resolution significantly by using modern intraoral scanners to capture even more details of individual facial structures. Aiming to find a balance between precision and accessibility, the team is striving to make the workflow easy to follow and practical to implement.

 Getting Closer to Real-World Impact

What began as initial ideation with popsicle sticks and wax evolved to digitally modeling different types of deviated septums and ultimately developing a wearable NoseShift prototype. The team continues to study existing literature on nonsurgical techniques to manipulate the septum, as they hope to publish a systematic literature review in the next few months.

Guided by the MTM curriculum, the team approaches the project holistically. They have assessed market opportunities, identified patentable intellectual property, completed a freedom-to-operate analysis, and outlined a regulatory pathway for NoseShift. 

This year’s MTM students’ combined backgrounds in research, medicine, and engineering enabled them to critically evaluate existing treatments while iterating on design and implementation. This resulted in a product that is both grounded in clinical need and driven by technical innovation.