A slowly enlarging, uninflamed ulcer can occur in the area that has had trigeminal nerve damage; including but not limited to the cheek beside the ala nasi.

[1]: 65 The most common complaints are feelings of picking, rubbing, or scratching in the afflicted areas.

The ala nasi is frequently affected by a recognizable, painless, sickle-shaped lesion with a well-defined margin.

[2] Trigeminal trophic syndrome can present with the following conditions and diseases: syphilis, amyloid deposits in the CNS and trigeminal nerve, trauma, craniotomy, tumor, Wallenberg syndrome (stroke/vascular insufficiency), herpes zoster, herpes simplex, syphilis, and neurological complications from birth trauma or it can be idiopathic.

Among the options are transcutaneous nerve stimulation, protective dressings, behavioral modification, medication intervention, and surgical repair; however, none of these have been proven to be consistently effective.