A rhinoplasty (nose surgery or “nose job”) can be done for many different reasons. Some of these are cosmetic, whereas others are for medically necessary, functional reasons. Here is a brief outline of some of the types of rhinoplasty that can be performed to correct structural problems or to help make the face its most beautiful.
Types of Nose Surgery
Functional Rhinoplasty
Functional rhinoplasty is a nose surgery done to increase or return proper functioning to a patient’s nose and nasal region. This kind of nose surgery is occasionally covered by insurance since it can be a medical necessity.
Nose Surgery for a Deviated Septum (Septoplasty)
The nasal septum is the wall in the center of the nose, designed to separate the two sides of the nose and to allow proper airflow. Many people are born with a deviated septum, while others may acquire this functional problem as a result of an accident, injury or age. When someone has a deviated septum, this part of the nasal structure is crooked toward one side, causing difficulties with breathing through the nose and other airway-related problems.
When this blockage is severe, it can lead to obstruction or blockage and at times cause recurrent sinus infections.
Septoplasty is the procedure for correcting a deviated septum.
Reconstructive Nose Surgery Following Accident or Injury
For a victim of accident or injury to the face and nose, reconstructive nose surgery answers both a medical and a cosmetic need. It’s a very delicate job and must be done by a highly qualified and experienced plastic surgeon. Done by such a surgeon, the results of reconstructive nose surgery can be miraculous.
Polypectomy
A nasal polyp is a benign (noncancerous) tumor that grows from the lining of the nose or sinuses. Nasal polyps can cause nasal blockage, sinus infections, or a reduced sense of smell.
A nasal polypectomy is an operation to remove polyps from within the nose. It is done through the nose, so you won’t have any incisions on the outside.
Medications can often shrink or eliminate nasal polyps, but surgery is sometimes needed to remove them. Even after successful treatment with medication or surgery, nasal polyps can return.
Turbinate Reduction Surgery
Turbinates are the scroll-like, spongy bones of the nasal passages. There are three turbinates on each side of the nose, and their job is to clean and humidify the air as it moves through your nose into your lungs. In some people, these turbinates can become enlarged, causing obstruction of the nasal passages.
Turbinate surgery is used to correct the problem of nasal obstruction by reducing the turbinate size, decreasing airway resistance while preserving the natural function of the turbinates. This surgery can open the nasal passages, help with breathing, and reduce nasal drainage and postnasal drip.
Turbinate surgery is sometimes performed in conjunction with a septoplasty.
Ethmoidectomy
The ethmoid sinuses are located between the bridge of your nose and your eyes. All the other sinuses either drain through them or next to them. So if the ethmoid sinuses are blocked, an infection can easily spread. An ethmoidectomy removes infected tissue and bone in the ethmoid sinuses that is blocking natural drainage.
Cosmetic Rhinoplasty
While functional rhinoplasty is an important part of medicine, the majority of nose surgeries are done for cosmetic reasons. These procedures are sometimes referred to as “nose jobs”. Nose reshaping is the second most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States with well over 200,000 such procedures performed in 2014.
Some of the cosmetic problems a nose job or rhinoplasty will fix are: removing humps or bumps from the nose, filling in dents, reducing or reshaping the nose tip, and reducing the size of the bridge, to name just a few. A more thorough list of cosmetic problems that a rhinoplasty can fix can be found here.
Rhinoplasty (Nose Job) Before After Photo
Nose Reduction Surgery
A nose can be larger than the aesthetic standard. Sometimes the bridge of the nose is too big or the nose unusually wide. In other cases, the nostrils are abnormally large. Sometimes due to genetics or aging, the nostrils can increase in size. Any of these situations can be corrected with cosmetic plastic surgery.
Bulbous Tip Rhinoplasty
Another cosmetic situation that may arise is a nose that has a bulbous tip. The bulbous nasal tip is wide and poorly defined. A skilled plastic surgeon can reduce the size of this tip to make the entire nose blend well with the patient’s other facial features.
Nose Straightening Surgery / Crooked Nose Surgery
Whether by birth, injury, or accident, many people have a nose that is crooked or bent. A nose that is crooked can cause both cosmetic and functional difficulties. An experienced and Board Certified plastic surgeon can normally fix this problem as part of a nose surgery or rhinoplasty.
Ethnic Rhinoplasty
A variation on the traditional cosmetic nose surgery is the ethnic rhinoplasty. This term is used to generally describe any cosmetic surgery done on a patient who is not Caucasian.
Applying the aesthetic standards, measurements, and surgical techniques used for Caucasian patients to the nose of a patient whose genetic line is from a different part of the world may result in an unnatural, over-operated appearance and an unhappy patient.
For patients whose heritage is African, Middle Eastern, Asian, Indian or of other non-Caucasian descent, a correctly done, ethnic rhinoplasty will maintain the aesthetics and integrity of the face as a whole. A nose that is thought to be “ideal” is one that is in harmony with the patient’s other favorable facial features.
Revision Rhinoplasty
Because rhinoplasty is one of the most difficult plastic surgery procedures, there has grown a large need for secondary surgeries, called revision rhinoplasty. This surgery is done to correct a previous rhinoplasty that did not have the intended results.
Because a revision rhinoplasty is done on a nose that has already undergone a surgical procedure, it becomes even more complicated than a normal nose surgery. It’s even more important to find a great plastic surgeon when you need a revision rhinoplasty.
If you are considering a rhinoplasty, schedule a consultation with Dr. Ganchi. He will be happy to go over your options and the alterations that he feels are right for you. Together, you will form a plan for your nose surgery to make you look and feel your best.