If you’re unhappy with the way your nose looks, rhinoplasty, or a nose job, might be the procedure for you. During the procedure, an experienced and well trained plastic surgeon can reshape your nose so that it better matches your other facial features for improved facial harmony.
Changes made to your nose during the procedure depend on a number of factors. For example, if you have a small nose, the surgeon can enlarge it during surgery. If your nose is very large, the surgery can reduce its size. Rhinoplasty can remove any bumps or humps from the bridge of the nose or change the shape of the tip. The procedure can also repair injured noses or fix a deviated septum.
Nose Size
While some patients would like their nose to be less prominent, others might want a slightly bigger nose. A surgeon might adjust the width of the nasal bridge to make the nose narrower. If the nose is very small, the surgeon can use grafts to build up the nose. A cartilage graft, taken from the nasal septum or from another area of the body, such as the ears, is often used to increase the size of the nose. Surgeons can use grafts to make the nose longer, taller, or to increase its width.
Smoothing Bumps and Reducing Tips
A nose reshaping surgery can reduce the size of a bump or hump on the upper surface of the nose. One way that a surgeon can remove or reduce a bump on the nose is to cut the bone using a tool called an osteotome, or bone knife. Another way to reduce the size of a hump is to carefully manipulate the bone during an open procedure. Fillers can be added to the area to reduce any deformities or smooth the surface of the nose.
The tip of your nose might overhang slightly, protrude, be upturned, or appear bulbous. During a nose reshaping procedure, a surgeon typically has a number of techniques available to change the size or shape of the tip of the nose.
One method, used by Dr. George Moynihan, is the tongue and groove technique. This technique helps to lift the tip of the nose and enhances its shape. A drooping tip might be corrected using a lateral crural transposition with rotation, which adjusts the cartilage in the nose, so that the tip is turned upwards, instead of hanging down over the nose.
Inner Nose Changes
In some instances, a patient might need nose surgery to fix an issue on the inside of the nose. The wall between the nostrils, called the septum, might deviate to one side, creating breathing difficulties for a patient, for example. A doctor can perform surgery to repair the septum by straightening it or removing parts of it. While some surgeries only fix the inside of the nose to improve the function, septoplasty for instance, in other cases the surgeon might combine techniques to improve both function and form for patients looking to address functional and aesthetic concerns.
If you are unhappy with the shape or size of your nose, facial plastic surgeon Dr. George Moynihan can help. Contact his office in Chicago at (312) 988-9300 for a consultation today.
