Rhinoplasty is a cosmetic surgery that changes the shape and structure of the nose. People undergo rhinoplasty to make their noses smaller, larger, or more symmetrical. Because there are so many different cosmetic goals that involve the nose, there are a variety of different types of rhinoplasty. During your consultation with a rhinoplasty surgeon, you will discuss what type of procedure is best for you.
Open and Closed Rhinoplasty
Open and closed rhinoplasties use different incision techniques. During an open rhinoplasty, your surgeon will make an incision in the skin that separates your nostrils, which will let them directly see the bone and cartilage underneath. This technique is usually recommended for more complex rhinoplasties.
During a closed rhinoplasty, your surgeon will only make incisions on the inside of your nose. With this technique, the surgery and recovery time are usually faster. You can expect less swelling and discomfort with a closed rhinoplasty than with an open one. Also, there will be no visible scarring.
Reduction and Augmentation Rhinoplasty
Reduction and augmentation rhinoplasties both alter the shape of the nose. A reduction rhinoplasty will make the nose smaller and more proportionate to the rest of the face. Depending on the shape and structure of your nose, your surgeon may remove bumps on the bridge of your nose, reduce an elongated nasal tip, or narrow down flared nostrils.
An augmentation rhinoplasty makes parts of the nose larger and more balanced or symmetrical. Your surgeon may perform bone or tissue grafts to add volume to the nasal bridge or tip. They may need to take cartilage from the nasal septum to add to the rest of the nose. If your septum doesn’t have enough cartilage, they may also remove some from your ear or ribs.
Reconstructive Rhinoplasty
Reconstructive rhinoplasty fixes the nose after damage or trauma. Many people who undergo reconstructive rhinoplasty have had a surgery to remove cancer that affected their nose, and some have had facial injuries that caused disfigurement.
Depending on how much damage was done to your nose, you may need multiple surgeries to completely reconstruct it. The surgery usually requires the doctor to take grafts from other parts of the body to restore the missing or damaged tissue.
Ethnic Rhinoplasty
Ethnic rhinoplasty uses the same surgical techniques as the other forms of the surgery, but it usually refers to the surgeries performed on people of Middle Eastern, African, Asian, or Hispanic descent. People of these ethnicities often have softer tissue in their noses, so surgeons take extra care during the procedure. Many people worry about losing their ethnic facial features during a rhinoplasty, so surgeons are also careful to maintain their patients’ unique facial structures while helping them reach their cosmetic goals.
Filler Rhinoplasty
A filler rhinoplasty is a non-surgical option to enhance your nose. During this procedure, your doctor will use injectable fillers to smooth out bumps or sharp angles, change the shape of the nasal tip, and restore symmetry. Most fillers only provide temporary results, but they’re usually very effective. However, filler rhinoplasty can only add shape or volume to your nose. If you want to reduce the size of your nose, you’ll have to choose a different option.
Revision Rhinoplasty
Revision rhinoplasty, also known as secondary rhinoplasty, fixes problems that occurred during a previous nose surgery. Although most people are happy with their original rhinoplasty results, a number of things can go wrong.
An inexperienced or unqualified surgeon could botch the procedure and leave the patient feeling even more unsatisfied with their nose than they were before the surgery. The first rhinoplasty could cause breathing issues or other functional problems. The patient could experience a facial trauma or injury while the nose is still healing, which could affect the results. In some cases, patients simply aren’t happy with the results and want to make additional improvements.
Revision rhinoplasty can be done with an open or closed technique. Depending on what the patient wants to change, the surgery may be more complex than the first rhinoplasty. However, patients undergoing revision rhinoplasty can usually have the same expectations for the surgery and the recovery period as they did for their first procedure.
Dr. Andrew Frankel is a renowned rhinoplasty specialist in Beverly Hills, CA. Dr. Frankel board certified in Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery and in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He specializes in nasal surgery and has years of experience with rhinoplasty. During his residency, he won multiple awards for his research on rhinoplasty.
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