As Plain as the Nose on Your Face

Serving Chattanooga, Tennessee

f all the aesthetic changes that can be made to the face, no surgery is as transforming as the rhinoplasty. Known to most people as the "nose job", modern rhinoplasty can serve to improve the function as well as the appearance of the nose.

Our noses are equipped to humidify and warm the air that is received by the lungs. There are, however, several common problems that disturb this relationship. Some of these problems arise from disturbance of normal growth or from nasal trauma. Probably the most common is the nasal septal deviation. The nasal septum is the cartilage structure which separates our noses into to halves through the center. If the septum is deviated or curved, it can block airflow into one of the nostrils. This creates an annoying functional problem which can lead to other adverse changes inside the nose. Some functional problems with breathing can also be caused by a poorly thought out and performed rhinoplasty.

Modern rhinoplasty uses techniques developed to attend to the functionality as well as the cosmetics of the nose. Frequent complaints regarding nasal aesthetics include a nasal hump, a wide nasal bony frame, and a poorly defined or bulbous nasal tip. All these issues can be handled with the routine rhinoplasty.

In my practice, rhinoplasty is performed under general or sedation anesthesia as an out patient. I typically employ a small incision in the columella which is the skin bridge between the nostrils. With this incision, the skin can be elevated from the underlying nasal structures so that they can be studied and ultimately altered or adjusted. Rhinoplasty is an operation of millimeters. That means that small changes in the nasal structures can produce significant differences in the appearance of the nose. The cartilages and bones are trimmed, shaved, sutured, and even fractured carefully to adjust the nasal shape. These techniques and their applications require an experienced plastic surgeon, and are part of the art form of the surgery. A septoplasty can be added to change the shape of the nasal septum and improve nasal air flow. The septum can also be used to supplement the native cartilages of nose as grafts. A host of nasal cartilage grafting techniques are but the latest additions to the rhinoplastic surgeon's bag of tricks. They serve well in both the aesthetic and functional reconstruction and have been credited in helping to solve complex problems that have plagued patients and practitioners for decades.

Rhinoplasty is reserved for healthy patients. After surgery, nasal packs may be used, and a splint supporting the repositioned nasal bones is typical. All sutures and splints are removed by one week when the new nasal shape is unveiled. Most swelling of the nose resolves over the course of a few weeks, but the ultimate shape may not be evident for several months.

Rhinoplasty is no longer a cookie cutter operation, and the experienced rhinoplastic surgeon is capable of creating a result which highlights the patient's individual aesthetics, and is undetectable to those who did not know the patient prior to surgery. Nasal function is also paramount to the studied surgeon, and should never be compromised.

In sum, cosmetic nasal surgery has come a long way in the past two decades. It is now more reproducibly safe and appealing then ever. I believe that it is the most powerful tool we have in improving facial aesthetics. It really is as plain as the nose on your face. If you feel that you are a good candidate for functional or aesthetic nasal surgery, contact our office.