What Is the Difference Between
Functional and Cosmetic Rhinoplasty?
When some people hear the term “rhinoplasty,” they imagine a
surgery intended to make a big nose smaller, and that is all. In actuality,
nose surgery can accomplish a wide range of changes, both cosmetic and
functional. As a plastic surgeon who often performs rhinoplasty surgery in Ohio,
Dr. David Hartman regularly explains details of the procedure to his patients,
emphasizing that what the media often sums up as a “nose job” is actually a
complex procedure that can do everything from altering the shape of the
nostrils to clearing an obstructed breathing passage—or even both!
Cosmetic Rhinoplasty
Nose surgery with an aesthetic focus is generally intended
to help a nose fit better with the rest of the face in terms of size, symmetry,
corresponding angles, and more. Any factor that causes the nose to stand out
may be targeted for correction, or a cosmetic rhinoplasty may involve the
alteration of several aspects.
Common reasons patients choose rhinoplasty surgery are to
smooth out an obvious hump or bump, ensure a well-shaped nasal tip that does
not droop or turn upward, straighten out any asymmetries, or—yes—change the
overall size.
For any cosmetic procedure, the surgeon works with care to
preserve the proper function of the surrounding tissues and structures.
Rhinoplasty demands particular care and skill, with surgeons working not just
to make a nose that appears balanced, but also to preserve its proper function
now and into the future.
Functional
Rhinoplasty
Though there is not a functional-cosmetic link in every
case, chances are good that if someone is seeking cosmetic rhinoplasty to
straighten a crooked nose, they will also have internal structural problems
that prevent them from breathing as clearly as they would like.
Functional rhinoplasty, or “septorhinoplasty” is typically
performed to correct a problem with the septum and turbinates.
The septum should be a thin, straight bit of cartilage that
runs vertically between the left and right halves of the nasal airway. Trauma—whether
experienced during childbirth or a soccer ball to the face later in life—can
cause the septum to bend or fold so that it no longer sits properly. If it
leans to one side or the other, it can impede airflow.
Technically, nose surgery to straighten or otherwise repair
the septum is known as septoplasty.
Each nose should also have six turbinates: two superior, two
middle, and two inferior, with one set of three on the right, and one set of
three on the left. It is possible for the inferior turbinates to become
enlarged for any of a number of reasons, which is another potential impediment
to clear breathing.
Reducing turbinates that have grown due to allergies, sinus
problems, or another cause may be part of a septoplasty or rhinoplasty.
In both these cases, the goal is not to change the
appearance of the nose, but to improve its function.
The nature of nose surgery—whether it would be strictly
cosmetic, solely functional, or both—is best determined not by a patient at
home, but by a qualified surgeon who performs a thorough investigation of the
structure at a private consultation. After gaining a greater understanding of
the physical state of the nasal tissues, as well as discovering the patient’s
personal goals for the procedure, the surgeon can then plan accordingly.
The surgery itself may be closed (with all necessary
adjustments happening without the need for incisions on external skin of the
nose) or open (with just a small incision made on the columella, which is the
thin bit of tissue that sits just above the upper lip and separates the right
nostril from the left.
As a facial plastic surgeon, Dr. David Hartman is board certified
in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery as well as facial plastic and
reconstructive surgery. In addition to his dual certifications, he has also spent
years of training in ear, nose, and throat surgery. For more information about either functional
or cosmetic rhinoplasty in Ohio, contact Fine Arts Skin & Laser by calling
330-440-0499 or visiting fineartsskinandlaser.com to send a message online.
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