While rhinoplasty or nose surgery is usually conducted to improve the appearance of a person, the procedure is also used to correct injuries caused by accidents, developmental or birth defects, and breathing problems. Whether performed for nasal reconstruction or cosmetic reasons, the surgery is either conducted via closed or open technique.
In open rhinoplasty technique, plastic surgeons cut the columella, which is the strip of tissue separating the right and left nostrils. With this incision, they will be able to gently lift the skin in order to manipulate the cartilage and/or bone to reshape the structure of the nose.
In addition to cutting the columella across, surgeons also make small incisions inside the nostrils. For this reason, patients should expect to have pronounced swelling and bruising during the first week after surgery; these postoperative symptoms are supposed to subside slowly as the days go by.
By contrast, closed rhinoplasty technique only involves making incisions inside the nostrils without having to cut the columella. With this method, patients tend to have less swelling, bruising, and bleeding, and usually enjoy shorter recovery than if the open rhinoplasty is used.
Unfortunately, since the incisions are hidden inside the nostrils, surgeons find it difficult to visualize the changes made on the nose. As a result, there is a higher chance the existing deformity is not corrected well than if the open rhinoplasty is performed.
Because doctors have a limited view with closed rhinoplasty, they do not use this technique if there is a significant deformity that must be corrected.
But the closed technique can still provide great results if the correction involves removing a small bump on the bridge of the nose and slightly changing the nasal tip.
Regardless if close or open technique is used, rhinoplasty involves recovery and some level of risk which can be easily minimized by choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon with a great deal of experience in nose-reshaping surgery.
If performed solely to improve the appearance (vs. correcting breathing problems, severe deformities, and injuries), one of the most important requirements is to be at least 14 years of age, or slightly older for male patients to make sure that the nasal structure has fully matured.
If rhinoplasty is conducted to a fully matured nose, the chance of having a revision plastic surgery in later years can be significantly reduced. However, the age requirement stated above is not applicable if the procedure’s goal is to address breathing difficulties and severe deformities.
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