Chances are you seldom think about your nose — unless it’s too large, too small, misshapen, or just doesn’t fit your face. Let’s face it, your nose has a prominent spot on your face. You can’t exactly hide it if you don’t like the way it looks. You can, however, consider rhinoplasty to surgically reshape it into the nose you always wanted.
The doctors at Southern ENT Associates combine surgical expertise with artistic sensitivity to create a nose you’ll love. And if you also have breathing problems, you may want to fix the problem and refine your nose with septorhinoplasty.
Rhinoplasty is about the appearance of your nose
Rhinoplasty is often referred to as a nose job. As slang goes, it gets the point across, yet it doesn’t begin to convey the level of refinement we can achieve when surgically reshaping your nose.
When you get rhinoplasty, our focus is on the appearance of your nose. The surgery is done to:
- Reduce the size of your nose
- Change the width of your bridge
- Make your nose more symmetrical
- Straighten a crooked nose
- Improve the size or shape of the nose tip
- Remove a bump or depression on the bridge
- Correct the size, shape, and position of your nostrils
Changing the appearance of your nose is a complex procedure that requires extensive planning to ensure the result matches the nose you envision. We devote time to talking with you, learning about what you do and don’t like about your nose, and determining your ideal nose.
We carefully assess your face, take photos, and work with you until everyone is on board with the changes being made. You can count on us to offer professional guidance when we believe your ideal nose may not work for the structure of your face or when it’s out of balance with your other facial features.
Septorhinoplasty is about nose function
When you’re diagnosed with a problem like a deviated septum, we recommend a surgical procedure called septorhinoplasty. The emphasis in this procedure is septoplasty, or surgery to correct a deviated septum. But it’s also combined with rhinoplasty to enhance your nose when needed.
Your nasal septum is the thin strip of bone (at the top) and cartilage (at the bottom) that divides your nose in half and creates two nostrils. When the septum is crooked or displaced to one side of your nose, you have a deviated nasal septum.
A deviated septum often makes breathing difficult because it blocks one or both nostrils. It can cause frequent nosebleeds and recurring sinus infections. The off-balance septum can also affect your appearance, which is why septoplasty is combined with rhinoplasty.
Where nose function and appearance overlap
While rhinoplasty emphasizes cosmetic surgery and septorhinoplasty focuses on restoring structure, there’s a lot of overlap between the two surgeries. Each time we perform nose surgery, we consider function and appearance.
When you undergo rhinoplasty, we diligently maintain nasal passageways and repair the septum if needed. On the flip side, during septoplasty, we either carefully maintain your nose’s original appearance or make aesthetic changes if desired.
We never sacrifice function or your looks, which is why nose surgery requires extensive experience. To learn more about rhinoplasty and septorhinoplasty, call Southern ENT Associates or use the online booking feature to schedule an appointment.