Medical Reasons to Get a Rhinoplasty

More than 200,000 rhinoplasties are performed in the United States every year. While many of these are done to help a patient feel more comfortable and confident with their appearance, a rhinoplasty (nose job) is also often performed to improve sinus function and breathing or correct disfigurements.

Cosmetic reasons for rhinoplasty may include straightening a crooked bridge, reshaping a pointy tip, narrowing large nostrils, or completely altering the size or angle of the nose. These are all valid reasons to get the surgery.

But some nasal conditions like birth defects, disfigurement from an injury, breathing problems, and nasal abnormalities are also justifiable reasons for rhinoplasty. At The Aesthetic Surgery Center in New York, New York, renowned plastic surgeon Elliott H. Rose, MD, performs many rhinoplasties on patients for these and other medical reasons. 

Correcting birth defects

In most cases, rhinoplasty is encouraged only after a person’s nose has finished growing. For girls this means they should be no younger than age 15 or 16, and for boys age 17 or 18. 

There is an exception, however, in patients with cleft lip or cleft palate. These defects that make it hard for children to eat and thrive are often accompanied by nasal defects like a deviated septum or deficient inner lining of the nose. Children with cleft lip and palate may also have irregularities in the facial bones around the nose. 

Dr. Rose is experienced in repairing cleft lip and palate and in performing associated rhinoplasties. Nose surgery restores the look and function of these children’s noses. 

Repairing nasal abnormalities

Nasal inflammation from allergies can interfere with your ability to breathe. This may be due to genetically narrow nasal structures that can be widened with surgery. In these cases, rhinoplasty helps you get fuller, more complete breaths so you’re more comfortable all day, especially when you sleep or exercise. 

Rhinoplasty is also a solution for polyps, small growths that develop in the nasal passages. You may develop polyps as a result of asthma, allergies, immune disorders, or drug sensitivities. Polyps interfere with breathing and nasal function, but can be removed during rhinoplasty to help you breathe more easily and feel better.

Overcoming a deviated septum

When the cartilage of your nose is not centered, you have a deviated septum. You may have trouble breathing through your nose and may suffer recurrent sinus infections. These infections mean you’re fatigued, plagued with headaches, constantly stuffed up, and the area around your nasal passages feels tender.

Your deviated septum can also cause obstructions in breathing that contribute to sleep apnea and snoring and that limit your athletic abilities. 

A deviated septum may be present at birth or can be caused by an accident, like a blow to the head, that shifts the cartilage. 

Rhinoplasty with septoplasty corrects a deviated septum. The septoplasty is the surgery to correct the septum, but rhinoplasty fixes the outward crooked appearance of your nose. You need both to fully restore normal breathing patterns.

If you’d like to discuss rhinoplasty or other cosmetic facial surgery with Dr. Rose, make an appointment at The Aesthetic Surgery Center’s Upper East Side office. Call us today or use our website to schedule.