Our noses are uniquely human. Just think about that. If two black Labrador Retrievers are placed side by side, their bodies may be different sizes. Their heads may be shaped a little differently. But their noses are pretty much identical.
So it is with most animals.
But not us human animals. Each of our noses is unique. That is kind of cool, but it is also a source of irritation for many people who don’t exactly like the nose they have. And that’s a difficult thing, since it’s right there looking back at you in the mirror every morning.
Our board-certified UMass Memorial plastic surgeons can change what you don’t like about your nose with rhinoplasty.
What is rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty is the clinical term for cosmetic nose surgery. This delicate surgery strives to improve the appearance, and in some cases the function, of the nose. Most patients seek to change a feature of their nose: maybe the nostrils are overly flared; maybe the tip is bulbous; maybe there is a bulge on the arch; or maybe the nose seems out of proportion with the rest of the face.
Other patients opt for rhinoplasty to correct the result of an earlier broken nose that could have created both aesthetic and functional problems.
How is it done?
Our surgeons use two methods for rhinoplasty.
· Open method — A small incision is made across the columella (the small strip of skin between the nostrils). The skin is lifted up and away from the tip of the nose. This exposes all of the underlying bone and cartilage and makes the open method the best option for addressing issues with the bridge of the nose. Once your surgeon has made the desired changes, the skin and tissue are re-draped back over the newly restructured nose. The open method leaves a tiny scar on the columella, but it is virtually unnoticeable.
· Closed method — In this method, all the necessary incisions are made inside the nose. The closed method can be used when the nose is being reshaped or re-sized, or when there is nasal obstruction. If the patient seeks to downsize his or her nose, the bones will usually need to be fractured. If the nose needs to be enlarged, we usually use synthetic material, or cartilage or bone from the patient’s ears or ribs.
Want to do something about that nose you don’t like seeing in the mirror every morning? A Massachusetts winter is a great time to do so. Give us a call at the Cosmetic Surgery Center of UMass Memorial, (508) 334-5990, and set up a consultation for rhinoplasty.
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