Your nose is the focal point of your face. It lies dead-center and it is a completely unavoidable feature. While loving your nose may be hard, at least liking your nose is important, right? So, what can you do if you just hate it all together? Or what if, because of that softball to the schnoz in seventh grade, you can’t breathe correctly? Lucky for our day and age, there are options!
Medical changes in recent years have not only been innovative, but they have also proven to help people in many ways. People can now receive procedures for both medical and cosmetic reasons to improve the appearance and functionality of all their features. While some procedures are not covered by most major insurances, it is nice to know that we have options.
In every area of the body, surgical terms for various operations are called by different names. Sometimes, we may know the generalized area but lack the knowledge to know exactly what each procedure does for the patient.
Have you heard of Septoplasty or Rhinoplasty? Each involves a procedure to make changes to the nose, but what is the difference?
We can clear that up together!
Rhinoplasty: What it is All About
Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure more commonly known as a “nose job”. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, rhinoplasty is the enhancement of your nose proportions. Marcelo Ghersi, nose job expert from Miami, states that rhinoplasty techniques address not only cosmetic but medical concerns related to the nose. Some cosmetic issues rhinoplasty addresses are:
- Correcting crookedness
- Resizing for facial proportions
- Improving nasal tip imperfections
- Reducing humps and depressions
- Creating nasal symmetry
Listed here are to fix superficial issues with the appearance of the nose itself. Most people who opt for a nose job want to create a means to reduce or rid a flaw in the structure. Medical reasons for opting for rhinoplasty surgery are:
- Correct issues relating to structural defects
- Repairing nose after severe injury
There are many reasons for folks to willing jump on the operating table to have a doctor cure-all for their nose issues. Rhinoplasty can be doubled as medical and cosmetic or strictly performed for one reason or the other.
Septoplasty: What it is All About
According to Mayo Clinic, Septoplasty is a surgery specifically for fixing a deviated septum. A deviated septum can come in different levels of severity, causing a wide range of issues for those who have one.
It is a displacement of cartilage or bone in the nose which can cause breathing issues or cause your nose to be misshapen. This can be internally and does not have to present itself as a physical deformity. People generally undergo septoplasty for a deviated septum when:
- Airflow becomes restricted
- When the septum bends enough to be crooked
- Frequently having nosebleeds
- Sleep disruption
There are a few reasons a deviated septum occurs:
- Birthing defects
- Injury during birth
- Injury to the nose
Septoplasty is a process by which the doctor internally corrects the septum by realigning it. You undergo a local or general anesthesia, depending on preference. Afterward, it can take three to six months for the septum surgery to fully set. While results are typically very successful, there is some chance of minor regression. There are instances the cartilage in the nose can shift slightly over time, but it is typically not noticed until a year or more post-operation.
Along with the surgical option, some methods are less invasive. A recent study was conducted, testing a non-surgical means of managing the issue. If the issue continued, patients participating were encouraged to follow-up with an otorhinolaryngologist for further diagnosis and possible surgery.
Rhinoplasty Vs. Septoplasty
Both surgical procedures are done to the nose. Rhinoplasty is used for cosmetic or exterior defects of the nose whereas septoplasty is done internally to the septum of the nose.
While rhinoplasty is not able to fix a deviated septum on its own, both surgeries can be combined to resolve issues. This would be done to fix both superficial and internal damage caused by a deviated septum along with any visible deformities or defects.
Both have risk factors involved during surgery and both require a local or general anesthesia. Risk factors for surgery include:
- Excessive bleeding
- Septal perforation
- Septal hematoma
- Numbing of the area
- Issue persistence
- Unwanted physical changes
- Negative reactions to anesthesia
Both can be used to correct a deviated septum when done in combination.
If you are looking to relieve a restricted nasal passage, have recurring sinus infections or frequent nosebleeds but do not have any visible deformity, a septoplasty may be best. A septoplasty procedure roughly lasts 30 to 90 minutes and recovery is three to six months. If you are looking to correct a visible defect, such as crookedness, humping, hooking of the nasal tip or another issue, rhinoplasty is what you will want. A rhinoplasty procedure can vary depending on what is being done but lasts on average of two hours. Scheduling a consultation can help you get a better grasp of what needs to be done and how to make it happen.
So, if you have been putting it off, procrastinate no more! Don’t just deal with your nose, love it.
