The term “nose job” is often used broadly to describe any nasal surgery, but procedures vary significantly depending on whether they address breathing, appearance, or both. Many people with a deviated septum wonder if they can fix this functional problem while also improving the nose’s outward shape. The answer requires understanding the specific types of nasal surgery available. A procedure focused only on appearance will not correct a breathing issue, and vice versa.
Clarifying Rhinoplasty and Septoplasty
The two primary types of nasal surgery are rhinoplasty and septoplasty, which have fundamentally different goals. Rhinoplasty focuses on the external structure of the nose to improve its appearance and achieve better facial harmony. This surgery involves reshaping the bone and cartilage of the external framework, such as reducing a dorsal hump or refining the nasal tip. A standard rhinoplasty is considered a cosmetic procedure and does not typically address internal breathing obstructions.
Septoplasty, in contrast, is solely a functional operation aimed at improving airflow. This procedure corrects a deviated septum, the internal wall of cartilage and bone that divides the nasal cavity. During a septoplasty, the surgeon repositions or replaces the crooked parts of the septum to create a clear airway. Since this operation is performed entirely through incisions inside the nostrils, it does not alter the outward look of the nose.
The Combined Approach: Septorhinoplasty
The definitive answer to fixing a deviated septum while also changing the nose’s appearance is a combined procedure called septorhinoplasty. This surgery integrates the functional correction of a septoplasty with the aesthetic modifications of a rhinoplasty in a single operation. It simultaneously addresses internal structural issues that impair breathing and the external contours a patient wishes to refine.
This combined approach is often necessary because the nasal septum provides structural support to the external nose. Correcting a severely deviated septum may involve harvesting septal cartilage to use as structural grafts during the rhinoplasty. Surgeons use these pieces to reinforce or reshape parts of the nose, such as the nasal tip or middle vault. The procedure may also involve carefully resetting the nasal bones, known as infracture, to straighten a nose visibly crooked due to the deviation.
Functional and Aesthetic Outcomes
Septorhinoplasty provides both functional improvements and aesthetic refinements. The functional outcomes enhance the patient’s quality of life through improved nasal airflow. Patients typically experience a significant reduction in obstruction and congestion, leading to better sleep quality and a potential decrease in snoring. These gains result from straightening the septum and often reducing enlarged turbinates, which can also obstruct breathing.
The aesthetic outcomes focus on achieving the patient’s desired external nasal shape. Common goals of the rhinoplasty component include addressing features like a prominent hump, a wide nasal bridge, changes to the nose’s profile, and the definition of the nasal tip. Studies suggest that patients’ overall satisfaction following a septorhinoplasty is often more strongly influenced by the cosmetic outcome.
Recovery and Post-Operative Care
Recovery following a septorhinoplasty involves managing expected symptoms and following specific care instructions. Immediately after the procedure, patients commonly experience swelling, bruising, and nasal congestion, often due to internal splints or packing supporting the corrected septum. Bruising, particularly around the eyes, is most noticeable during the first few days before it gradually fades.
Patients are advised to keep their head elevated, even while sleeping, for at least the first week to reduce initial swelling. External splints and sutures are typically removed between five and ten days post-surgery. While many patients return to sedentary work within about a week, they must avoid strenuous activity, heavy lifting, and blowing their nose for several weeks. Although initial swelling subsides quickly, the final aesthetic result may take up to a full year to become completely visible.