Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure to reshape the nose. It may be performed for cosmetic or functional reasons, or a combination of both.
With a surgical procedure performed in such a visible location, most people considering rhinoplasty are understandably concerned about the scars that may result from the surgery. Fortunately, rhinoplasty doesn’t leave a noticeable scar. In some cases, it actually leaves no visible scar at all; in other cases, there’s a small scar in a discreet location.
Endonasal (closed) rhinoplasty leaves no visible scars
Of course, any surgical procedure must leave scars of some kind. With a closed rhinoplasty, the incisions are made inside of the nose. The resulting scars will therefore be invisible. The recovery period also tends to be easier than that of an open rhinoplasty, with less bruising and swelling.
Because the incisions must be made inside of the nose, closed rhinoplasty limits the types of surgical techniques that can be used, with certain more advanced techniques being impossible to perform during a closed rhinoplasty due to the lack of access to certain structures of the nose. For example, the surgeon has less access to the tip of the nose, so reshaping of the tip may be limited.
External (open) rhinoplasty allows better surgical access
The open rhinoplasty also places incisions inside of the nose, but there is one additional incision on the outer part of the nose. It’s placed on the columella, which is the piece that separates the right and left halves of the nose, so the incision is called a trans-columellar incision. After healing is complete, this incision is generally not very noticeable.
The biggest advantage of the open rhinoplasty technique is that it allows the surgeon greater access to the structures inside of the nose. This is helpful, especially when performing more complex techniques. For example, after a trauma, or in the case of a congenital defect of the nose, an open rhinoplasty is often the better choice. For those who want certain types of changes to the appearance of the nose, or who are having a revision procedure to refine or correct the results of a previous procedure, an open rhinoplasty may give a better result.
Which one is right for me?
There is no one “best” method for rhinoplasty. Although many patients ask for a closed rhinoplasty because it will be “scarless,” there are situations in which an open rhinoplasty, leaving a tiny and discreet scar, will give a better result. Dr. Sjarif will need to examine your nose and learn about your goals before he can recommend a particular approach.
Rhinoplasty is a very complex surgical procedure. Not all plastic surgeons are even willing to perform this procedure, because it requires specific techniques and skills. Dr. Sjarif has additional training beyond that of most plastic surgeons, having completed not just one but two fellowships (this is specialized, experiential training for plastic surgeons). His mastery of advanced techniques gives him the confidence to perform rhinoplasty either a closed or an open approach. If you’d like to schedule your appointment with Dr. Sjarif, please contact our office.
