Fast facts

Rhinoplasty


What it is: A plastic surgery procedure to improve the appearance, proportions and structural functionality of the nose.  Rhinoplasty, commonly called a nose job, can enhance facial symmetry and harmony to improve the patient's self-confidence.  Breathing can also be improved as a result.


What it addresses: Specific aspects of the nose, such as:

- Nose size
- Nose width
- Asymmetry
- Nostrils


MORE INFORMATION

Question

Will my doctor break my nose during a rhinoplasty?

my greatest fear of a nose job is the doctor snapping my nose.  Thats not urban legend is it, that doctors break your nose during nose surgery?


Asked by: Brett, Kansas City, KS

Answers (4)

Sort by: Most recent | Most helpful
1
September 11, 2008

Breaking the nose is not a big deal!

Sam Naficy, MD
Sam Naficy, MD
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon
Answer by Sam Naficy, MD

Osteotomies (term used for breaking and repositioning of nasal bones in rhinoplasty) is actually one of the more simple maneuvers in rhinoplasty and does not necessarily correlate to an increase in pain although it does cause more bruising.

The nose will not need to be broken if you are having rhinoplasty to:

  • Make subtle changes to the tip
  • Make subtle changes to the bridge
  • Reshape a wide and flat nose (African, Southeast Asian, or Latin American noses)

The nose will likely need to be broken if you are having rhinoplasty to:

  • Make dramatic changes to the bridge (for example remove a large hump)
  • Narrow the nose significantly
  • Correct a broken nose or an asymmetric nose

For more information visit http://www.seattlerhinoplasty.com

2
June 20, 2008
William A. Portuese, MD
William A. Portuese, MD
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon

In most but not all rhinoplasties a surgeon does make some very controlled cuts in the nasal bones and narrow them to correspond with the narrowing of the middle third of the nose and the tip.  A cast is then applied across the bridge to hold the new nasal bones in the new shape. 

3
November 28, 2007

Rhinoplasty is one of the most difficult facial plastic surgical procedures to master. Osteotomies are one of the more difficult maneuvers to understand in rhinoplasty. Having written several papers and chapters on this topic, and having taught this to other surgeons in the cadaver lab during my Facial Plastic Surgery Course, I can tell you these statements are absolutely true.

The indications for breaking the bones of the nose are (not all-inclusive):
•to close the top of the nose when we remove it during dorsal hump reduction (closing an 'open roof')
•to fix a crooked nose (previously broken or otherwise)
•to narrow a wide bony base to the nose

The techniques we use depend on the situation and what's needed.

From the patient's perspective, it's one more reason to choose someone who has a lot of experience in rhinoplasty.

From a recovery standpoint, it increases the likelihood of black eyes after surgery (though it does not mean they always happen, nor does it mean if you have black eyes your bones were definitely broken).

4
November 3, 2007
Jennifer Walden, MD
Jennifer Walden, MD
Board Certified
Plastic Surgeon

Breaking the bones of the nose, or osteotomies, are oftentimes done in a precise, controlled fashion in order to narrow the width of the bridge of the nose during rhinoplasty.

This maneuver is quite common in rhinoplasty surgery and can produce a nice change or refinement in a nose that looks too big or wide on the face.

Write a comment

(required, shown publicly)
(required, kept private)
  • Allowed HTML tags: <p> <br> <em> <strong> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <img> <div>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • You may link to webpages through the weblinks registry

More information about formatting options

CAPTCHA
Enter the numbers in the image below (no spaces)
Image CAPTCHA

Comments for unregistered users are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see our Community Guidelines

Check out more Q+A about Rhinoplasty

Have a question? Ask it

IMPORTANT: As noted in our Terms of Service, the information found on RealSelf.com, including that provided by professionals in the Questions & Answers area, is a general educational aid. The Questions and Answers contain opinions and views created by community members. RealSelf.com is not responsible for the accuracy of any information posted by community members. Do not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical or healthcare advice, or for diagnosis or treatment purposes.
  •     Cancel