Going for surgery next month to fix my deviated septum and clear out my ethmoid sinuses. Will it change the way I look? (Photo)

Question

If my septum is deviated near my eyes would having the surgery make my dark circles go away? I know that the shape of my nose won't change, but does septoplasty change the outward appearance at all? Is it likely that my voice will change? (It's slightly nasal sounding)

Jose Barrera, MD · Answer

Septoplasty should not affect the outside appearance of my nose. A septoplasty is done to improve breathing by removing internal cartilage and bone deviations.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

To change the shape of the nose requires a cosmetic rhinoplasty procedure. A closed rhinoplasty approach can accomplish lifting the tip, shaving down the dorsal hump and narrowing the bridge line, with all of the incisions placed on the inside of the nose. Expect to pay for that component yourself. A septoplasty is performed in the back of the nose for medical necessity to improve airflow dynamics. An ethmoidectomy is performed when there's polyps located in the sinuses between the eyes deep in the back of the nose. Performing functional surgery such as an ethmoidectomy and a septoplasty will not change the shape of the nose whatsoever. For more information about the differences between cosmetic and functional nasal surgery, please see the link and the video below

Regina Rodman, MD · Answer

Good question.  The appearance of your nose will not change after septoplasty and sinus surgery.  The dark circles under the eyes may improve slightly after your nasal passage is cleared, but they are usually caused by several factors including allergy, heredity and drainage patterns of your face, so it is unlikely they will clear completely.

If your voice is nasal because your nose is blocked and obstructed, your voice may change for the better.  You will still have the same tone and pitch, but it may sound less nasal once you heal.

Best of luck

Dr Rodman

Robert S. Schmidt, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question. If you have a septoplasty, usually the outside appearance of your nose and face doesn't change at all. Having sinus surgery may very slightly affect your voice, but I've never had someone mention this to me. I personally have had sinus surgery and didn't notice a change. As far as the dark circles, those are tough. Often it's a combination of allergy and just how your nose drains. The blood supply from your nose drains through the same system of veins as the blood from your eye sockets. So, if you have extra blood in your nose because of allergy, it tends to back things up into the eye sockets and create the dark circles. It's honestly a tough problem to make go away- I have them too! Good luck with your surgery.

Going for surgery next month to fix my deviated septum and clear out my ethmoid sinuses. Will it change the way I look? (Photo)

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