Will I look different after nasal valve collapse surgery?

It doesn't sound like you are having a rhinoplasty rather functional reconstruction of the nose.  The answer to your question will depend on whether your surgeon is repairing collapse of the internal or external nasal valves.  In either case, some fullness in the area of repair can be expected as the idea of nasal valve repair is to provide not only structure to the weak nasal cartilages, but to also increase the cross sectional area of the nasal valves which would slightly increase the size of the nasal valve area reflected in the appearance of the external parts of the nose.

It sounds like you are describing internal nasal valve collapse, and correction with spreader grafts.  This would be considered the "gold-standard" treatment for this problems.  I counsel my patients that I do expect a mild change in appearance, with a slight increase width in the middle third of the nose.  In patients with internal nasal valve collapse, this area can look "pinched" with an hourglass shape, so often this subtle increase in width is actually aesthetically pleasing, creating a more smooth contour from the medial brow to the tip of the nose without pinching.  Best Wishes

In general, there are very little changes that occur cosmetically during nasal valve surgery. The changes that do occur actually can make the nose look better and more symmetric. The middle third of the nose can look slightly indented with internal valve collapse. Spreader grafts actually improve this narrowing and make the dorsum look straighter. (From what you describe, it sounds like your surgeon is planning spreader grafts.)

This question is almost impossible to answer as it very much depends on the starting point of your nose, the problem you have, the procedure being performed, and the skill level of your surgeon. Generally, however, a rhinoplasty for nasal valve repair will always lead to minor cosmetic changes/improvements. By definition, a rhinoplasty will slightly alter the shape of your nose. That said, such changes can be very minimal and barely perceptible, or they can be rather noticeable if so desired. Good luck!

There is usually a reason for narrowing of the internal nasal valve such as trauma or previous rhinoplasty surgery.  There are a number of was to reconstruct the internal nasal valve and almost every technique will change the shape of your nose in some way.  It is important that you stress your concerns to the surgeon to ensure the changes to your nose are limited.  In most cases the change to the external appearance of your nose will be minimal unless the deformity is severe.

Cartilaginous spreader grafts are usually placed for patients who have valve collapse and vestibular stenosis whether it's either static or dynamic. The cartilage is harvested from inside nose and placed  underneath the concave upper lateral cartilage  that is blocking air flow.  From the frontal profile, the nose may look slightly wider in the midportion. For more information and many examples, please see  the link and video below

There is a chance that with either internal or external valve procedures you would notice some increased fullness in the nose, especially if grafts are being used.  However, most people would not notice this change.

There are two nasal valves, internal and external.  Internal valve collapse is a more common scenario and is usually repaired with placement of spreader grafts.  If this is the case, I would agree with your surgeon in that the will be a mild widening in the middle third of your nose, but is usually pretty minimal, and would not be all that noticeable, when done well.  If external valve repair is planned, this is much more variable.  There are several ways to address this issue, and most would change the appearance of your nostrils, usually for the better if you are truly having external valve collapse.  I would check with your surgeon to verify what is planned.

This entirely depends on the type of problem (external vs internal nasal valve) you have and the technique (grafts vs sutures or others) that your surgeon plans to use for correction. If grafting for the external valves (alae) are placed below the natural lower lateral cartilage, then most of the time there will be negligible noticeable change to your appearance. However, sometimes graft placement requires a larger graft or placement in the space between the lower an upper lateral cartilages. This can cause some noticeable fullness in certain patients. Spreader grafts for internal nasal valves are usually placed for narrow or concave collapse. There should be an appearance change, but with improvement in appearance of the collapsed segment. Share your concerns with your surgeon and revisit this issue so as to best understand how things are planned to work in your case. Consider a second opinion if you feel you need more information. 

Thank you for your question.  Remember, you should always address any concerns with your primary surgeon.  In my experience, using spreader grafts to correct nasal valve collapse always results in a slight change in the shape of the nasal dorsum into a more pleasing frontal profile.  I hope this answers your questions.  Best wishes in your endeavors!

Sincerely,



James Fernau, MD, FACS



Board Certified ENT



Board Certified Plastic Surgery



Member of ASPS, ASAPS, ISAPS, The Rhinoplasty Society, AAFPRS, OTO/HNS, ASLMS