Would Septoplasty by itself make both sides of my nose the same or would I need a rhinoplasty? (Photos)

-symmetry is natural in human face, every living human has differential nasal profiles, there is no method to make them equal
-the septum is not part of the nose and does not play any role in its shape except for the very caudal 10% of it supporting tip and columella, so septoplasty would never be the treatment in these cases
-should a nose suffer from congenital and abnormal degree of asymmetry then yes, a modern, invasive, skilled and multigraft structure rhinoplasty may reduce it more than significatively

Based on your photos, you appear to have a pleasing nasal appearance. It is possible that you have a small indentation along your left nasal sidewall that is causing the appearance of a small bump when viewed on the right side. If this is the case, depending on your examination, a permanent non-surgical nose job treatment with microdroplet Silikon-1000 may be helpful for achieving a straighter nasal appearance. I hope this helps! Sincerely, Dr Joseph

Septoplasty may be done to reshape the inside of the nose by removing deviated cartilage/bone in order to restore your nasal airway and improve breathing. Depending on the location of the deviation, this may secondarily cause mild changes to the outside the nose, particulary if the deviation is towards the tip. In order to make much substantial changes to the shape of your nose, you may be interested in rhinoplasty - which is often combined with septoplasty. Hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for your question. Based on your photographs, you are a great candidate for rhinoplasty. Maneuvers for your surgery would include dorsal hump reduction, tip refinement, nasal tip deprojection, tip elevation, among other maneuvers. Septoplasty alone would not accomplish this. With good surgical technique, you could have an outstanding result. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Answer from Dr. Sean Hill, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon at Lone Star Plastic Surgery in Frisco, TX:
Great question — and one that comes up often from patients considering surgery to improve breathing.
Septoplasty is a procedure designed to straighten a deviated septum, the internal wall between the two sides of your nose. The primary goal is to improve airflow and correct functional issues — not to change the external appearance of the nose.
In most cases, a septoplasty alone does not noticeably alter how your nose looks from the outside. However, there are exceptions. If your septal deviation is severe or involves the bridge or tip, or if there’s structural collapse, then correcting the septum may cause subtle changes in nasal shape or alignment. This is especially true if cartilage is removed or repositioned in a way that affects support.
If you’re also concerned about the appearance of your nose, you might consider combining septoplasty with cosmetic rhinoplasty — a common and safe approach when done by an experienced surgeon.
At Lone Star Plastic Surgery, I evaluate both form and function together, so you can breathe better and feel more confident in your appearance — whether that means septoplasty alone or in combination with other refinements.
And as always, choose a board-certified plastic surgeon or ENT specialist, preferably a member of The Rhinoplasty Society, to ensure you’re receiving care from someone with advanced training in both the aesthetic and functional aspects of nasal surgery.
Warmly,Dr. Sean HillBoard-Certified Plastic SurgeonLone Star Plastic Surgery – Frisco, TX

Based on the two post photos, I recommend a virtual consult consultation, but my early diagnosis is a full rhinoplasty with septoplasty combination to obtain the better results. Free range is $10,000-$25,000. Best of virtual consult with.

A septoplasty is primarily used for airway obstruction.
The procedure does not have anesthetic impact.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD