Can you reduce the size of a dorsal hump but not remove it completely? Would this deliver unnoticeable results?

Thank you for your question. It is possible to slightly reduce the appearance of the dorsal hump and make minimal changes to the tip during a rhinoplasty procedure. Nasal rasps can be used to safely file down the cartilage while preserving the rest of your nose structure.
Please keep in mind that rhinoplasty is one of the most complex of all plastic surgery procedures, requiring experience, skill, and even artistry to achieve an optimal outcome. I recommend scheduling an in-person consultation with an experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon, with expertise in rhinoplasty techniques, who can address your concerns and go over each step of the procedure with you.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to give you a meaningful advise without in person evaluation or series of good photos. In person consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon with good reputation in rhinoplasty is recommended. Good luck.

Based on your description, you would ideally like the hump reduced, nose narrowed, and tip more refined. Depending on the size of the hump and amount of reduction you wanted, it may not be noticeable. It would be hard to determine without at least photographs. With reduction of the hump, there may be a gap between the bones of the nose, which can be closed by breaking the bones. This would result in correction of the hump while making the nose narrower. The tip can also be made more refined; however, the size and definition of the tip is influenced by the cartilage and thickness of the skin. I would recommend consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon for a thorough evaluation and to discuss your goals.

The size of the hump removed refurbished on how large the hump is and also your expectations.?when you go on a consult ask the surgeon about this and possibly get some computer imaging

That is a great question and the answer is - certainly! Your description and question suggests that you want improvement without anyone necessarily noticing that you’ve had a ‘nose job’. This is certainly possible. Please see a board certified plastic surgeon experienced in rhinoplasty. Each area of the nose that you have mentioned can be treated appropriately providing a subtle result noticeable to you but not necessarily others. Good luck!

Achieving unnoticeable results with Rhinoplasty: theoretically, it is always possible to remove part of a dorsal hump and leave part intact. It’s also possible to do less with the tip then would typically be done. However if you really mean “unnoticeable“ the question is, then why bother. It has been my experience that patients sometimes fear being overdone so they emphasize to the surgeon to underdo the results. in some cases if the surgeon takes this literally and really does a “unnoticeable“ rhinoplasty the patient is apt to be disappointed that the change is not sufficient and the nose is not pretty enough or small enough. So, if what you really want is a nose that looks natural, and does not look obviously done, tell that to the surgeon. But if you really want a nose that is “unnoticeably done” there may not be a surgeon willing to perform an operation that may be doomed to failure and disappointment.

Trying to reduce the hump of the nose will make the entire nose look unbalanced and half baked. When undergoing a rhinoplasty, the hump needs to be shaved down to the appropriate slope, which matches the anatomy of the new tip. Osteotomies are mandatory after the hump removal to close the open roof created from the hump removal itself. It's very important that the nose is balanced three dimensionally. Rhinoplasty is the most difficult procedure to perform correctly in the entire field of cosmetic surgery, so choose your surgeon very wisely based on extensive experience.