Will Septoplasty Get Rid of the Bump on my Nose?

Question

I have a deviated nasal septum, would having a septoplasty operation straighten the external appearance of my nose if the deviation is the primary reason of the bump on my nose? thanks :)

Donald B. Yoo, MD, FACS · Answer

Unfortunately a septoplasty will not address the bump on your nose (dorsal hump). Your septum can be straightened and your breathing improved without altering the external appearance of your nose. Lowering the bump is straightforward, but separate from septoplasty.

Stephen Prendiville, MD · Answer

Isolated Septoplasty, without certain maneuvers used in Rhinoplasty (osteotomies), is not going to straighten a crooked nose. Likewise, Rhinoplasty alone without a Septoplasty is likely to be equally unsuccessful in straightening a crooked nose. Septoplasty alone will not remove a bump from the top of the nose or change the appearance of the nasal tip. Septoplasty is designed and works as a functional procedure that can assist a cosmetic procedure (Rhinoplasty), but is not a cosmetic procedure.

Andrew Miller, MD · Answer

If you are diagnosed with a nasal septal deviation, it means your septum has a curve to it.  During Septoplasty surgery your surgeon will remove some cartilage and straighten the remaining septum to help you breathe better.  While correcting a deviated septum can improve the base of the nose if it is causing a twist in it, a septoplasty would do nothing for the bump on your nose.  Many patients add a Rhinoplasty to their Septoplasty surgery to change the appearance of the nose.  Your surgeon will normally file down the bone for the bump to disappear and do a osteotomy to make it even straighter.

	If you have a severe enough deviation most insurance companies will cover the cost of the correction of it and you would just have to pay for the addition of the Rhinoplasty.  I would schedule a consultation to discuss your options.

David O. Volpi, MD · Answer

A septoplasty, unlike a rhinoplasty, is not intended
to correct or modify the outward appearance of the nose. As you referenced in
your post, the procedure will only address a deviated septum- it will not
change the look of your nose. If you are still concerned about possibly
straightening the bump on your nose, I would suggest consulting a surgeon about
a potential rhinoplasty.

Babak Larian, MD · Answer

No, a septoplasty will not reduce the bump on your nose unfortuately, however you can have a rhinoseptoplasty which can take care of both at the same time.

Xerxes Punthakee, MD · Answer

Septoplasties can change the external appearance of the nose, but in rare circumstances.  Typically, septoplasties in conjunction with rhinoplasty (Septorhinoplasty) will have the effect of straightening the septum, and change the external appearance of the nose.

	Xerxes

David A. Bray, Sr., MD · Answer

Straightening the septum may well straighten the nose. However it may not as other factors could be causing the crooked appearance. A septoplast in and of itself does not correct dorsal bumps. That is part of a rhinoplasty. Unfortunately, many surgeons will claim this for insurance purposes.

Michael Elam, MD (retired) · Answer

A septoplasty may help straighten the nose however a bump on the dorsum of the nose is fixed with a rhinoplasty or if in combination with septoplasty known as a septorhinoplasty. Septorhinoplasty is a procedure done for patients who are trying to fix functional problems along with aesthetic changes. Best regards!

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD (retired) · Answer

No, a Septoplasty will remove crooked sections, of the septum, but has no effect on the external appearance of the nose.  A bump, on the nose would require a Rhinoplasty surgery.

Mark B. Constantian, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

The septum extends from the floor of the nose to the top of the bridge--any part can be deviated.  If the deviation is only inside, your nasal shape will not change.  If it is external and due to septal curvature, septal surgery can make the nose much straighter--as long as the cartilage is used as spreader grafts (internal valvular grafts) to align the septum.  A septal graft can also be used to camouflage an asymmetry--something that I often do for patients with noses that are crooked on front view but straight from the side.

	My published airway research shows that valvular problems are even more important than septal deviation as causes of airway obstruction.  Make sure that your surgeon addresses them for an optimal result.  Good luck.

Will Septoplasty Get Rid of the Bump on my Nose?

Answers (10)

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