Is it possible to shave the hump in my nose without an Osteotomy? (photo)

This question comes up frequently.  The concern is to avoid a more involved recovery.  As other panel members have said, it is possible to remove the bump without osteotomy to bring in the side walls of the nose.  The problem lies in the fact that a natural looking nose has a pyramidal shape in cross-section.  When you remove the bump, you actually expose the wider base of the nose bridge, making it look wider and less natural in appearance.  The osteotomies help restore the normal anatomy of the nose.  Dr. B.

When the hump is shaved down, it will create an "open roof deformity".  Basically, the top of your nose will be flat.  In order to correct this, osteotomies need to be performed to eliminate the open roof and bring the sides of the nose towards the midline.  I wouldn't fear the osteotomies.  They are a routine component of most rhinoplasties and shouldn't extend your recovery.  

Yes, a subtle reduction of your bridge is possible and likely would not require osteotomies. However, this would not create the best possible result. There would definitely be a trade-off to avoid osteotomies which are feared by some but typically do not create any significant increase in downtime or surgical risk. I hope this information is helpful for you.Stephen Weber MD, FACSDenver Facial Plastic Surgeon

This is possible if you have limited expectations of how much reduction of the hump you want. The osteotomy's are only used to bring the bones together but if the bones are not separated this is not needed.   

Thanks for your question -Dorsal shaving may improve the shape of your nasal dorsum somewhat but the amount of reduction would be limited.  The more you take from the dorsum the more likely you are to need osteotomies to reshape the bony structure of your nose.Think about it like a triangle.  If you take off too much of the tip of the triangle you have to close the top again by angling the walls in (requiring an osteotomy).  If you minimize how much you take off you may not need it.Best to schedule a consultation and discuss your concerns in detail.I hope this helps!

Hello,You should have a thorough discussion of your issues with an experienced surgeon.  Although it is unclear why you don't want osteotomies, the fact of the matter is that they are necessary to achieve a normal appearance after any significant hump reduction. Osteotomies are just one a many maneuvers that are performed during a rhinoplasty, however it has become a very well known part of a rhinoplasty amongst lay people.   There are many other surgical maneuvers that might seem just as objectionable to some people, but because they are unknown, people do not request their omission from the surgery.  The bottom line is the technical aspects of surgical procedures can be psychologically unpleasant, and that is unavoidable. A prospective patient should focus on more relevant issues like risks and benefits of a surgery, and less on the nuts and bolts of how the surgery is performed. Best of luck!

   There are several ways to approach a dorsal hump in your case.  Radix augmentation in combination with shave may be possible, but a frontal view would be helpful to make a determination about osteotomy as well.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

It is possible to shave the hump on your nose without an osteotomy. However, the question is whether or not you should do that. Unfortunately, you did not provide a frontal view. The challenge with shaving the top without an osteotomy is that your nose will appear wider, which may be undesirable. I would talk this over carefully with your board certified plastic surgeon and express exactly what  you see in your mind's eye as far as what the result should look like. If you like everything about your nose and "just" want the hump to appear gone, you may need an osteotomy to give you the outcome you desire. I try to have patients focus on the outcome they want, and then I will give them options on how to get there and the tradeoffs in taking one approach vs. another. Good luck.

Yes you can. It all matters how much the bone and cartilage are taken down. It will limit how much of the bump can be taken down but it can be done.

With the size of the dorsal hump, shaving it down will create an open roof in your  nose and a very flat appearance. You will need osteotomies.  Routine stuff.