Will I need an open or closed rhinoplasty? (Photos)

Question

Hi, I'm 19 and wanted to have a primary rhinoplasty. One of the doctors i was researching specialises in closed rhinoplasties. I also heard closed would mean less scaring and quicker healing. I've attached my current nose and a morph of what i would like, could someone please tell me if a closed rhinoplasty is possible or if open is the only way to achieve the results i want. For reference i have thick skin. Thank you

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

You seem to be a candidate for rhinoplasty, based on these very limited photos. Whether open or closed, you can expect predictable result in the hands of an experienced surgeon. In person consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon with expertise in rhinoplasty would give you a chance to discuss benefits and shortcomings of open vs closed rhinoplasty in your particular case. Good luck.

Richard G. Reish, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question. Based on your photograph, you may benefit from a rhinoplasty. A surgeon can accomplish this by trimming, suturing, and reshaping the cartilage in your lower nose. Fascial grafts may also be used to help improve tip refinement.

I highly recommend that my patients focus much more on real longterm before and after photographs rather than 3D imaging.   I encounter so many patients in my practice who see me for revision rhinoplasty who previously had surgery elsewhere who feel like they were mislead into surgery by surgeons who relied heavily on 3D imaging without adequate real before and after pictures to back it up.  Photoshop is easy but real surgery is very different.

I always recommend that you carefully evaluate your surgeon’s online before and after gallery on their website for both quality and quantity of results. Make sure that there are hundreds of real before and after pictures which demonstrate long-term follow up results with standardized lighting and standardized background. If your surgeon is posting mostly on-table results without real long-term follow up results, that is usually a major red flag.  If a surgeon is posting mostly just splint removal day videos without longterm follow-up pictures, or all patient selfie’s without real longterm in-office formal pictures that can also be a red flag.   Long-term results are much more meaningful than on table results or 1 week post-op results. Selfie’s can also be fun to look at, but these can often have a filter and do not represent true longterm results because of this and are not as valuable as real longterm in-office before and after photographs on your surgeon’s website with standardized lighting and standardized backgrounds.

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

Will I need an open or closed rhinoplasty? (Photos)

Answers (2)

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