Will my Doctor Break my Nose During a Rhinoplasty?

The bridge of your nose resembles an A-framed roof top which is narrow at the peak, and wide at the base. When a rhinoplasty surgeon removes a dorsal hump, your frontal appearance may widen, and this may be referred to as an "open roof deformity". Closure of the open roof, or narrowing the upper 2/3 of your nose after hump removal typically involves osteotomies. Infracture of nasal bones is performed in a controlled fashion and leads to the majority of bruising and swelling postoperatively. Osteotomies do not lead to a more painful postoperative experience, however. Hope this helps. Dr Joseph

Breaking bones is only necessary if you need to reshape a particular part of the nose, such as to narrow the bridge. It is not aways done as sometimes cartilage or soft tissue manipulation is sufficient to achieve specific aesthetic concerns. In addition, if your nose is broken, it is done very carefully and accurately, so that the break can be controlled. It's not like getting punched in the nose or something like that.

Rhinoplasty surgery varies from patient to patient and
depends on a variety of factors. Not every patient requires nasal infracture
(breaking the nose), but for some patients it’s absolutely essential and
without infracture it would be impossible to obtain a good result.

                  Patients
undergoing rhinoplasty require a comprehensive evaluation. This requires
physical examination and review of pictures from multiple angles. In your case,
it’s difficult to make a treatment recommendation without this information.

                  As
a general rule it’s usually necessary to perform an infracture when large humps
are present or when the nasal bridge is wide. When
isolated nasal tip abnormalities are present surgical infracture can usually be
avoided.

                  It’s
not unusual for patients to be afraid of having their nose broken during
surgery. Unfortunately for many patients meeting their aesthetic goals requires
infracture. When infracture is performed there may be slightly more swelling
and bruising. Patients usually have minimal pain and discomfort following this
maneuver.

                  If
you’re considering rhinoplasty, consultation with a board certified plastic
surgeon is appropriate. This surgeon should be able to help you formulate an
appropriate treatment plan.