Reasons for Rhinoplasty: Cosmetic vs Medical

Rhinoplasty, or more popularly known as a “nose job”, is one of the most common forms of plastic surgery. There are many reasons someone may want to undergo rhinoplasty surgery, but they come down to being cosmetic or medical reasons. Let’s take a look at both.

Reasons for Rhinoplasty

Many people look into rhinoplasty to repair their nose due to medical issues.

Deviated septums

A deviated septum is a condition where your nasal septum is off-center. This makes it difficult to breathe through your nose. Following surgery, it should be much easier for you to breathe through both sides of your nose, chances are, for the first time. Often, individuals don’t even know how much difficulty they’re having to breathe through their nose.

Cleft palate or cleft lip

Cleft lips and cleft palates are birth defects that can be fixed through rhinoplasty. If these birth defects aren’t corrected as children, they can lead to problems eating and they won’t get the nutrition they need. You may also want to correct a cleft palate or lip for cosmetic reasons.

Other medical reasons include:

  • Injuries
  • Nasal inflammation caused by chronic allergies
  • Burns
  • Broken noses
  • Deformities
  • Sinus problems

They also may not have a medical reason for rhinoplasty at all and simply just don’t like the way their nose looks.

You might be a good candidate for rhinoplasty if:

  • You’re otherwise physically healthy.
  • Your facial growth is complete.
  • You have realistic goals and a positive outlook.
  • You don’t smoke.

If you do want rhinoplasty for cosmetic reasons rather than your health, you need to wait until your nasal bone is fully grown. That means, girls typically need to be age 15 and boys might have to wait longer. However, if you are getting surgery for breathing impairments, rhinoplasty can be done at a younger age.

Here are some changes a surgeon can make to your nose through rhinoplasty:

  • Change in size
  • Change in angle
  • Straightening of the bridge
  • Reshaping of the tip
  • Narrowing of the nostrils

Schedule a Consultation

For more information about rhinoplasty or to schedule a consultation, call us at 973-243-2300.