Nose Surgery
(Rhinoplasty)
Rhinoplasty is the medical term that describes the operation used to improve nasal breathing and, in most instances, to improve the appearance of the nose. The operation is performed through carefully placed incisions inside the nose to remove or reshape any excess or malpositioned cartilage or bone, resulting in improved breathing through the nostrils.
Many rhinoplasties are done to improve the "function" of the nose and therefore may be covered by your insurance policy. This procedure is often referred to as a "septoplasty."
If an improvement in the appearance of the nose is also desired, this clearly is not covered by insurance and will require a fee not reimbursed by your insurance carrier.
Secondary or Re-operative Rhinoplasty
We see many patients who have had previous nasal surgery. In general we ask that patients who have had previous nasal surgery to wait at least six months, if possible, before a second operation is recommended. Of course, a consultation can be obtained at any time to discuss possible problems an solutions.
Nasal Surgery: At What Age?
The timing of nasal and septal surgery is dependent upon the "maturity" of the nose and facial skeleton. The trends across the country are toward earlier rather than later surgery. In general, we monitor the facial growth and development of our adolescent patients and recommend surgery when this facial growth has stabilized (approximately 14 years old for girls and 16 years old for boys).
At the other end of the age spectrum, our mature facial rejuvenation patients may notice an enlargement and drooping of the nasal tip as one of the tell-tale signs of facial aging. Elevation of the nasal tip is offered to many patients as an adjunctive procedure during facial rejuvenation. There is no upward limit to the age at which nasal surgery can be done, assuming overall good health.
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