While evaluating a patient for nose surgery it is important to pinpoint whether the surgery is cosmetic or functional in nature. Most cosmetic modifications alter a person’s appearance. Whether it is fixing a nose broken by accident, reducing a protuberance or enhancing a ungainly nasal tip, the change wrought by these procedures are visible to the world.

Nose surgery is also conducted for functional improvement. This includes widening a nasal airway to facilitate breathing or rectification of a deviated septum. Any hindrance to smooth breathing is classified as a health hazard and any corrective surgery is usually covered by health insurance.

Sometimes a severely deviated septum can also result in a visibly crooked nose. In other cases while a patient comes in for corrective surgery for breathing trouble, they may want to rectify other visible cosmetic problems with their nose.

Two of the most common forms of Nose Surgery are Rhinoplasty, which is cosmetic and Septoplasty which is purely functional.

Septoplasty is done to correct a deviated septum. The nasal septum being a cartilaginous structure that divides the nose in to two halves and any midline that strays drastically from this midline is called a deviated. It is a relatively simple procedure and can be done both under local and general anesthesia.

As the deviation in question is a result of a surfeit of bone or cartlage in the septum the procedure involves the elimination of all excess tissue mass. While operating the surgeon makes an incision in the septum lining working through the nostril and begins excising, leaving only a small portion to act as structural support. The Septum is then stabilized using a variety of artificial material like plastic splints tubes or sutures.

Septoplasty is not generally carried out on minors, as the septum keeps growing until maturity at age 18.

Rhinoplasty on the other hand is a purely cosmetic procedure and is usually done through an incision inside the nasal passage or across the skin layer that divides the nostrils. The bony and cartilaginous structure that makes up the nose is revealed to be sculpted into the shape you desire. The skin is stitched back into place to finish the surgery. Usually treated as a outpatient procedure, the surgery can last upto two hours.
cosmetic or functional our nose is an extremely important organ in our body, whether it is uninterrupted smooth inhalation or an enhanced body image, both go a long distance in improving the quality of our lives.