Open and Closed Rhinoplasty

Nose surgery (rhinoplasty) is a growing trend in the United States. Known to many as a simple nose job, rhinoplasty is a surgery that even celebs fess up to. Ashley Simpson and Mariah Carey underwent rhinoplasty to reduce the size and alter the shape of their noses and weren’t afraid to admit it. And while to some, rhinoplasty may seem superfluous, consider this- if your eyes are the window to your soul and you feel that your nose outshines your eyes, what is your face saying?

Whether for cosmetic or health reasons, rhinoplasty ranks among the top five most popular procedures for men and in the top 20 for women. So, when it comes to asking the big questions, learning the lingo will go a long way. The following will help you understand the differences between open and closed rhinoplasty and what they mean for you and for your nose.

Two Types of Rhinoplasty

Open and closed rhinoplasty, while similar in name, refer to two different types of surgical procedures. Closed rhinoplasty is referred to by doctors as endonasal rhinoplasty and open is called external rhinoplasty. If both alter the shape of the nose, what differences are there between the two?

Closed Rhinoplasty

Closed rhinoplasty is the more popular of the two with patients for many reasons.

· The risk of external scarring is almost non-existent because incisions are made inside the nostrils

· While the surgeon has a more obstructed view, the procedure does not restrict surgical possibilities

· Reshaping is easier because bone and cartilage can be manipulated

· This surgery allows the surgeon to add implants to the nose to make it appear fuller

Open Rhinoplasty

Less popular with patients because of the possibility of a visible scar, surgeons prefer this surgery for a few important reasons.

· It is easier for the surgeon to work on the tip of the nose

· With open rhinoplasty, the skin on the nose is lifted and this makes it easier for the surgeon to see what s/he is doing.

· Correcting nasal passages is much easier

Logistically, the main difference between the two is a cut on the outside of the nose. The cut is, in retrospect, small and forms only a small scar that in most cases is barely, if at all, visible.

Both open and closed rhinoplasty requires sedation but some surgeons use a local anesthetic. The recovery times differ in some ways between the two surgeries but patients of both surgeries experience few if not all of the following post-op side effects.

· Swelling

· Bruising

· Bleeding

· Headaches

Recovery

As always, the first 24 hours can be the worst. Patients are required to stay in bed for at least 24 hours with their heads elevated. In the following days and weeks, swelling will increase and then decrease. After about three weeks, bruising and swelling should have subsided and you will be ready to show the world your new, un-bruised nose!

When it comes to the making the final call between open and closed rhinoplasty, the surgeon has the last word. He will decide whether you are a candidate for open or closed rhinoplasty. It all comes down to accessibility of the nose. But no matter which type of surgery you get, the result can be a newer and better nose.