The goal of a Rhinoplasty, aka Nose Job is fairly straightforward: it is a surgery to make your nose look better. But beyond that, the surgery can be confusing. The structures of the nose are quite complex and it is rare to find anyone who has a good understanding of it’s anatomy. I personally find the structure of the nose really fascinating but it took me years of training to fully understand how all the parts fit together. Therefore, I can sympathize with anyone who struggles to understand what is going on in there and how this surgery can help. We are here to help!
For those of you considering a rhinoplasty, we want to give you a head start. Educating yourself on the basics of the surgery is a priority. It is important for you to understand how a Rhinoplasty improves the specific parts of the nose. Therefore, we created the guide below as a useful reference. It breaks down the nose into three distinct sections: upper ⅓ rd, middle ⅓ rd and lower ⅓ rd. It also explains how we improve the appearance and structural support in each section.
Upper 1/3rd: Starting at the top, his area of the nose consists primarily of the bones of the nose and is located in between your eyes. This area can be widened or irregularly shaped. This is also the area that can change with trauma, especially if you fracture your nose. We address this by sanding down areas of bone that stick out or narrowing the nose by using a controlled fracturing technique. If you feel like the upper part of your nose is wide, this is where the surgery should focus.
Middle 1/3rd: Moving down the nose toward the nostrils, this area of the nose consists primarily of cartilage and the lower edge of the bones of the nose. The main issue here usually involves a bump that changes your appearance in profile. We address this by sanding down the lower edge of the bones of the nose and removing cartilage that makes the ‘bump’ and bump. If you don’t like the profile of your nose, this is where the surgery should focus.
Lower 1/3rd: The tip of your nose and nostrils, this area of the nose consists primarily of cartilage that makes up the tip of the nose. The main issue here usually involves the appearance of the tip (too wide, too narrow, sticks out too far, droopy). We address this by adding to or removing some of the cartilage in this area and also using sutures to reposition the cartilage. If you don’t like the appearance of the tip of your nose, this is where the surgery should focus.
Even the guide above is simplified, getting the basics down is a big step toward understanding what is actually going on during a Rhinoplasty. Once you understand the structure of the nose then you can understand what parts of your nose a Rhinoplasty actually improves. Check out our Podcast, Beauty and the Surgeon for more information on Rhinoplasty and we look forward to seeing you in our clinic for your complimentary consultation.