Anatomy and Function
The nose is the most prominent projection of the face. When looking at someone, eyes are readily attracted to it. Evil characters, witches and creatures are commonly portrayed with disfigured or deformed noses. Its true function is to provide a portal for air to enter and exit the body. Dry external air is moisturized so as not to dry out the airway and lungs.

The nose is made of the outer covering (skin), a support system (cartilage and bone), and lining (mucosa). Cartilage is the softer floppy structure that permits movement and control of the opening of the nostrils. Nasal bones support the bridge of the nose between the eyes. The septum is the wall between the two nostrils that is a sandwich of cartilage and bone surrounded by mucosa. It functions like a tent pole holding up the lower nose. Deeper in the nose opposite the septum, turbinates project into the air flow to humidify the air. The turbinates enlarge and shrink depending on the needs for moisture. Under the turbinates are the holes into the sinuses.

The nasal airway can be obstructed by:

• thickened mucosal lining of nose (such as in a
• cold or allergies)
• a deviated septum
• a thickened septum
• distorted external nasal structures
• thickened or enlarged turbinates

Sinus obstruction can also occur from local swelling of the turbinates. Deviation of the septum and nasal deformities can increase the chance of this obstruction such that a smaller swelling closes off the openings that otherwise would be open.

Cosmetic concerns
Some individuals are not happy with the shape of their nose. You may be concerned that it is too short, too long, too wide, too narrow, too high, or too flat. Different nasal parts may seem out of proportion to each other or the rest of your face. You may not like the nostril shape or position. The tip can be too big, too wide, pinched, or bulbous. The external column between the nostrils (columella) may hang down too far or not far enough. These concerns are cosmetic or appearance related. As such they are not covered by most insurance policies.

Alternative Care (Airway)
Dr. Bermant always explores possible allergic and environmental problems about all patients seeking nasal surgery. If you are allergic to what is breathed through the nose, irritants will swell your passageways closing off your nose. Avoiding irritants, decongestants, and adding humidification can help with allergic problems. Allergies can be seasonal. Partial mechanical obstruction means it takes less swelling before your nose closes off. People with enough chronic irritation even develop overgrowths of the mucosal lining of the nose called polyps. Such overgrowths can also obstruct the nose. Medical treatment can help some allergic problems. Check out what is on the web about allergic rhinitis and the medical treatment of nasal obstruction.

Cosmetic Issues
Your option for cosmetic concerns is not to have any surgery. Cosmetic surgery is elective, surgery that you do not absolutely need. Your deformity may be great enough that it may be a good idea to have the surgery but not if you have significant other medical problems. Cosmetic concerns, deformities and appearance are REAL problems. They are often trivialized unnecessarily, making individuals unhappy. Why live with something you do not like if you can have it changed? Many of Dr. Bermant's patients who elect for a cosmetic change in appearance tell him they wonder why they waited so long and did not have the surgery sooner.

Benefits from Surgery
If medical treatment fails and mechanical obstruction exits, surgical options may have value. Straightening a bent septum, thinning a thickened obstruction of the septum, and moving deformed external structures all can improve certain airways. Enlarged turbinates can sometimes be improved with judicious partial removal. Excessive intervention on the turbinates can be uncomfortable since humidification can be compromised.

There are many possible surgical choices for changing the shape and characteristics of a nose. The evaluation and analysis takes considerable time for your consultation. Flesh is not like a computer image. On a computer you can have a nose appear to change to almost anything you may want. Such virtual changes rarely can be duplicated with surgery. You will need to understand what surgery may be able to do for you. Realistic expectations are the key to a happy outcome.

		Learn more about this patient See a morph of this surgical result
Before Surgery	After Surgery

		More about this patient
Before Surgery	After Surgery	Before Surgery	After Surgery

This patient was not happy with the size and appearance of her nose.

Rhinoplasty Nasal Surgery Important Information

Learn more about rhinoplasty surgery of the nose Introduction to Dr. Bermant's rhinoplasty Your rhinoplasty nasal consultation with Dr. Bermant Rhinoplasty issues - nasal anatomy and function introduction Risks of nasal surgery and rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty for teens, teenagers, and young adults Rhinoplasty - surgical details Internal nasal packing and splints Rhinoplasty hump deformity and correction After your rhinoplasty with Dr. Bermant Minimizing swelling and bruising with rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty recovery Rhinoplasty photographic views Nasal protection on the web Rhinoplasty Costs and Price for "Nose Job" Surgery Open Rhinoplasty - Photographic details during surgery of the Black nose (warning graphic pictures) Open Rhinoplasty - exposure Open Rhinoplasty - Moving bones together Open Rhinoplasty - Tip supporting graft Open Rhinoplasty - Dome sculpture Open Rhinoplasty - Dorsal graft Open Rhinoplasty - Skin closure Open Rhinoplasty - Narrowing nostrils Open Rhinoplasty - Splint Open Rhinoplasty - Pictures of dorsal and tip sculpture during surgery (warning graphic photographs) Open Rhinoplasty - Dorsal Sculpture Open Rhinoplasty - Tip Cartilage Balancing and Reconstruction Open Rhinoplasty - Skin Closure Open Rhinoplasty - Dorsal Splint

Patient Pictures before and after surgery Female rhinoplasty patients Male rhinoplasty patients 41 year old male nasal reduction rhinoplasty and septoplasty - Additional before and after pictures 27 year old female long nose reduction rhinoplasty and septoplasty - more photographs - more photos 37 year old male rhinoplasty hump reduction with tip rotation / sculpture - more pictures 44 year old male reduction rhinoplasty and tipplasty - more photographs - more images 35 year old female dorsal hump reduction and septorhinoplasty - more images - more pictures 20 year old female rhinoplasty, septoplasty, and turbinectomy for deviated septum and bent deformed nose - more photos 30 year old female rhinoplasty septoplasty and reduction turbinates for deviated septum and bent nasal deformity - more pictures 25 year old male septoplasty and rhinoplasty for bent nose and deviated septum Nasal tip and small dorsal deformity rhinoplasty 19 year old female patient - more photographs - more images 40 year old male rhinoplasty for deformity of tip and dorsum - more pictures 23 year old male rhinoplasty and septoplasty 38 year old female septorhinoplasty to relieve nasal obstruction and open internal valve - more photos 52 year old female wide nose reduction rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty - Keeping the Black nose ethnic Beauty and the Black nose Surgical details - Black Ethnic Rhinoplasty Anatomy details - Black Ethnic Rhinoplasty Surgical details - Rasping the nasal dorsum (warning graphic movie) Surgical details - Moving the nasal bones (warning graphic movie) 42 year old male with wide nose and broad tip Ethnic Rhinoplasty - the Asian nose Rhinoplasty narrowing the width the bone issues Rhinoplasty reducing the nostril width Rhinoplasty refining the nasal tip

Rhinoplasty Experiences Discussions, Forum, and Chat Rhinoplasty and Nose Job Experiences Rhinoplasty and Nasal Surgery Forum Rhinoplasty and Plastic Surgery of the Nose Chat Rhinoplasty and Nasal Cosmetic Surgery Discussion Rhinoplasty and Tip-plasty Discussion Group Rhinoplasty Nasal Plastic Surgery Forum Cosmetic Surgery of the Nose Chat Plastic Surgery of the Nose Discussion Forum

Nasal Obstruction Septoplasty and Other Nose Discussion Groups, Forum, and Chat Nasal Obstruction and Septoplasty Experiences Nasal Obstruction and Septorhinoplasty Discussion Nasal Obstruction and Nasal Septum Chat Group Rhinoplasty Sensation, Smell, and Voice Septal Perforation Nasal Fracture Discussion Forum Nasal Injury Chat Group Broken Nose Forum Nasal Reconstruction Rhinophyma Forum

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Nasal Obstruction Septoplasty and Other Nose Discussion Groups, Forum, and Chat

• Nasal Obstruction and Septoplasty Experiences
• Nasal Obstruction and Septorhinoplasty Discussion
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• Rhinoplasty Sensation, Smell, and Voice
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Rhinoplasty Bulletin Boards

• Rhinoplasty and Nose Job Experiences
• Rhinoplasty and Nasal Surgery Forum
• Rhinoplasty and Plastic Surgery of the Nose Chat
• Rhinoplasty and Nasal Cosmetic Surgery Discussion
• Rhinoplasty and Tip-plasty Discussion Group
• Rhinoplasty Nasal Plastic Surgery Forum
• Cosmetic Surgery of the Nose Chat
• Plastic Surgery of the Nose Discussion Forum

Learn about nasal reconstruction.

Rhinophyma Acne Rosacea sculpting nasal deformity.

 
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Other Nasal Topics

• Medical Treatment of Nasal Obstruction
• Nasal Reconstruction
• Rhinophyma (Acne Rosacea)

PlasticArt

Tour of Nasal Deformity in Art

Nasal deformity, is it bothering you?

Nasal hump and drooping tip deformity

• Rubens nasal hump and drooping nasal tip (1612)
• Bouchardon's Pope Clement XII Statue (after 1730)
• Houdon's Adrian - Cyprien Statue (19th Century)
• Italian plate (1520-25)
• Thomas Gainsborough painting Mrs. M. Fitzherbert (1780)

Deformity after nasal fracture

• Rodin man with a broken nose
• Rodin Man with a Broken Nose with computer "surgery"
• Young Duke with Deformed Nose (1785)

Nasal tip loss

• Egyptian Statue New Kingdom (1539-1295 BC)
• Sphinx Nasal Loss
  • Ramses nose from mummy reconstruction
  • Kafre nose from statue reconstruction
• Roman Statue Caligula (38-40 AD)
• Ancient Statue

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This page last updated on: August 3, 2008

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