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What is the Difference Between a Closed and an Open Rhinoplasty?

You’ve probably heard of rhinoplasty surgery before. But, what you may not have known about the procedure that’s commonly referred to as a ‘nose job’ is that there are several ways of performing it. In fact, the ‘correct’ method is hotly debated among surgeons across the globe.

Both closed and open rhinoplasty surgeries have advantages that may be beneficial to certain patients. Men and women can bring a better balance to their overall facial appearance with either route.

At Specialty Aesthetic Surgery, our board-certified surgeons believe that what’s right for one patient, may not be right for the next. Because there is no cookie-cutter approach for everyone, our rhinoplasty surgeon Dr. Mashkevich evaluates each candidate on a case by case basis.

During your in-person consultation, the decision-making process with respect to the type of rhinoplasty needed is guided by the structure of your nose and your end-goals. Let’s take a look at the differences between the two surgical techniques.

Closed Rhinoplasty

With a closed rhinoplasty, all incisions are made on the inside of the nostrils. This approach is slightly less-invasive as it avoids a small outer scar across the columella, which is a structure situated between both nostrils. Depending on the extent of internal manipulation, closed rhinoplasty may lead to less swelling in the first several weeks after surgery.

Some patients are excellent candidates for closed rhinoplasty. For example, small bumps along the bridge of the nose are best handled via this approach.

However, in patients requiring significant levels of manipulation, closed rhinoplasty may not provide sufficient exposure of the underlying structures. In fact, a number of surgeons believe that it is technically harder to manipulate the nasal shape with a closed technique.

Open Rhinoplasty

During an open rhinoplasty surgery, a small incision across the columella (structure between the nostrils) accompanies internal incisions. This extra incision allows for improved access and exposure of internal nasal structures to change the size, shape, and angle of the nose. Many surgeons and patients find that the easily-concealable scar left behind is well worth the benefits of improved exposure and, arguably, of the final outcome.

Ultimately, a surgeon’s skill and experience guide a decision on whether to perform a closed or an open rhinoplasty. In either scenario, Rhinoplasty surgery can lead to dramatic yet natural results in the right candidates. You may be a good candidate for this procedure if you’re unhappy with the nose you were born with or if you’d like to correct the structure of your nose from a past injury.

Our surgeons at Specialty Aesthetic Surgery have performed numerous cosmetic surgeries with successful outcomes and high patient satisfaction rates. Our ultimate goal is to help you look better and feel more confident about your appearance.

To learn more about undergoing Rhinoplasty surgery, please schedule your consultation by either filling out the form on this page or by calling Specialty Aesthetic Surgery in New York at (212) 737-8700. We look forward to helping you!

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