The word “rhinoplasty” can refer to a variety of procedures. Some patients want to straighten their nose, some want to improve their breathing, some want to adjust the direction of the nasal tip, and some want to change the nose’s overall size. With so many types of cosmetic and functional requests, the best plastic surgeons must develop various techniques to fulfill the patient’s personal goals.

All nose reshaping procedures fit into two categories: open rhinoplasty and closed rhinoplasty. Below, the team at Facial Aesthetic Concepts in Orange County explains the differences between these approaches.

Open Rhinoplasty

Open rhinoplasty, also known as external rhinoplasty, begins with an incision on the tissue between the nostrils called the columella. This approach gives the surgeon better access to the inside of the nose to achieve superior results. While scarring is inevitable, the scar on the columella generally fades significantly with time. Due to its location under the nose, it is difficult to spot anyway.

Closed Rhinoplasty

With closed rhinoplasty, also known as endonasal rhinoplasty, all incisions are placed inside the nostrils. This tends to be a less invasive approach with a shorter recovery and no visible scarring. However, it may not provide sufficient access to the parts of the nose that the patient would like to modify.

Choosing Between Open and Closed Rhinoplasty

At first glance, most patients find closed rhinoplasty more appealing because it does not leave a visible scar. However, in some cases the open technique is the better option; the plastic surgeon will recommend the best technique to achieve the patient’s cosmetic goals.

Rhinoplasty is considered one of the most (if not the most) challenging types of plastic surgery because all adjustments must be extremely precise. The open rhinoplasty technique is performed more often than the closed approach because of the added access it provides to many regions of the nose.

Ultimately, the scarring is minimal no matter which approach is utilized, so that should not play a big factor. And while closed rhinoplasty boasts less downtime than open rhinoplasty, both forms of rhinoplasty tend to have an easier recovery with less discomfort than other forms of plastic surgery.

Prioritize Having a Great Surgeon Above All Else

If you would like to make improvements to the shape and appearance of your nose, the most important thing you can do is find a talented facial plastic surgeon who can perform both techniques and has glowing patient reviews attesting to how well he or she performs rhinoplasty.

At Facial Aesthetic Concepts, we are fortunate to have two premier facial plastic surgeons who specialize in nose reshaping. Dr. Bryan Brandon and Dr. Richard Gangnes are both double board-certified surgeons with extensive experience achieving beautiful, natural-looking results for their patients. To see for yourself why they are the best in their field, please schedule a free consultation today.