Many patients ask how is rhinoplasty performed? This depends on the surgeon’s experience and training and is variable from one surgeon to the next.

Open rhinoplasty or an external approach requires a small skin incision between the nostrils while the rest of the incisions are inside the nostrils. Closed rhinoplasty or endonasal rhinoplasty incisions are all inside the nostrils. With the open rhinoplasty approach, the nasal skin is elevated off of the cartilage and bone and this framework is then reshaped, sutures, or grafts are added. With the closed or endonasal approach, visualization is more limited and it is more to difficult to precisely place grafts and sutures.

Is skin removed during rhinoplasty? Typically, unlike facelift or eyelid surgery, no skin is removed during rhinoplasty. The bony cartilaginous framework is reshaped and the skin needs to contract over it. This is why swelling lasts a little longer with rhinoplasty.

There are over 200-250 different types of maneuvers, grafts, suture techniques and cartilage repositioning procedures in rhinoplasty which is why it is such a difficult procedure.

Dr. Funk is a top rhinoplasty surgeon in Houston, TX.