Rhinoplasty for Dorsal Hump
What are Dorsal Humps?
Dorsal humps refer to overgrowth of the septal cartilage and nasal bones that cause a hump. Rather than having a straight or sloped nose, an individual’s nose becomes convex. Dorsal humps do not cause any health issues, however some people choose to fix the bump on their nose and have surgery purely for cosmetic purposes. Causes of dorsal humps include:
- Genetics. Some people inherit the condition. A genetically inherited dorsal hump often doesn’t appear during childhood, but tends to become more visible during puberty when the face is growing rapidly.
- Trauma. Injury on the nose may result in the development of a dorsal hump.
Rhinoplasty of Dorsal Hump Techniques
Open Rhinoplasty
Open Rhinoplasty typically leaves a nearly invisible scar on the columella (the skin between the nostrils) and is commonly used as an approach for Rhinoplasty. The same surgery can be performed through both open and closed approaches. Due to his expertise in using the closed approach, the Open Rhinoplasty approach is used only for specific technical reasons in Dr. Westreich’s practice.
Closed Rhinoplasty
During a closed rhinoplasty procedure, the surgeon performs the surgery through the nostrils without visible incisions. Through the nostrils, the surgeon can modify the cartilage and bones, add grafts and sutures, and have a full view of the nasal anatomy. Dr. Westreich prefers using a Closed rhinoplasty approach for several reasons:
- Patients often heal quicker compared to open rhinoplasty.
- The tip-profile relationship is easier to establish and predict using a closed approach.
- The blood supply to the nasal skin is preserved using the closed approach, which can result in less scarring and thinning of the skin over time.
Non-surgical Rhinoplasty
Results obtained from a non-surgical rhinoplasty last between six months and two years. The procedure requires only topical anesthesia and 15-30 minutes to complete. Patients with prior nasal surgery should be aware of an increased risk of vascular blockage using non-surgical Rhinoplasty. Certain areas of the nose also carry a higher risk of complications with filler injection.
