Rhinoplasty is one of the most exacting plastic surgery procedures. No wonder when the results end up right in the middle of your face and millimeters make big differences. There are two techniques a surgeon can use to perform your rhinoplasty; open vs closed technique. Given the demanding nature of rhinoplasty with a premium on precision, Gilbert Lee, M.D., FACS of Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa strongly prefers the open rhinoplasty technique.
Closed Technique:
This approach was used in the 1950’s and involves incisions inside the nose. In order to allow for better visualization by the surgeon, the incisions needed to be fairly long and were destructive to the cartilaginous structures. Furthermore, the closed approach does not re-attach structures. This type of rhinoplasty technique is more likely to result in a collapsed nostril.
Open Technique:
This technique involves a small stair-step incision across the columella, then continuing with incisions inside of the nose. The external skin is lifted off the underlying cartilage and bone. With a better view of the internal structures, cartilage and bone can be more precisely manipulated. Complex cases that require struts and grafts are more easily performed with the open approach. A small downside is there may be more nasal tip swelling with the open technique, but even with that in mind, most patients look presentable after 2 weeks.
“Artistry with Precision” defines the surgical skill provided by Dr. Lee Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa. Dr. Lee has performed hundreds of rhinoplasty procedures and his results can be viewed in our on-line Gallery. For more information, contact Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa, send us a consultation request.
