What many patients here in San Diego don’t know is the fact that lots of patients seek out Rhinoplasty surgeons to perform reconstruction of their Nose for non-cosmetic reasons.

Why is this? That is because the top rhinoplasty surgeons in San Diego also have extensive background education and training in functional nose surgery. This is particular true if they did their surgical training in head and neck surgery and went on to achieve board certification by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. With this type of expert surgical training, these specific plastic surgeons are best prepared to tackle all the nuances of a nose – from functional to cosmetic.

So what are some of the common non-cosmetic indications to have a rhinoplasty surgery?

• Deviated septum  In some cases where there is a deviated septum, a rhinoplasty approach may be required to fully correct the degree of obstruction from the displaced nasal septum. Often times, this will involve the area of the septum in between the nostril openings – called the caudal septum region by plastic surgeons. This is the exact issue the patient shown in the adjacent photo had prior to Dr. Hilinski fixing it during rhinoplasty surgery.
• Nasal valve stenosis In some cases, patients will have a problem with what is called the nasal valve area. This refers to two specific spots inside of the nose that are critical when it comes to proper nasal breathing and function. The internal and external valves of the nose are primarily made of cartilage, which has to be corrected in some cases using a rhinoplasty approach.
• Nasal fracture or nasal injury There are quite a few patients that come to our office in San Diego following some type of injury to the nose that has resulted in displacement or movement. This is commonly seen from sports injuries that involve the nose. But nasal fractures also frequently come as the result of accidents as well. Regardless of the mechanism of injury, a rhinoplasty procedure is often indicated to help rebuild and repair the nose after the injury.