Rhinoplasty is the name of the procedure for which people seek to change the shape and appearance of their nose.  There are many reasons for which people seek rhinoplasty surgery.  One of the more common reasons that people seek to undergo rhinoplasty is to reduce the size of the nose and remove a nasal hump.

The nasal hump is made up of two important building blocks of the nose:

1) The nasal bone

2) The nasal cartilage.

We are all unique individuals with a varied genetic code.  Our noses are no different.  Our nasal humps are made of different proportions of both bone and cartilage.  Some humps are purely boney, some purely cartilaginous, and most are a combination of the two.

When performing rhinoplasty surgery, the surgeon will remove the hump by reducing the height of the bone and/or the cartilage to the desired location. Different tools are used to do this and may include a bone rasp, an osteotome, and/or a surgical blade.  The bone is reduced using the rasp (like a file) and/or the osteotome (a sharp tool used to cut bone).  The cartilage is best reduced using a surgical blade (knife). Once the hump is removed, the skin will then re-drape over the contour of the new nose.  This technique in rhinoplasty is demonstrated in the following diagram,

Rhinoplasty is a very rewarding yet complex operation that requires a high level of skill to perform.  It is recommended that you seek a surgeon that commonly performs this procedures in order to achieve the best possible results. You can learn more by visiting the rhinoplasty learning center.

Dr. Jacob D Steiger MD is Facial Plastic Surgeon that specializes in South Florida Rhinoplasty. Patients travel from all over the world to visit Dr. Steiger for his expertise in facial plastic surgery.