One of the most common reasons for nose surgery is fixing a crooked nose. Bent noses come in all sorts of forms, and can be caused by a wide variety of factors. But their one uniting feature is that they make their owners unhappy. This may be purely for cosmetic reasons. But what many people don’t realise is that a crooked nose can also cause breathing difficulties. So, what do you need to know about fixing a crooked nose?
What You Need to Know About Fixing a Bent Nose
What causes a nose to be crooked?
There are several reasons why a person might have a crooked nose. It can be caused by birth defects, extreme infections, injuries, previous surgery, or it can just develop by itself over time. In some cases, it is purely an aesthetic concern – and the importance of that shouldn’t be underestimated. As our appearance plays a large part in our self-confidence and can be linked to mental wellbeing. But there are physical considerations too. When the exterior of the nose is crooked, the interior structures may also be misaligned. Meaning that the septum – the wall inside the nose that separates the left nostril from the right – is preventing adequate airflow on the one side of the nose. Which means that breathing is impaired. This is known as a deviated septum.
How do you know if you have a deviated septum?
There are several common symptoms associated with a deviated septum. The most common is nasal congestion. And the sensation that one side of the nose is blocked. This will usually impact breathing. But you may also experience frequent nosebleeds and sinus infections.
How can you treat a crooked nose?
The treatment of a crooked nose varies according to the severity of the deviated septum and whether any cosmetic alterations are required by the patient.
Non-surgical
In some cases, the non-surgical approach is the best option. This involves the use of soft tissue fillers. These injectables can mask the crookedness by filling in the soft tissue around the bone and cartilage to create a more symmetrical appearance.
Septoplasty
If you have problems with the interior of your nose, septoplasty is a minor surgical procedure that will straighten your septum and relieve nasal congestion. Results are not instant, but the benefits should be felt within a few weeks.
Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty refers to surgery relating to the structure of your nose. And it can be used for both functional and cosmetic procedures. Addressing crookedness, while helping patients to breathe more easily, rhinoplasty has been found to be one of the most successful ways of fixing a bent nose.
A crooked nose can impact different people in different ways. But while the treatment is often relatively simple, the results can be life changing. So, if you have concerns about the way your nose looks or feels, don’t think that it’s just something you have to live with. See your doctor or surgeon to find out what options are available to you.
One of the most difficult aspects of surgery is precision. You’re working at such a high degree of accuracy that there is no margin for error. The smallest deviation can have a dramatic impact on your patient’s life. And that is the benefit of using new 3D microscopes.
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to use the latest 3D microscope, and the results were impressive. With extra features that help surgeons focus on the specific area of surgery – adjustable magnification, clear illumination, and perfect visualisation – surgeons are empowered to increase precision. This not only improves patient safety, but in cosmetic surgery helps to ensure that the final results are as close to patient expectations as possible.
Integrated with various imaging modalities, including fluorescence imaging, augmented reality, and optical coherence tomography (OCT), 3D microscopes have the potential to change surgical practices for the better. And I don’t think it will be long before every surgeon has access to one.
