A septorhinoplasty (sometimes called a nose job) is an operation to improve the appearance of your nose and how you breathe through your nose. This procedure involves: operating on the bones and cartilage (connective tissue) that give your nose its shape and structure (rhinoplasty), making your septum straight (septoplasty).
The septum is the cartilage and bone inside your nose that separates your nostrils. You may want to consider a septorhinoplasty if:
- your nose has been injured
- a tumour has been removed
- you have issues with breathing because your septum has moved to one side (this is called a deviated septum).
The operation usually takes between one and two hours. You have a general anaesthetic, which means that you are asleep and do not feel any pain. During the operation, your surgeon makes a cut to the inside or outside of your nose. They then adjust and repair parts of the cartilage and bone. The aim is to help you breathe through both nostrils and feel more comfortable with the size and shape of your nose. Sometimes, enlarged bone structures called turbinates block airflow in your nose and the surgeon can make them smaller.
If you have an area of missing or damaged skin on your nose, you may need a skin graft. For example, you may have had previous surgery to remove skin cancer from your nose. Your surgeon can remove healthy skin from another part of your body and cover the lost or damaged skin.
Here at Highgate Private Hospital, we have an expert team of ear, nose and throat surgeons. We offer an all-inclusive self-pay package for a septorhinoplasty procedure. Prices start from £2,097 (terms and conditions apply). For more information, please call our self-pay advisers on 020 3918 9463.
