Copyright © 2022 Somenek + Pittman MD. All rights reserved.
If you have decided to get nasal surgery, the next big decision is whether to get an open rhinoplasty or a closed one. There are pros and cons to each, but an open procedure from Board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon Dr. Michael Somenek allows for more accurate results. You can consult with him further to determine if an open rhinoplasty in Washington DC is right for you.
An open rhinoplasty is a particular approach to nasal surgery that involves a small incision on an area of the nose called the columella – the outer area in between the two nostrils. This allows Dr. Somenek to view the underlying structures of the nose much more carefully and closely. Many surgeons use this approach for complicated nasal tip reconstructions, as well as to meticulously address the fine asymmetries within the nose.
An open rhinoplasty in our Washington DC office involves Dr. Somenek making several internal incisions, as well as the small incision that is made in the middle portion of the columella. The purpose of this is to access many areas of the nose that require attention during a rhinoplasty, including the nasal tip cartilages, the middle portion of the nose, and the nasal bones.
Dr. Somenek almost always uses the open method for revision rhinoplasty patients because he finds that many of them had inadequate work done on certain areas of their nose in the past. This is most commonly the case with the nasal tip or persistent deviations to the nose. It is much better for the patient to undergo an open rhinoplasty in this instance in order for Dr. Somenek to directly address and visualize the problem at hand.
The advantage of getting an open rhinoplasty in DC is that every single aspect of the nose that needs to be addressed can be easily seen, and many surgeons will agree that they can deliver a much more consistent result with this type of procedure than with a closed rhinoplasty.
Some noted disadvantages are the potential for prolonged swelling of the nasal skin envelope once the surgery is completed. However, when performed by a skilled facial plastic surgeon like Dr. Somenek, they can help guide this process postoperatively in order to expedite and minimize the overall swelling that is present on the patient’s nose. The other potential disadvantage is the visibility of the scar along the columella. However, by meticulously closing this incision every time, it is unlikely that a patient will even be able to see their scar because it tends to heal exceedingly well.
The patient will have a cast on their nose for one week after their procedure. At their one-week visit, they will get their cast and some of the sutures removed from the base of their nose that was used to access the open rhinoplasty. At that point, they can expect to have some swelling over the entire nose since it is still in the healing process. The swelling will gradually come down over the course of two weeks to a few months, depending on the skin thickness. The patient will see improved definition in their nose as the weeks go on.
There are multiple approaches to nasal surgery, with the open rhinoplasty being perhaps the most prominent. Dr. Michael Somenek is a trusted authority in this field and can explain the process to you so that you know what to expect. Call us today and schedule a consultation for an open rhinoplasty in Washington DC.
Check out some of our work in these before and after galleries for rhinoplasty.
Copyright © 2022 Somenek + Pittman MD. All rights reserved.
