Question:
When you do a rhinoplasty on a long nose, are you literally removing nasal tissue? Does this affect breathing in the nose?
Answer:
Although it is sometimes hard for patients to visualize, rhinoplasty does not involve removal of visible nasal tissue. The only exception to this occurs in the nostril base area if this needs to be significantly narrowed. The shape changes come from altering the underlying bone and cartilage structure, sometimes removing, sometimes adding and almost always reshaping. Preventing airway problems is always a part of the operative plan.