Considering a rhinoplasty? If you are, you probably have a good reason, whether it is cosmetic or functional. If you are still on the fence about it, read below for Dr. Michelle Yagoda’s expert comments on why her patients choose to have rhinoplasties. There are a lot of them: After twenty years of experience, this list isn’t even totally comprehensive!

1. Fix a broken nose: After a nasal trauma occurs, the repercussions are not just cosmetic. Oftentimes, functional problems cause nasal airway obstruction and difficulty breathing. Although broken noses and fractures are common, they are not always easy to fix. Nasal bones need to be reset or repositioned, and the septum might need to be straightened. Additionally, the trauma from the broken nose needs to be corrected as well: Blood can become trapped in the soft tissues of the nose, compressing cartilages on the septum or the tip of the nose. Severe compression can cause the cartilage to lose its shape, strength, and even die off!
2. Raise nose bridge: If you have a low nose bridge, you might just have to blame your genetics! Certain ethnicities and ethnic groups are more prone to low and flat noses, but, luckily, Dr. Yagoda is very proficient in addressing this cosmetic problem. When a patient wants to cosmetically address a low-bridged nose, Dr. Yagoda makes sure their “new nose” will be more balanced with their facial features. Sometimes this can be done with non-surgical rhinoplasty as well! Ever have the problem of your glasses constantly sliding off your face when you look down? This can be fixed!
3. Lower nose bridge: On the opposite end of the spectrum, those with high-bridged noses want to make sure their nose isn’t the only facial feature they see! Again, due to certain heritages and/or genetics, noses with high bridges cause more than just cosmetic problems. Ever see two high-bridged nosed lovers try to share an intimate moment? It can get awkward!
4. Narrow the nostrils: Although genetics and ethnicity can cause the nostrils to be wide and flat, nasal trauma can also cause them to flatten and widen. At first glance this may just seem like a cosmetic issue, but, in reality, the nostril size is very important for proper breathing. The triangle shape of the nostril contributes to the nose’s “nasal valve,” which is the “gatekeeper” of the nose. This important gatekeeper either lets enough air in, or, if the valve is compromised or collapsed, limits airflow.
5. Change your profile: This is pretty self-explanatory! If you are not happy with how you look in the mirror, a rhinoplasty can help. Whether you’d like to change the nose you already have or correct an aging nose (perhaps it is drooping?) always ensure you and your surgeon are on the same page about what you’d like. There is nothing better than looking in the mirror and loving what you see!
6. Make a nose smaller: Just because a nose is large does not mean it works well! Large noses and nostrils do not necessarily equal large valves, and bigger noses can have the same breathing problems as smaller noses. So, not only will you make your nose more in-line with your other facial features, you will probably breathe better!
7. Make a nose larger: Those with short or small noses are the result of genetics or, sometimes, medical problems that are not often seen today in the United States. Because nose-lengthening cosmetic surgery entails augmenting tissue and not merely excising it, it’s one of the most challenging procedures in rhinoplasty. As you might imagine, it’s far easier for a facial plastic surgeon to remove an excess of cartilage and bone than it is to add to it. If you’re contemplating this cosmetic procedure, you’ll need the skills of a true rhinoplasty specialist such as Dr. Yagoda!
8. Fix a breathing problem: Functional rhinoplasties can be done by themselves or in combination with a cosmetic procedure. Almost everyone knows that a deviated septum needs to be corrected, and abnormal turbinate repair is pretty common knowledge, too. However, not many know that the actual position of the nose bones can cause restricted breathing! To fix this, the surgeon needs to move the bones slightly out to allow adequate air passage.
9. Fix a cleft nose: Cleft noses are genetic defects that occur in-utero. Treatment requires a team approach with multiple staged procedures and a skilled plastic surgeon to correct structural defects and asymmetrical features. Although the process is very long and involved, the positive results are always worth it.
10. Fix a skin cancer: Skin cancers on the nose get tricky. They are much more complicated than other body cancers because they can be deceiving: What looks like a superficial skin cancer might actually be very deep! These deep skin cancers end up into the planes of fusion of two facial bones, i.e. the nose with cheek, nose with upper lip, or the nose with the eye. As a result, skin growths that appear to be small can cause significant destruction of the cartilage and mucus membrane below it. Although the removal of skin cancer is typically done during a MOHS surgery, oftentimes the repair requires a skilled rhinoplasty surgeon.