Question:
I’ve always wanted to get a nose job because I hate my “hook” nose. How would surgery fix this?

Answer:
The usual appearance of a nose that a patient would describe as a “hook” would be one that has a dorsal hump and usually an underprojected/underrotated tip.  Rhinoplasty surgery would be targeted at correcting these abnormalities.  Usually and open rhinoplasty approach would be utilized.  The hump is usually addressed first by shaving the cartilage and bone down.  Once this is done the top of the nasal bones are separated and need to be narrowed.  Medial and lateral cuts are then made in the bone to accomplish this.  Sometimes when a hump has been removed, the middle cartilagenous part of the nose becomes too narrow.  If this is the case then small strips of cartilage called spreader grafts are placed.  Once the upper 2/3 of the nose have been addressed the tip is rotated and projected by placing a cartilage strut on the end of the septum and then placing the tip in the appropriate position and securing it there with sutures.  The operation usually takes 3 hours to accomplish and the social recovery is usually 7 days.  Return to full activity is 3 weeks with an additional 3 weeks before any activity that might contact the nose can be introduced.

Posted by Dr. Buckingham