We may want the perfectly shaped nose with a straight bridge and triangular tip between almond-shaped nostrils. But not everyone is blessed with the perfect nose, and those who aren’t can always have plastic surgery to help achieve their aesthetic goals.

What Is Rhinoplasty?

Nasal surgery, technically known as rhinoplasty, is the plastic surgery procedure used to correct aesthetic or functional nasal abnormalities. It can correct the shape, size, or angles of your nose, including the shape of your nostrils, the length of the nasal bridge, and dimensions of the nasal tip. It can also get rid of a dorsal hump.

What Is a Dorsal Hump?

A dorsal hump is a bump on the bridge of the nose. Without it, the nasal bridge can look straight and refined.

The nasal bridge is made up of one-third bone (upper third) and two-thirds cartilage (middle and lower thirds). A dorsal hump is sometimes located on the bone portion of the nasal bridge and sometimes on the cartilage portion.

Most dorsal humps aren’t easy to remove, as they are located on both the bony region of the nasal bridge and the cartilaginous region.

During a consultation, your plastic surgeon will assess and evaluate the size, shape, and angle of your dorsal hump. He will then take pictures of your nose from all angles and do a digital morphing in his office to reduce the dorsal hump and show you how your nose would look with the hump reduced.

The surgeon has to be careful about how much of the dorsal hump to remove, because the nose may end up looking “scooped out” or have a hilly and uneven appearance. An experienced surgeon will be able to judge this precisely.

How Is a Dorsal Hump Removed?

If the dorsal hump on the nasal bridge is quite small, it can be reduced or removed with the help of a closed rhinoplasty procedure, which is much simpler than an open rhinoplasty. It is minimally invasive and involves the surgeon making a few small incisions inside the nostrils and reducing the height and width of the dorsal hump from the inside.

During this method, the skin or cartilage of the nose does not have to be removed or redraped. This technique is only an option if the hump is located lower on the nasal bridge.

Otherwise, an open rhinoplasty is performed. This is a little more complex than a closed rhinoplasty. During this method, the incision is created on the external skin of the columella, located between the nostrils. The skin of the nose is lifted in order to give the surgeon access to the area. The bone and/or cartilage of the dorsal hump is carefully removed, and the skin is then redraped.

Find Out More During Your Consultation at Our Office

A consultation with our skilled surgeon, Dr. Jen Chow, will be the best way to start your rhinoplasty process. Dr. Chow is double-board-certified in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery as well as head and neck surgery. During your consultation, Dr. Chow will examine your dorsal hump and will be able to create a surgical plan. Contact our office for a consultation.