Rhinoplasty is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures among American teenagers1 with over 29,000 surgeries performed on patients ages 13 to 19 in 2019 and accounted for almost 15% of all rhinoplasty procedures in the same year.2 While primary rhinoplasty is a surgical technique used to restore nasal function and remodel the shape of the nose, teenage rhinoplasty is a surgical technique developed exclusively for teens.
The teenage years can be both exhilarating and challenging—and one of the most common challenges is dissatisfaction with a particular facial feature like the size and/or shape of the nose. Dr. Cangello understands the psychological impact that being unhappy with the nose can have on a teen. And during these transformative years, if a teen is unhappy with their nose, chances are they are unhappy with their appearance in general which can lead to emotional disturbance and social anxiety. Luckily teenage rhinoplasty can improve the appearance of the nose, improve self-esteem, and enhance natural beauty.
Like primary rhinoplasty, teenage rhinoplasty can reshape the nasal tip, straighten the nasal bridge, or remove an unsightly hump and is often performed to enhance the appearance of the nose and improve facial beauty, balance, and symmetry. Teenage rhinoplasty can also fix structural deficiencies of the nose, including opening breathing passages or correcting a deviated septum.
Because the nose is still developing while an individual is in their teens, teenage rhinoplasty is a complex procedure that may require modified surgical techniques,3 however, this procedure is performed routinely and is safe once skeletal maturity has been reached.4 Dr. Cangello can determine skeletal maturity by reviewing growth plates on an x-ray, but an easier and faster way to ascertain whether a teenager has stopped growing is to establish when they last changed their shoe size. If a teen’s shoe size has not increased in at least one year they are considered to be skeletally mature and are eligible to have teenage rhinoplasty. As with most surgeries, each patient is unique and has different cosmetic and anatomical needs so there is no one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to teenage rhinoplasty.
Dr. Cangello is proud to offer comprehensive teenage rhinoplasty patient consultations to address concerns and questions about the procedure before providing personalized treatment recommendations.
Contact plastic surgeon Dr. David Cangello today at (646) 665-4222 to schedule a consultation for teenage rhinoplasty in NYC.
Benefits of Teenage Rhinoplasty
There are many reasons that teenagers seek rhinoplasty, and the procedure offers many benefits including:
- Improves facial balance
- Can reshape the nasal tip (eliminate a hooked nose)
- Reduces the size of the nose
- Can straighten the bridge of the nose
- Can narrow the nostrils
- Enhances facial beauty
- Improves self-esteem
- Reduces social anxiety associated with dissatisfaction with physical appearance
What Is Teenage Rhinoplasty?
Because the bones of the skull and face (craniofacial) are still growing in teens, teenage rhinoplasty requires a careful surgical approach. There are several factors that can contribute to a teen’s desire to have a rhinoplasty. Teenage rhinoplasty can be indicated when a teenager is unhappy with the look of their nose because it is too large, too bulbous, crooked, or hooked.
Additionally, medical conditions such as a deviated nasal septum, nasal obstruction, adenoid and turbinate hypertrophy, chronic rhinitis, and choanal atresia can inhibit the normal growth of the paranasal sinuses, the nose, and the midface, so performing septoplasty on a teen can be helpful and improve function when indicated.5
Anatomically, teenagers have a greater nasal cartilage-to-bone ratio in comparison to adults, a less projected nasal tip and dorsum, and a greater nasolabial angle.6,7, Both closed and open septorhinoplasty techniques can be safely used on teens.
External (Open) Septorhinoplasty
External septorhinoplasty or “open” rhinoplasty is generally indicated to correct a cleft lip nose, septal abscess, dermoid cyst, or severe septal deformity has more advantages than closed septoplasty—including improved access to the septum to manipulate the interior components of the nasal structures—the downside of this approach is that noses operated on using this method have a columellar scar and may experience some shortening in length after completing craniofacial growth.8,9,10
Internal (Closed) Septorhinoplasty
Internal septorhinoplasty, also known as “scarless” or “closed” rhinoplasty, is a surgical technique in which all incisions are made on the interior of the nostrils, thereby avoiding visible scars. Current studies that have demonstrated that craniofacial growth in teens is not affected by closed septorhinoplasty and stipulate that this surgery is ideal for teenagers when performed for cosmetic as well as anatomical reasons.11
Candidates For Teenage Rhinoplasty Surgery
Candidates for teenage rhinoplasty are teens who have concerns about breathing function or are looking to improve the shape and/or size of their nose. Dr. Cangello will take the time to counsel teenage patients and their families on details regarding both the procedure and recovery period.
Teenage Rhinoplasty Risks & Recovery
Teenage rhinoplasty is a common procedure and is considered safe when performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon. The recovery for teenage rhinoplasty generally requires one or two days off school and work after the procedure and the avoidance of any strenuous physical activities such as sports for up to four weeks.
Although rare, other risks of teenage rhinoplasty include infection, bleeding, nasal dryness, and scarring—all of which should be taken into consideration when considering this procedure.
Teenage Rhinoplasty in NYC with Dr. Cangello
Contact NYC’s foremost nasal surgery expert today to learn more about teenage rhinoplasty or to schedule a consultation.
1 World Journal of Plastic Surgery. Teenage Rhinoplasty. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5890372/. Accessed December 30, 2020.
2 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2019 Plastic Surgery Statistics. Available at: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/plastic-surgery-statistics. Accessed December 30, 2020.
3 World Journal of Plastic Surgery. Teenage Rhinoplasty. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5890372/. Accessed December 30, 2020.
4 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Briefing Paper: Plastic Surgery for Teenagers. Available at: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/briefing-papers/briefing-paper-plastic-surgery-for-teenagers#:~:text=According%20to%20ASPS%20statistics%2C%2030%2C246,performed%20on%20this%20age%20group. Accessed December 30, 2020.
5 Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Plastic surgery and the teenage patient. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10989327/. Accessed December 31, 2020.
6 International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. Pediatric rhinoplasty: A discussion of perioperative considerations and systematic review. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28012510/. Accessed December 31, 2020.
7 Rhinology International Journal. Septum surgery in children; indications, surgical technique and long-term results. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/493824/. Accessed December 31, 20202.
8 The Laryngoscope. External septorhinoplasty in children. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3965826/. Accessed December 31, 2020.
9 Journal of Otolaryngology. Septorhinoplasty in children: benefits of the external approach. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2214002/. Accessed December 31, 2020.
10 Facial Plastic Surgery. Pediatric rhinoplasty in an academic setting. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18085499/. Accessed December 31, 2020.
11 World Journal of Plastic Surgery. Teenage Rhinoplasty. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5890372/. Accessed December 30, 2020.
