At Stein Plastic Surgery, Dr. Stein, our double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, offers functional rhinoplasty to address your breathing difficulties. This procedure can treat conditions like a deviated septum, nasal valve collapse, enlarged turbinates, or airway obstruction. Dr. Stein ensures you receive expert care tailored to your needs.
Improve Nasal Function and Breathing
Functional rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that improves nasal function, particularly breathing, by addressing structural issues within the nose. Unlike cosmetic rhinoplasty, which focuses on appearance, functional rhinoplasty corrects problems like a deviated septum, nasal valve collapse, enlarged turbinates, or airway obstructions. These issues can cause difficulty breathing, snoring, and sinus problems. The procedure often involves reshaping the internal nasal structures to restore proper airflow, providing significant relief from symptoms, and improving the patient’s quality of life without altering the nose’s external appearance.
What a Functional Rhinoplasty Can Do for You
Functional rhinoplasty improves your breathing and overall nasal function by addressing structural problems in the nose. If you suffer from chronic breathing difficulties or other nasal issues, this procedure may provide significant relief. Below are the specific conditions functional rhinoplasty can treat:
- Correcting a deviated septum
- Fixing nasal valve collapse
- Reducing enlarged turbinates
- Alleviating chronic sinus obstructions
- Treating nasal trauma or injury
- Relieving chronic nasal congestion
- Improving airflow after previous nasal surgery
- Correcting congenital nasal defects
- Reducing snoring caused by nasal blockages
Am I a Good Candidate for a Functional Rhinoplasty?
You may be a good candidate for functional rhinoplasty if you experience persistent breathing issues caused by structural problems within your nose, such as a deviated septum, nasal valve collapse, or chronic sinus blockages. Candidates often suffer from nasal obstructions, difficulty breathing, snoring, or frequent sinus infections. The procedure is recommended for individuals in good general health who haven’t found relief through non-surgical treatments.
During your consultation, Dr. Stein will evaluate your nasal structure and discuss your symptoms to determine if functional rhinoplasty is right for you. He’ll review your medical history, perform a physical exam, and may request imaging to assess the internal nasal anatomy. This careful assessment ensures that you receive the most appropriate and effective treatment.
What Happens During Functional Rhinoplasty?
Functional rhinoplasty typically takes 2 to 3 hours, depending on the complexity of the nasal issues. You’ll be placed under IV deep sedation to ensure you remain comfortably asleep and pain-free throughout the surgery. Dr. Stein begins by making internal incisions within the nostrils or a small external incision at the base of the nose (open rhinoplasty) to access the underlying structures. These incisions are carefully placed to minimize visible scarring.
For a deviated septum, the septum is straightened or reshaped by removing or repositioning cartilage and bone. Nasal valve collapse is addressed by adding cartilage grafts, usually taken from the septum or ear, to reinforce the sidewalls. Enlarged turbinates, which may obstruct airflow, are reduced or repositioned using a specialized surgical tool. Once all corrections are made, the nasal tissue is repositioned, and the incisions are sutured. You’ll then be moved to recovery to begin the healing process.
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Your consultation with Dr. Stein
During your consultation with Dr. Stein, you’ll discuss your breathing concerns and any symptoms affecting your nasal function. Dr. Stein will carefully examine the inside and outside of your nose, evaluating your nasal structure and airway. He may use specialized tools or imaging, like a CT scan, to assess the extent of any structural issues. You’ll also review your medical history and previous treatments. Dr. Stein will then explain your options, including functional rhinoplasty if appropriate, and develop a personalized surgical plan tailored to your needs.
What Can I Expect From Recovery?
After your functional rhinoplasty, you can expect swelling, bruising, and congestion in the first few days. Nasal packing or splints may be placed inside your nose to support healing, and these are usually removed within a week.
You must keep your head elevated for the first two weeks and avoid strenuous activities for 4-6 weeks to reduce swelling and promote healing. Around two weeks post-surgery, most of the swelling and bruising will have subsided, and you can return to light activities. Full nasal improvements typically become noticeable as the internal swelling decreases over several months. You’ll need follow-up visits with Dr. Stein to monitor your recovery. It’s also important to avoid blowing your nose or putting pressure on the nasal area during recovery.
Complementary Procedures
To enhance the results of your functional rhinoplasty, Dr. Stein may recommend complementary procedures tailored to your needs. These can include a septoplasty for more extensive septal correction, a cosmetic rhinoplasty to refine nasal appearance, or a chin augmentation to balance facial proportions. Dr. Stein will help you explore options that suit your goals.
Patient Testimonials
Dr. Stein is AMAZING and I would never trust my face with anyone else. Nice staff, great procedure, awesome guy. Highly recommend and I will go back for more treats!
The entire experience at this clinic has been a pleasure. The staff are pleasant and caring, and Dr. Stein has worked wonders on my appearance. I not only feel better, 1 also look better. He has done more for my quality of life than he will ever realize! I am a professional artist. I believe that in his work, he is ar artist as well.
Everyone at Dr. Stein’s office has been amazing. After 20 years of contemplating rhinoplasty I’m so happy I finally did it. The entire process was super easy from start to finish. If you are looking for a surgeon to coddle you, that’s not Dr. Stein. If you are looking for a true professional with many years experience, and who is a straight shooter, Dr. Stein is the doctor for you. I can’t imagine a more perfect nose for me! Thank you, Dr. Stein!
Words can not express how happy I am with the results, I can look in the mirror now instead of avoiding it, Dr. Stein made me look refreshed and younger.
Dr. Stein answered all my questions, told me exactly what was going to be done, how recovery would be and what I could expect afterwards. I felt at anytime during this journey, I could call him or his great staff and they would take care of any concerns that I might have had. Dr. Stein and his staff took great care of me, I honestly can’t say Thank you enough!
I have always been unhappy with my nose and it’s masculine appearance. I have a very small face and frame and it just never seemed to fit. Since the first consultation I knew Dr. Stein was the surgeon I wanted to go to. He was very mindful and observant of every little detail that I did not like. Dr. Stein and his whole staff were very friendly and extremely helpful. I loved my experience and my new nose is amazing! I would highly recommend Dr. Stein to anyone looking to have any facial cosmetic procedure.
I am extremely pleased with the outcome and with Dr.Stein’s talent! My nose looks even better than I expected and keeps getting better each day. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made and I am so glad I chose to come here to have it done.
My rhino/septoplasty experience with Dr. Stein was AMAZING. Not only were the results better than what I could have imagined, but everyone at his office was so polite and wonderful to work with. Thanks to Dr. Stein I can breathe better and look better – in a perfectly natural way!
Request Your Consultation With Dr. Stein
Dr. Stein is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon with decades of experience in performing functional rhinoplasty to help patients breathe better and improve their quality of life. His approach ensures that your nasal issues are carefully evaluated and treated with the highest level of expertise. After your surgery, Dr. Stein provides unparalleled care by giving all his patients his personal number for any post-operative concerns. Schedule your consultation today to discuss how functional rhinoplasty can help you breathe easier.
