Is your nose tip pointing downwards or in a drooping position? Perhaps you have a nasal condition known as a curved nose. Due to the considerable imbalance in the nasal structure, a bent nose or crooked nose can cause facial asymmetry and other cosmetic concerns. Additionally, a significant deviation of the cartilage can also lead to functional issues resulting in severe respiratory problems.
The nasal cartilage and bone are two primary elements that define the structure of our noses. Depending on your condition, there are different surgical and non-surgical approaches for nose reconstruction. This article will help you understand the essential details about a curved nose and explore ways to resolve issues that may come along with it.
What Is A Curved Nose?
Although each person’s nose is unique, a curved nose is defined as one that does not come after a typical nose structure. Curved noses may appear askew or bent out of shape and do not follow a straight line down the center of the face. In other terms, the nose might seem to be slightly hooked from its side.
Depending on the severity of the condition, some curved noses are less noticeable. Whereas others are more prominent. A curved nose can also occur in two ways: when the nasal bone is bent or when the cartilage is bent.
Crooked Nose Due to Curved Nasal Bone
The nose may curve most of the time due to the complexity of its bones, cartilage, and tissue structure. Additionally, it may come as a result of external factors which are usually caused by several things, including the following:
- Congenital abnormalities
- Injuries or accident leading to a broken nose
- Failed nose
- Serious infection
- Tumor growth
In a curved nasal bone, the level of crookedness might be minimal or extreme. Typically, the nasal cartilage takes the shape of the letters S, I, or C. Although this condition may appear as a simple aesthetic issue, it can sometimes equally cause respiratory problems. For this situation, it is possible to shift the nasal bone to its proper position by osteotomy.
Deviated Septum or Bent Nasal Cartilage
In a deviated septum, the internal structure of your nose that divides the right and left nasal passages turns to one side. This positioning partly leads to an obstruction in the nasal airway. A deviated septum is a disorder that some people are born with. Although, it can also develop due to an accident. In this condition, the doctor needs to reposition the cartilage to its proper location.
Signs and Symptoms
The majority of septal abnormalities cause no serious concerns. A person may not even be aware that they have it. Some, on the other hand, may experience alarming signs and symptoms. In addition to its cosmetic implications, a person with a deviated septum may experience the following:
- Breathing problems. When one or both nostrils are blocked, air cannot flow freely, creating breathing problems.
- Nosebleed. The dried surface of the nasal septum might increase the likelihood and frequency of nosebleeds.
- Headaches and facial discomfort. The contact of surfaces within the nose due to a significant deviation in the septum can cause pressure and pain. In addition, because air does not always move smoothly your nasal passages, you may experience discomfort caused by the acquired pressure on your head.
- Snoring. Snoring is a common occurrence. Your deviated septum can obstruct your nasal passages during your sleep, thus inducing snoring and loud breathing.
- Infections in the sinuses. Those who have a congested airway are more at risk of developing sinus infections.
Will Nose Exercises Help?
When you look up remedies for curved noses, it is easy to come across many face exercises that claim to straighten a crooked nose shape. Some of these methods encourage the use of nasal shapers, which are devices that you place over your nostrils. You will be instructed to use these appliances during some of your exercises. It is said to help flare up your nasal structure.
While these exercises promise to be a low-cost and affordable remedy, do they really work? According to experts, the idea of performing facial exercises to realign a crooked nose or a deviated septum may sound too good to be true. However, up to date, there is still no scientific evidence that proves that these workouts are indeed effective. Furthermore, tissues and bones primarily make up the majority of our nose’s structure. Therefore, exercises will not be able to affect the form of these structures.
What Should I Do?
Non-surgical Options
Suppose you want to straighten your nose without undergoing . In that case, you can skip your nose exercise and consider talking to your doctor about fillers. Soft tissue fillers are injectable polymers that fill up the bent portions of your nose to balance and minimise their crookedness.
Fillers for soft tissue include the following:
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Silicone
- Calcium Hydroxylapatite Gel
These types of fillers are clinically proven to improve your nasal structure. However, like most cosmetic procedures, it can lead to a number of side effects. Therefore, utmost care and planning should be necessary to avoid significant concerns. Your doctor will walk you through how the procedure works and help you figure out the best options to improve your nose.
Surgical Options
Although many cosmetic experts suggest non-surgical practices for slightly crooked noses, more invasive procedures are necessary for severe cases. Generally, there are two kinds of surgical options that offer intensive solutions to improve your nose structure. These include the following:
Rhinoplasty
A rhinoplasty procedure helps improve the external structure of your nose. It is further subdivided into two types. One is cosmetic rhinoplasty, while the other is functional rhinoplasty.
As its name implies, cosmetic rhinoplasty aims to improve one’s appearance through . Recent studies have demonstrated innovations for this procedure. For example, thanks to advanced technology, doctors can now successfully realign a person’s crooked nose with and without the use of facial symmetry. The term facial symmetry refers to the appearance of both sides of your face.
On the other hand, functional rhinoplasty is done to address respiratory concerns. For instance, we all know that a crooked nose can cause breathing problems in the long run. Therefore, a functional rhinoplasty works to reconstruct the structure of the crooked nose to improve its airway and nasal passages.
Septoplasty
Whenever talking about surgical reconstruction, most people would think of mere cosmetic enhancement. However, septoplasty is more inclined to improve the nose’s functionality rather than its cosmetic aspect. A septoplasty procedure helps reduce nasal airway constriction caused by obstructions such as nasal polyps, inflammation, deviated septum, or foreign objects in the nose. These conditions can lead to nasal congestion, resulting in interference in breathing ability.
After a septoplasty procedure, individuals can notice an improvement in their symptoms. However, in rare circumstances, a second operation to further refine the deviated septum may be necessary. Nonetheless, these changes in the airway can be a life-changing experience, especially for individuals who have had a crooked nose and blocked nasal passages for a long period.
Other Treatments
According to studies, almost eighty percent of our population have trouble breathing correctly because of a deviated septum. Individuals with this concern may also experience hypertrophic rhinitis, which causes them to have a stuffy nose all of the time. Having a stuffy nose may persist even after the deviated nose has been corrected. Therefore, doctors often suggest performing rhinitis afterward.
Bottomline
Whether a crooked nose or deviated septum, curved noses are typical and common. Unless your condition causes respiratory concerns, no treatments should be necessary. However, if you are not happy with your curved nose, there are many ways to boost your aesthetic appeal. Depending on what suits your needs, there are several cosmetic procedures that you can choose from. Each procedure can help you achieve the ideal nose shape you’ve been dreaming of.
Don’t Settle for Anything Less
Curved nose? At Rhinoplasty Sydney, we are proud to offer both surgical and non-surgical treatments that can help improve your nose structure. Our team consists of experienced doctors to ensure patients will get world-class quality procedures for their crooked nose.
For more information, you can give us a call at (02) 8880 5116 or book an appointment on our website. Our friendly staff will be glad to assist you in figuring out the best treatment plans suitable for your needs.