What Is Septoplasty?

Septoplasty is a surgical procedure that reshapes your septum and removes septum or nasal deviation. The septum is the natural barrier or divide between the two nasal canals. This surgical procedure reshapes the septum to remove the deviation and frees your airways for a fuller and more satisfying inhale. Patients who undergo a septoplasty procedure generally report:

being able to inhale with less effort
having a fuller inhale
a significant reduction in nasal infections
a significant decrease in sinus infections
fewer headaches.

Am I A Good Candidate For Nose Septum Surgery ?

If you experience:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Congested nose
  • Occasional bleeding from the nostrils
  • Headaches
  • Nausea
  • Congested sinuses
  • You may be eligible for a septoplasty procedure. To ensure you are the best candidate for nasal septum surgery, you should also: not smoke, not enjoy excessive amounts of alcohol and be ready to take several days off work. Consult Dr Turner Newcastle and Sydney NSW  for a consultation so he can professionally assess your case and offer a customised solution for your blocked airways.

Benefits Of Nose Septum Surgery – Septoplasty

There are multiple benefits of nose septum surgery:

  • Septoplasty can significantly improve the quality of life
  • Doing sports is much easier after a septoplasty
  • Septum surgery can significantly reduce the number and intensity of headaches
  • Septoplasty surgery can reduce infections and help clear the sinuses
  • Septoplasty with turbinectomy can reduce seasonal issues with breathing, such as cold air sensitivity and cold air triggered airway blockage
  • Septorhinoplasty can improve both the functionality and aesthetics of the nose simultaneously

Before & After Facelift Photos

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Recovery After Septum Surgery

The septoplasty swelling usually reduces over 3 days to a week. It may take up to two or even three months for the cartilage to fully heal, and during this time, you should avoid any trauma to your nose. Most patients go back to school or work just days after the procedure.

Minimising Scars After Septoplasty

Dr Scott Turner, will place your septoplasty surgery incisions on the inside of your nostrils so that no septoplasty scars are  noticeable. A healthy body and a calm mind can significantly ease and speed up recovery after any cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery. Septoplasty leaves no visible external scars, so no scar minimising treatment is usually necessary.

Long-Term Septoplasty Results

As a surgical procedure, septoplasty can significantly decrease problems with breathing and blocked airways. However, to truly maximise results of septoplasty, especially if you have it at a younger age, you should avoid blowing your nose for a few months after a septoplasty and any trauma to the nose or the face, as they may cause immediate injury to the nose and compromise long-term septoplasty result.

Risk & Complications Of Nose Surgery

Septum surgery is major surgery, and like any other major surgery, it has some common risks and complications. Common complications include, but are not limited to:

  • Bruising, Swelling, Bleeding, Infection, Asymmetrical nose, Continued nasal obstructions / blockage, Excessive bleeding, Reaction to the anaesthetic.
  • Choosing the best possible septoplasty surgeon will minimise the risks and complications associated with your septoplasty surgery and result in a better functioning nose. Always choose the best surgeon to operate on you. Damage done by inexperienced doctors is sometimes irreversible, and it may lead to a ‘saddle nose’ or a partial or full nose collapse. Visit the page on risks & potential complications of surgery.

Next Steps

Your Cosmetic Plastic surgery consultation

During your consultation, Dr Turner will discuss your goals, and provide an in-depth explanation of your desired surgery and what that means for you. He can also discuss different surgical techniques, benefits, and risks of procedures available.

Most importantly, however, this is the time for you to have all of your questions answered and to be completely listened to and understood by your surgeon. We ask that you please come prepared with any questions you may have for Dr Turner, and look forward to discussing your individualised plan.

1

Research

Ensure you have done your research, both on your desired surgery, as well as your surgeon.

2

Book a consultation

Submit an enquiry through our website or give us a call before booking your consultation. To ensure you are a suitable candidate for your desired procedure, Dr Turner asks to review your images before making a booking. This saves time and money if you are not a suitable candidate, in which case our lovely team will help direct you to an alternative procedure.

3

Meet with Dr Turner

Once your images have been approved and your consultation has been booked, we ask that you prepare any questions you may have for Dr Turner, as well as some images of desired outcomes for your surgery, this helps ensure you and Dr Turner are on the same page when discussing realistic results.

4

More questions?

Looking for more information before your consultation? You can book an additional 15min complimentary consultation with one of our patient liaisons here https://calendly.com/patients-bookings/patient-consult?month=2023-02

5

Keep up-to-date

Keep up-to-date with what’s happening in Dr Turner’s clinics around NSW by following our Instagram @faceplus.aesthetics and @drscottjturner

Ready to take the next step?

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions about Nose Septum Surgery

Will fixing a deviated septum stop snoring?

Fixing a deviated septum can help improve your breathing but may not do much with snoring. Snoring is caused by the relaxed muscles of the speech apparatus: the throat and the tongue. As such, snoring is not usually corrected by a septoplasty.

Will septoplasty help me breathe better?

Yes, a septoplasty will significantly improve your breathing. A septum surgery can remove some of the septum bone and/or cartilage that may be causing breathing problems. Once the blockage is removed, breathing is improved. This effect usually is permanent. A decade after a nasal deviation procedure, around 68% of deviation surgery patients say that their breathing is easier and more comfortable.

Will septoplasty make my nose look different?

No, a septoplasty will not usually make your nose look different. A septoplasty procedure is a surgical procedure that reshapes the inside of your nose, the so-called septum. Any reshaping of the septum is not usually seen on the outside of the nose. If you would like to reshape the outer profile of your nose as well, procedures such as rhinoplasty and septorhinoplasty are the best solution for you.

Do you feel better after septoplasty?

Yes, you can feel better after a septoplasty. This procedure can be done by both an ENT specialist or a plastic surgeon. Some patients claim that recovery after a plastic surgeon has done their septoplasty is shorter and more comfortable.

Is a septoplasty a nose job?

A septoplasty is a surgical procedure that reshapes the septum of your nose to remove any airway blockage and increase the volume of air that can pass through your nose. A nose job is a name mostly used for rhinoplasty – a plastic surgery that reshapes the outside of your nose for a better contour rather than functionality.

Does septoplasty change your voice?

Although some patients report that their voice sounds less ‘nasal’ after a septoplasty, it is important to note that no such connection has been made between a septoplasty and voice quality. Some changes may be observed during the recovery period after your septum surgery, although they usually fade away as the swelling goes down.

Does septoplasty improve quality of life?

Yes, a septoplasty procedure can significantly improve the quality of your life. Reduced nasal infections, headaches, sinus issues and easier breathing and practising sports are only some ways in which the surgery can improve the quality of your life.

Does septoplasty make your nose bigger?

No, septoplasty does not make your nose bigger. In some patients, their nose after septoplasty can look a little wider. This widening of the nose is because of nose splints that sometimes get placed in the nose to hold the septum in place during the recovery period. After the splints are removed, and the swelling is gone, your nose adopts normal proportions again.

Does septoplasty remove a bump on the nose?

No, septoplasty does not remove the bump on the nose. The nose bump or the dorsal hump can be removed by a rhinoplasty, a surgical procedure that reshapes the outer profile of the nose. – you may try a septorhinoplasty

How do you prepare for septoplasty?

To best prepare for your septoplasty, make sure that:

  • You are healthy and have a well-balanced diet,
  • You review taking certain supplements several weeks before the surgery,
  • You avoid stress and get plenty of sleep,
  • You quit smoking at least six weeks before the surgery and six weeks after,
  • Adjust your medications as instructed by your surgeon,
  • Stop taking some medication if your specialised plastic surgeon insists you should do so.
  • What should I wear to septoplasty?
  • You should wear loose and comfortable clothes for your septoplasty. Your surgeon may ask you to change both before and after your procedure.

How is septoplasty performed?

Your nose surgeon will make an incision, remove the excess septum bone and cartilage and suture the incision.

How painful is a septoplasty?

Septoplasty is not a painful procedure. During your septum surgery, your surgeon will use anaesthetic to prevent you from feeling any pain. After the procedure, your surgeon will prescribe pain killers which will reduce any post-septoplasty pain. Even weeks after a septum surgery, injuries to the nose can cause significant discomfort, so taking good care of your nose during recovery.

What happens if I sneeze after septoplasty?

If you sneeze after a septoplasty, you may experience some pain and discomfort, and some minor bleeding may appear. The symptoms usually clear on their own. You should try to avoid sneezing for the first week or two after a septoplasty, although you should not try to hold back the sneezes.

What is the success rate of septoplasty?

Septoplasty has an 85% ‘success rate’ according to medical research. In some patients, septoplasty may not relieve their symptoms. In these cases, another surgical procedure, such as revision septoplasty, turbinoplasty or turbinectomy, may be advised.

About Dr Scott Turner FRACS (Plas) – Specialist Plastic Surgeon

Dr Scott J Turner has spent a lifetime acquiring the qualifications, education, training, and hands-on surgical experience to perform superior cosmetic plastic surgery to give you  beautiful results. He is one of Sydney’s great Specialist Plastic Surgeons with a focus on face surgeries in New South Wales.
Achieving this personal goal requires not only in-depth knowledge of human anatomy and refined surgical techniques but an ongoing commitment to learning the latest procedures around the world. This is why Dr Turner regularly attends both local and international surgeon meetings – discussing these advances with the leaders around the world in order to offer you the most effective and safest surgical procedures. 
Dr Turner and his highly trained staff will do everything to ensure that you are fully informed, while providing exceptional cosmetic plastic surgery, in a personal and caring environment.