When considering any sort of nasal surgery it is important to ask yourself why you want to have it done. For example, are you considering some sort of cosmetic procedure that might help your nose “look” normal? Maybe you are thinking about it because you want your nose to “function” in a normal way?

In both cases you have to be sure that your view of “normal” is accurate.

The Normal Appearance

As you already know, there is no such thing as a typical, normal, or standard nose. The way we, as a society, view noses changes over time, and so the person with a cute little button of a nose from the 1950s may be viewed as having a funny looking nose today.

So, this tells us that we cannot try to look like someone else or meet someone else’s standards where the appearance of our nose is concerned. Instead, the best approach to having any work done on the nose (cosmetically) is to make the choice based on our own desires.

For example, a lot of families have distinguished and characteristic noses. Even Ancient Egyptian mummies are known for having similar looks when the mummies are all in the same family line!  This, however, does not mean that you have to love the nose your genetics have given you.

Consider that someone may hate the “hooked”, “pointy”, or simply large nose that they inherited from one side of the family. So, that means that they can and should consider something like rhinoplasty if they are deeply unhappy with the way that their nose looks. The thing to remember with this, however, is that they should never say that they want a nose like Jennifer Aniston or Sharon Stone. Instead, the healthy and normal thing to do would be to work with a physician to get a nose that balances out with the rest of their face.

The Normal Function

Now, you might also be considering some nasal surgery because you want the nose to work like a normal nose. This would mean that you have already consulted with an ENT or ear nose and throat specialist and that they have discovered some sort of structural problem with the nose itself.

Did this person also review any possibilities with you where allergies, sinusitis, medication, or infection are concerned too? If they haven’t, you might be getting a treatment that will return.

For example, women who use oral birth control pills often experience inflamed sinuses and some post nasal drip. This swelling can make it seem as if they have inflamed turbinates inside of the nose, when the fact of the matter is that it is the medication that is causing the issue.

Before you have any sort of interior procedure performed on the nose, be absolutely certain that you have had a physician double check for any non-anatomical problems.

Be sure that you are honest about things like sinus sprays, your reactions to certain compounds to which you are exposed on a regular basis (i.e. dust or pet dander), and even if you are someone who seems to have a lot of colds or sinus issues. There are so many things that can cause the adenoids, the sinuses, and the mucous membranes of the nose to react that it is never wise to just jump to a conclusion.

Working with Professionals

When you work with a reliable ENT and general practitioner you are not likely to have unnecessary or poorly chosen surgery done. A good physician will talk openly with a patient before altering the interior or exterior of their nose, and you should make a point of only working with such professionals.