TürkçeThe surgical technique used in rhinoplasty is determined according to the surgeon’s own preference. In both techniques, both the nasal tip and the remaining parts of the nose can be operated on. Therefore, the patient and the doctor should make the decision together, and it will be more beneficial for the patient if the technique in which the surgeon is more experienced or more successful is applied. In the open technique, only a very small, barely noticeable scar of a few millimeters remains under the nose. Therefore, it should depend on the doctor’s preference.
The advantages of the closed technique are that, unlike the open technique, the entire nasal skin is not lifted, resulting in less swelling. In addition, since the nasal bones are cut using the system called piezo, there is also less swelling. The greatest advantage of the closed technique is reduced swelling. Swelling causes the final result to become visible over a longer period; therefore, earlier results are achieved with the closed technique.
| What is the open technique? | A small incision is made through the skin between the nostrils (columella), the nasal skin is lifted, and the surgeon works by directly viewing the nasal framework. |
| What is the closed technique? | All incisions are made inside the nostrils. No visible external incision scar is formed. |
| Advantages of the open technique | It provides the surgeon with a wide field of view, offers precision in correcting complex deformities, facilitates the placement of cartilage grafts, and is frequently preferred in revision surgeries. |
| Disadvantages of the open technique | Swelling at the nasal tip may last longer after surgery. A small scar that usually becomes less noticeable over time may remain on the columella. The duration of the surgery may be longer in some cases. |
| Advantages of the closed technique | There is no external incision scar, and because there is less intervention to the soft tissue, swelling may subside more quickly in some patients. |
| Disadvantages of the closed technique | The surgeon’s field of view is more limited. It may be technically more difficult in cases involving very complex deformities or advanced reconstruction. |
| In which patients is the open technique more frequently preferred? | In cases of severe deviation, post-traumatic deformity, revision rhinoplasty, nasal tip reshaping, or conditions requiring extensive structural changes. |
| In which patients may the closed technique be suitable? | In primary (first-time) rhinoplasty cases involving minor hump correction, limited nasal tip modifications, and suitable anatomy. |
| Which provides better aesthetic results? | A successful result depends not on the technique but on proper patient selection, the surgeon’s experience, and appropriate surgical planning. Well-performed open and closed rhinoplasty can provide similar aesthetic and functional outcomes. |
| Is there any difference in breathing? | More important than the technique used is the proper correction of nasal deviation, valve narrowing, or other functional problems inside the nose. |
| Recovery process | Swelling and bruising may occur during the first weeks with both techniques. While most of the nasal shape becomes apparent within a few months, it may take 12–18 months for the subtle changes, especially at the nasal tip, to settle completely. |
| General preference | Today, many surgeons may prefer the open technique for complex cases requiring structural changes and the closed technique for more limited corrections. However, this is not a strict rule. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Achieving a natural result depends more on the surgeon’s experience and the patient’s anatomical structure than on the technique used. Both open and closed rhinoplasty can produce natural-looking results that harmonize with the facial features.
In open rhinoplasty, the entire surgical field is visible through a small incision at the nasal tip. In closed rhinoplasty, all incisions are made inside the nose. The choice of technique is determined according to the severity of the deformity and the surgical goals.
In patients with significant asymmetry, drooping, or complex deformities of the nasal tip, the open technique may allow for more detailed intervention. This makes it possible to precisely reshape the cartilage structures.
Since the soft tissues are lifted to a lesser extent in closed rhinoplasty, swelling and edema may subside more quickly in some patients. However, the recovery period may vary depending on individual factors and the extent of the procedures performed.
In open rhinoplasty, a small incision is made in the area between the nostrils. When the surgical technique is properly performed, this scar becomes much less noticeable over time and reaches a level that is not noticeable in most people.
The open technique is frequently preferred in revision rhinoplasty because the previously altered structures need to be evaluated in detail. This approach provides the surgeon with a wider field of view and may facilitate corrective procedures.
Functional problems such as nasal deviation, valve narrowing, or septal disorders can be corrected with either technique. The preferred method is determined according to the location of the problem and the extent of the surgical procedures to be performed.
Open rhinoplasty may generally take slightly longer because it provides a more detailed surgical field. However, the duration of the operation depends more on the extent of the corrections to be made than on the technique used.
The open technique may be preferred in patients with thick skin because more detailed nasal tip shaping may be required. This method provides the surgeon with greater control and helps achieve more predictable results.
The choice of technique should be made according to the patient’s nasal structure, aesthetic expectations, breathing problems, and the extent of the planned changes. The most appropriate decision should be made by an experienced surgeon after a detailed examination.
He completed his medical education at Ankara University Faculty of Medicine in 1996 and his specialty training between 1996–2002 at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery.
Between 2002–2009, he worked at Süleyman Demirel University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery.
Since 2009, he has been working at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery. He received the title of Associate Professor in 2011. Dr. Nasır became a Professor in 2019 and continues to work as a faculty member in this position.
Between 2006–2008, he conducted studies on composite tissue transplantation at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, USA, together with Dr. Siemionow, who performed the first face transplant in the United States and the second in the world.
In 2012, he successfully performed Turkey’s second face transplant, which was the third among full face transplants in the world and the 22nd overall. Simultaneously with this face transplant, the world’s first quadruple limb transplant was carried out at Hacettepe University by a large team under his leadership.
He won second-place awards in the experimental and clinical specialist competitions at the 31st and 32nd National Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Congresses. In 2023, he completed his doctorate in Hand Surgery at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine.
He is a member of the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery, Plastic Surgery Research Council, Turkish Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Reconstructive Microsurgery Association, and Turkish Society for Surgery of the Hand and Upper Extremity.
