Rhinoplasty for Men: Balancing Function and Masculine Aesthetics

Rhinoplasty, or nose surgery, is one of the most popular procedures for men at our practice. What makes this procedure particularly interesting is that it can address both functional and aesthetic concerns—and often, these aspects are blended together because they impact one another.

Today, I’m going to take a look at rhinoplasty for men, as well as my own experience with these surgical procedures to help illustrate how men’s nose jobs can help men both functionally and aesthetically.

Functional Rhinoplasty: Breathing Better

When I talk about functional rhinoplasty, I’m referring to correcting issues where the nose is crooked and there’s difficulty with the airways or breathing. 

Just last week, I worked with a patient who had a particularly challenging case. This gentleman had suffered trauma twice—first from a knee to the face about 17 years ago that caved in his nose from right to left, and then from a wrestling match with his brother about 10 years ago that caused additional injury.

The result was severe breathing obstruction.

He had virtually no ability to breathe through his left side and significantly reduced breathing on his right side. During surgery, I discovered his septum had broken off the vomer (meaning the center of his nose was pushed all the way into the left sidewall), and the bone sitting on top of his palate was broken and rotated.

The obstruction was so severe that I couldn’t even pass an instrument through the left nasal passage, and the right side was also significantly restricted.

We essentially took the nose apart completely, used grafts to create a strong, straight structure, and repaired all the fractures. The result was wide-open airways—we could easily pass large instruments through both sides, the nasal bones were properly positioned without depression on either side, and the nose looked straight.

I saw this patient recently to remove his splints, and the first thing he said was, “Oh my God, I can breathe for the first time!“

This was particularly impressive given that his nose was still swollen with post-surgical debris. After about three months, when the swelling subsides completely, this patient will experience a significant improvement in his quality of life with normal breathing and a straight, natural-looking nose.

Aesthetic Rhinoplasty for Men

We also see many patients with primarily aesthetic concerns.

Common complaints include a large hump, a crooked nose, an oversized tip, a downward-pointing tip, or a nose that gets too wide when smiling. These are all issues we can address through rhinoplasty.

One interesting observation I’ve made about noses is that people tend to notice what they don’t like rather than what they do like. Unlike breast augmentations, where people might notice and appreciate good results, people generally don’t look at others’ noses and think, “Wow, what a nice nose!” Instead, we tend to notice noses that look unusual or don’t conform to normal facial proportions.

We notice the unusual, not the ideal.

This insight guides my consultation process. I listen carefully to what’s bothering my patients, which helps me identify the proportional issues that are causing their dissatisfaction. By adjusting these elements and bringing the nose back to natural proportions, I can eliminate these irritations and help patients feel much better about their appearance.

Maintaining Masculine Features

It’s particularly important for men to maintain masculine nasal features.

For example, a man I recently treated had an upturned nose, which tends to look feminizing. Men generally prefer a nasal tip that’s not completely straight out but has just a slight elevation—much less than what would be ideal for women. If the tip is lifted too much, it creates a feminized appearance that men typically don’t want.

In this case, we were able to bring the tip down slightly to create a more masculine, natural-looking nose. The goal is always to create a nose that looks like it was meant to be there—one that appears completely natural while giving the patient more confidence as they go about their day.

The Procedure and Recovery

Most rhinoplasty surgeries, whether functional, aesthetic, or both, take around an hour and fifteen to an hour and thirty minutes. Patients are under general anesthesia for the procedure and wake up with splints both inside and outside the nose. These splints stay in place for about a week before we remove them.

Recovery is generally comfortable—most of my patients report minimal pain and are taking only Tylenol or Motrin after the first couple of days. You’ll need to be careful with your nose for about two months, avoiding wearing glasses or lifting heavy objects. Once healing is complete, you’re free to resume all normal activities.

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Breathing Problems and Rhinoplasty

At least half of the rhinoplasties I perform for aesthetic reasons also have a functional or breathing component. Typically, this is because the septum is curved or deviated to one side, or the internal valves are too tight, creating constrictions in the airflow.

Form and function are inseparable in the nose.

Whether your breathing issue is minor or requires major reconstruction due to previous trauma, we can typically achieve wide-open airways that significantly improve your breathing. If your breathing problems stem from issues deeper than the nose, I’ll refer you to one of my ENT colleagues to ensure you receive the most appropriate care.

The combination of improved aesthetics and function makes rhinoplasty one of the most satisfying procedures for my male patients, offering both a more masculine appearance and better quality of life through improved breathing.