Does A Rhinoplasty Impair The Sense Of Smell?

The nose is located in the middle of the face, is quite important for breathing and is one of the organs that affect the appearance of the face the most. A nosejob (rhinoplasty) is a surgical operation to change the shape of the nose and / or improve its functionality. It can be performed for medical reasons to correct functional problems or post-traumatic or congenital deformities as well as for cosmetic reasons to change the shape and appearance of the nose. Rhinoplasty surgeries can be intended to improve only the appearane of the nose or both the the appearance and the functionality of the nose. The changes required to reshape the nose also involve changes being made to the inner skeletal structure of the nose. It is important that the surgeon performing the rhinplasty surgery understands both the nasal structure anatomically and the surgery in both functional and cosmetic terms.

. Ideally, a rhinoplasty surgery is not expected to cause any loss of function. Some patients may experience temporary loss of taste or smell after a rhinoplasty surgery. When a person breathes through their nose, the nerve endings in the nose can sense the smell as the air passes through. The same air molecules then pass from the nasal cavity to the back of the throat. The taste nerves on the tongue can also sense taste in relation to the air flow. When a person has a cold and their nose is stuffed, nerves and air passages can be blocked, making it difficult to smell and taste. The same situation can occur temporarily after a rhinoplasty operation due to the swelling and bruising of the nasal tissues. It is very rare that the ability to taste or smell after a nose surgery is permanently affected.