Many parents and their children assume that the septoplasty procedure has similar age requirements to rhinoplasty procedures. While the teenage rhinoplasty is one of the most common facial plastic surgery procedures for young adult patients, it does have strict age requirements associated with it. However, there are fundamental differences between the nose job and the septoplasty procedure, which give the surgeon some leeway in performing the septoplasty on younger patients. Ideally, a female septoplasty patient would be at least 15 years old while a male septoplasty patient would be closer to 17 or 18 years old in order to achieve long-lasting results, but there are exceptions to the rule that prospective patients should know.
Why is a Septoplasty Performed on Young Patients?
A septoplasty does not typically change the look of the face. Rather, it is more often performed for medical reasons and therefore is often paid for by health insurance companies. Many patients have documented medical concerns related to a deviated septum; these often include difficulty breathing, snoring, and sleep apnea that can severely impede healthy sleep patterns.
Septoplasty may be performed on a patient younger than the age of 15 or 17 if there is a total nasal obstruction being caused by the deviated septum. In these situations, the patient may find that breathing is problematic on a daily basis and may suffer from severe allergies. Therefore, the septoplasty may be the best choice in providing them with a normal, fulfilling childhood and may also help the nose develop properly in the formative years.
Consultation about the Best Age for Septoplasty
A septoplasty procedure may be necessary when the nasal septum is crooked and thus impedes breathing. The septum is the bone and tissue that separates the two nostrils. It may be crooked for one of several reasons, including genetics or the result of an injury. In addition, the septum may initially be straight in young children but may grow crooked as they pass through the elementary and teenage years. A septoplasty should be performed after the nose has finished growing. This is usually the case by the late teen years and into adulthood.
Expert plastic surgeons can address any of these concerns at their clinics. Professional surgeons realize that all of these concerns are valid and that their patients want to be able to live a comfortable life free from concerns with breathing. At an initial consultation, the surgeon will speak with prospective patients about the problems they are having and will evaluate the nose and septum. They may use a thin tube called an endoscope to do this. If they determine that a septoplasty is necessary, the septoplasty plan will be laid out with the patient.
Revision Septoplasty and Other Options
While the septoplasty may be performed on a young patient, there is a high risk of a revision septoplasty surgery down the road. The nose does not complete its development until the mid-to-late teen years. For instance, a teenage girl’s nose will be fully formed by the age of 15 or 16, while a teenage boy’s nose will be fully formed by the age of 17 or 18. If a septoplasty is performed prior to these ages, the nose may continue to develop the deviation, and a revision surgery may be required at some point in the future.
Patients who are considering the septoplasty procedure should talk with their surgeon about other options that might improve symptoms but delay the septoplasty procedure until the nose has completed its development. For instance, the turbinate reduction surgery can help alleviate symptoms for the young patient without forcing them to have the septoplasty surgery at a young age. Instead, the patient could wait until their nose has finished developing in order to ensure long-term, stable results from the septoplasty.
It’s essential to recognize that the septoplasty procedure is a medically-necessary surgery that is designed in order to correct the structure of the nose. When a person has a deviated septum, they may find that breathing is more difficult and that they suffer from more frequent sinus infections. Sleep also can be hard to come by, as a deviated septum can force a person to snore and ultimately disrupts the sleep cycle.
For young patients who have a severe deviation, a septoplasty may be the best choice. It’s essential to work with an expert facial plastic surgeon who has experience with working with younger patients, and who can explain the pros and cons of opting to have the septoplasty performed at a young age.
Teenage Septoplasty Procedure and Recovery
Septoplasties do require general anesthesia, although the procedure only lasts 60 to 90 minutes. Following the septoplasty procedure, patients will be allowed to wake up and recover briefly at the center before being sent home to recover fully.
Septoplasty patients will have some pain and swelling following the procedure and may even feel as if they have a stuffy nose, similar to having a cold. However, within the first few days post-operatively, these concerns will begin to abate, and septoplasty patients will be able to return to their everyday lives within a week. A professional plastic surgeon will address any further concerns at a follow-up appointment scheduled a few days following the surgery.