As a part of rhinoplasty plastic surgery, some patients may undergo dorsal hump or bump reduction. A variation of this condition, known as the pseudo-hump or low radix, creates the illusion of a major bump.
The radix comprises the upper bony part of the nose. The radix, as well as the underlying cartilage, may be substantial causing the appearance of a bump.
Skilled Work
In case the radix is shallow, it can lead to a depression and a bump. The plastic surgeon can reduce the radix size by cautiously shaving off tiny portions.
The surgeon may add fullness to a depressed region of the nose by using the patient’s own cartilage taken from another area of the nose. They can develop a straighter slope by augmenting the space right above the radix. To give the nose a natural appearance, it is important to manage the radix properly.
The Aesthetic Center for Plastic Surgery (ACPS), led by board certified plastic surgeons, provides nose reshaping surgery to patients in Houston, Texas, TX, and surrounding communities.
Pseudo-Hump
If the patient has a pseudo-hump, it means that the radix is not appropriately developed and under-projects.
This creates a facial profile where the tissue underneath the radix (towards the nasal tip) appears even more bulbous and fuller than it actually is. In case the radix bone does not project the overlying tissue correctly, it leads to the appearance of a pseudo-hump.
Correcting an Underdeveloped and Low Radix
The most suitable treatment for an under-projecting radix is rhinoplasty with radix tissue grafting. A radix graft comprises fascia, cartilage, or other soft tissue.
It is usually a sculpted fragment of cartilage, often taken from the septum. The surgeon places this graft underneath the skin and muscle of the radix, where it remains discreet.
Placing the cartilage graft over the bone where it elevates the depressed soft tissue addresses the deficit in the bony structure. This procedure helps develop a straighter profile without the need to excise any cartilage or bone from underneath the radix.
Is it possible to have Weak Radix and a True Hump?
A patient can have an under-developed radix as well as a true hump. In treating both these issues simultaneously, the surgeon can perform a more conservative hump removal.
They will bring the ideal profile line closer to the hump by elevating the position of the radix. Consequently, the surgeon will have to remove a lesser portion of the hump to develop a straighter profile.
This procedure helps create a less “surgical” and more natural nose appearance due to a stronger nasal starting point.
Correcting Radix as Part of Revision Rhinoplasty
The angle between the frontal and nasal bones of the nose determines the height of the radix. This height should be proportionate to the dorsal length, height, and tip for balanced and harmonious results.
In case the radix remains too high, or the graft used during the procedure is too large, the nose will have a Romanesque appearance following the surgery.
Revision rhinoplasty involves the reduction of the radix to its appropriate and most harmonious proportions compared to other nasal aspects and characteristics. Cosmetic surgeons at ACPS receive patients from Houston, Texas, TX, and nearby areas for rhinoplasty.
For more information about The Aesthetic Center for Plastic Surgery (ACPS) physicians and the cosmetic surgery treatments and procedures they perform please click here or call us at 713.799.9999. We have offices in and around Houston, Texas.
Click here to see our pricing list.