Open Approach Rhinoplasty
An open rhinoplasty or open approach rhinoplasty involves a small incision through the skin just underneath the nose. The part of the nose (the columella) heals very well and the scar is usually almost invisible after six weeks. It is also unusual for people to stand underneath you and look up at your nose at this area. People who are taller are slightly more likely to have people looking up under their nose.
An open rhinoplasty affords the optimal view for rhinoplasty. It is almost always needed for a revision rhinoplasty procedure. Many grafting techniques such as spreader grafts are also much easier to perform through an open technique. When the skin is lifted from the underlying cartilage and bony skeleton the whole nose can be seen at once. This allows small asymmetries to be corrected very accurately.