Use Rhinoplasty to Repair Your Boxer’s Nose

Boxing and similar heavy-contact sports like mixed martial arts are a great way to exercise and deal with stress. But they also carry some unique health risks since they tend to injure the same area over and over again.

The nose is especially vulnerable. It sticks out, and its bones and cartilage are small and delicate, so it takes a lot of the punches.

When these injuries need treatment, a facial plastic surgeon can repair them with rhinoplasty.

Boxer’s Nose or Saddle Nose

Nasal injuries have been so common in boxing and similar sports that the deformity they cause has its own name: boxer’s nose. It results from collapse of the support in the middle of the bridge, and it is also called saddling or a saddle nose.

Rhinoplasty is a versatile procedure for reshaping the nose, and former boxers often come in for it. During surgery, the nasal bones are reset and the collapsed bridge is rebuilt with cartilage grafts.

When Is the Best Time to Seek Out a Facial Plastic Surgeon?

Even with good protective gear, injuries are part of a contact sport. Because the risk of another nasal injury is high, we recommend retiring from the sport, or at least stepping away from it, after rhinoplasty. One hard hit can undo the work of the surgery. Rhinoplasty itself can also increase the risk of injury as rhinoplasty tends to weaken the structure of the nose.

Rhinoplasty is a demanding operation, and revision rhinoplasty gets harder with each additional operation. The aim is to do the surgery once, so it makes sense to wait until you have stopped the sport before planning nasal reconstructive surgery.

When Is the Right Age?

Wanting to avoid a second rhinoplasty is also why surgeons are careful with young patients. Rhinoplasty is meant for a nose that has finished growing, and that happens at different ages for different people. At The Naderi Center the minimum age is 14, but maturity matters as much as age, and Dr. Naderi sometimes asks a younger patient to come back in a year or two. If surgery has to wait but there are breathing or cosmetic problems, temporary measures can help in the meantime.

Recovery

In experienced hands, rhinoplasty can make a big difference in facial balance. The nasal cast stays on for 5 to 10 days, most patients take a week off work, and exercise waits about a month. The remaining swelling fades over the following months.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a boxer’s nose?

Boxer’s nose, also called a saddle nose, is a dip in the middle of the nasal bridge caused by collapse of its supporting structure, usually after repeated blows to the nose. It is common in boxers and mixed martial arts fighters.

Can rhinoplasty fix a saddle nose from boxing?

Yes. Rhinoplasty can reset the nasal bones and rebuild the collapsed bridge with cartilage grafts. Dr. Naderi plans the operation around both the shape of the nose and how well it breathes.

Should I stop boxing before getting rhinoplasty?

Ideally, yes. Another hit to the nose can undo the surgery, and each revision is harder than the one before, so we recommend waiting until you have stopped the sport, or at least stepping away from contact after surgery.

How long is recovery after rhinoplasty?

The nasal cast stays on for 5 to 10 days, and most patients take a week off work. Exercise waits about a month. Swelling keeps fading for several months after that.

How old do you have to be to get rhinoplasty?

At The Naderi Center the minimum age is 14, and the nose should be finished growing. Maturity matters as much as age, so Dr. Naderi sometimes asks younger patients to come back in a year or two.

Schedule a Rhinoplasty Consultation For Boxer’s Nose Today

Rhinoplasty is a delicate operation. Dr. Naderi takes the time to go over all of your options. With computer imaging, he can show you a simulation of possible results on your own photos at the first consultation. Dr. Naderi has more than 20 years of experience with a strong surgical focus on rhinoplasty, and he plans each operation around both the look of the nose and how well it breathes.

Dr. Shervin Naderi, MD, is a Washington, D.C. metro area facial plastic surgeon. His rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty practice, The Naderi Center for Plastic Surgery & Dermatology, has two offices: Chevy Chase, MD (301-222-2020) and Reston, VA (703-481-0002). The office can also be reached by email. Our hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

He is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and a Rhinoplasty Specialist in Virginia. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and the American College of Surgeons. If you’re considering rhinoplasty after a sports injury, contact The Naderi Center to schedule a consultation.