Septoplasty
Premier Houston Rhinoplasty Surgeon Dr. Michel Siegel
Your septum is a long piece of cartilage and bone that separates the right and left nasal passages. It also provides the nose with support from the bridge to the tip. Sometimes, the septum can become crooked, or “deviated,” from an injury, or just through otherwise normal growth and development.
Septoplasty Overview
A deviated septum is one of the most common causes of nasal obstruction. This condition can cause a variety of medical problems, interfering with your breathing, making your nose bleed, causing discomfort, increasing your risk of sinus infections, and even leading to the development of sleep apnea (one common symptom of which is snoring). In addition, a deviated septum can give the nose an asymmetrical, lopsided, or otherwise cosmetically imperfect appearance. Dr. Siegel can correct a deviated septum by performing a functional rhinoplasty in Houston. Since each person’s septum is unique, he will tailor the procedure to address your specific circumstances. With a deviated septum surgery from the man known as the “nose doctor” in Houston, you can feel confident that you will both breathe and look better.
The Septoplasty Process?
1
Consultation
The first step in your septoplasty journey is your initial consultation with Dr. Siegel. During this appointment, he will go over your medical and cosmetic considerations. Using this information, he will devise a customized deviated septum correction procedure to meet your unique needs and preferences.
Dr. Siegel will then create a digital three-dimensional model of your nose before and after surgery, if your goals include external and or cosmetic changes. You can then provide your feedback to this image so that we can further refine your deviated septum repair process to suit your specifications. There is no set time for this visit – Dr. Siegel will answer all your questions, address all of your concerns, and discuss your surgical plan with you until you feel completely confident in proceeding with your septum surgery.
2
Preparing for Nose Surgery
As with any surgical procedure, you will be provided with pre‑op and post‑op instructions. Those instructions include that you hydrate well, avoid medicines that may interact with anesthesia, and avoid smoking. Since each surgery from Dr. Siegel is customized, you’ll be given detailed instructions beforehand to make sure your recovery is smooth and fast.
3
Preparation
Since your septoplasty will be individualized to your unique anatomy and concerns, Dr. Siegel and our team will give you precise guidelines to follow in order to get ready for your surgery. Some standard instructions – such as drinking plenty of water and avoiding medications that could interact with anesthesia – will apply to most if not all patients, but we will also offer specific recommendations attuned to your needs. Dr. Siegel’s guidelines will prepare you for the week preceding the surgery all the way through to the end of your recovery. Our assistance will help prime you for your nose procedure so that it goes as smoothly and safely as possible.
4
Procedure
Dr. Siegel will perform your nose straightening surgery at an accredited Houston hospital. During this procedure, he will reshape your nasal anatomy so that your septum is straight. In addition to repairing your septal tissue, Dr. Siegel will adjust the surrounding bone, cartilage, nostril, and membrane as needed. Your septoplasty may also be combined with a cosmetic rhinoplasty if you’d like to enhance the appearance of your nose while repairing this condition.
The time it takes to complete your septum surgery in Houston will depend on your distinctive circumstances (such as how severe your deviation is and what types of prior procedures you may have had), but it typically lasts between 45 minutes and an hour. Dr. Siegel will work on restoring your nose until he has corrected your deviated septum and provided your desired results.
5
Recovery
Given Dr. Siegel’s advanced expertise and long history as a septoplasty specialist in Houston, most of our patients find that they recover more quickly and easily then they had anticipated. Dr. Siegel emphasizes preserving rather than removing cartilage. He uses seamless, internal incisions to minimize inflammation, bruising, and scarring. Because he does not use nasal packing (placing gauze inside of the nose) after surgery, much of the typical pain and/or pressure associated with septoplasty is eliminated. This also allows more immediate results and the ability to return to work in three to five days, as there is no bruising.
Choose a Surgeon Who Uses Ultrasonic Instruments in Every Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty is central to this practice. Houston’s Dr. Siegel is an ultraspecialist: the face only, nothing below the neck, for more than twenty years.
- Training you can check, with dates — Ultrasonic rhinoplasty training in October and November 2021, and structure preservation meetings in Istanbul in June 2022 and May 2024. He took every one after he was already board-certified twice over.
- Two boards, and the second one matters here — Dr. Siegel is certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and by the American Board of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. The second is why your breathing is examined as carefully as your profile.
- Photographs, not adjectives — Look through the ultrasonic rhinoplasty gallery at every angle, and judge the results for yourself.
- One surgeon, start to finish — Dr. Siegel performs your consultation, your surgery, and your follow-ups himself. Nobody hands you to an associate.
- Cases reviewed weekly with a preservation specialist — After a year-long preservation rhinoplasty mentorship, Dr. Siegel still meets every week with Barış Çakır, MD, of Istanbul to work through cases together.
- Invited to teach other surgeons — Dr. Siegel lectured on closed preservation ultrasonic rhinoplasty at the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery’s annual meeting in September 2026.
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See What Ultrasonic Rhinoplasty Could Do for Your Nose
Knowing what bothers you about your nose is enough to start.
Bring photographs, questions, or recommendations from other surgeons. Dr. Siegel will explain which changes call for bone work and which don’t, so the result is refined and still unmistakably you. You’ll never feel rushed, and we’ll make sure you understand everything before you decide.
We see patients from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, Midland, and Odessa, as well as from out of state. If you’re looking for ultrasonic rhinoplasty in Texas and Houston is a trip, begin with a video consultation. We can also help you plan your stay around surgery and your splint removal.
Explore more of Dr. Siegel’s rhinoplasty procedures:
Frequently Asked Questions
Question:
What’s the difference between rhinoplasty and septoplasty?
Answer:
As described above, a septoplasty is a surgery to properly align a deviated septum, which is the part of the nose that divides it into two nostrils. A rhinoplasty, in contrast, is a cosmetic procedure to improve the look, shape, and size of the nose. Both of these procedures can improve the appearance and function of your nose. They are separate surgeries, with their own techniques and outcomes, but they are very complementary to each other. Dr. Siegel often combines septoplasty and rhinoplasty for optimal results.
Question:
What are the reasons people get septum surgery?
Answer:
There are a variety of reasons people undergo a septoplasty. A deviated septum is a medical condition that causes a host of uncomfortable symptoms and can interfere with your overall wellbeing. While some people are born with or develop a deviated septum, in other cases, this is the result of an injury. A deviated septum can cause congestion, snoring, sleep apnea, and headache. It can also lead to uneven nostrils, which many patients find to be an aesthetic and functional issue. In short, patients often undergo septoplasty when they want to breathe more easily, sleep better through the night, gain more confidence in their appearance, and generally feel better. Dr. Siegel can help you decide if you are a good candidate for a septum surgery at your initial consultation.
Question:
Will a septoplasty change my voice?
Answer:
It is possible for a septoplasty to slightly change the sound of your voice. Correcting a deviated septum can allow air to pass more easily through your nose, giving your voice a less nasal, more resonant tone. In most cases, patients view this as a positive change and are happy with it. However, some patients may not experience any change in their voice following septoplasty. As with most aspects of this surgery, the way deviated septum correction affects your voice will depend on your unique situation.