Can A Broken Nose Be Fixed Years After Being Broken?

Back in the “good old days,” nose jobs were seen as a luxury. If you broke your nose, a doctor would “set” it and put a cast on it like they would any other broken bone. Very little thought went into ensuring the nose looked good and functioned properly after it healed. Many people are still dealing with breathing problems and bumps on their noses because of how an injury to their nose was treated.Thankfully, rhinoplasty is now recognized as a serious medical procedure, and the perception that it is a frivolous cosmetic procedure that only vain people undergo is passé. If your nose is injured, a good doctor will likely recommend surgery to make sure your nose properly heals and no lasting defects remain.Can Old Injuries Be Healed?People who broke their nose before the age of nasal enlightenment do not have to keep living in the dark ages. It is possible to fix many old nose injuries even decades after the original injury occurred.A corrective surgery typically involves re-breaking the nose, often along the original break, and re-setting it using modern-day techniques. The process is actually very similar to what is done in a cosmetic nose job, so the healing time and post-op treatment is virtually identical.Unfortunately, not all old injuries can be fixed. Sometimes things have healed in a way that would be dangerous to try to correct, or other health issues take surgery off the table. If you are wondering if your nose can be fixed, the only way to know for sure is to schedule an in-person consultation with an experienced surgeon.Who Pays When An Injury Occurred Years Ago?Sometimes the cost of treating an old injury is covered by insurance. If the injury is causing health issues, like breathing problems or chronic nasal dripping, a patient’s health insurer will often pick up the tab.If the old injury merely resulted in a nose deformity, and the surgery would be cosmetic, the patient will likely have to pay 100% out of pocket. Many patients have surgeries that address a combination of issues, so cost and insurance questions are something that can only be figured out at an in-person consultation.