Septorhinoplasty combines reshaping the nose with straightening the septum — the wall of cartilage and bone between the nostrils — in a single operation. It treats appearance and breathing together, which is why it is often the right choice for patients whose nose both looks and works the way they would like to change. The surgery we arrange in Istanbul is planned honestly: the cosmetic and functional goals are assessed separately and addressed together.
At the accredited partner hospitals we work with, septorhinoplasty is performed by board-certified surgeons who examine the airway as carefully as the external shape.
Septorhinoplasty in Turkey at a glance
- Cost: from an indicative €3,000, all-inclusive. The amount of reshaping, the septal and airway work, and any cartilage grafts move the figure.
- Compared with home: for a primary cosmetic rhinoplasty, UK private surgery runs around £4,000–£7,000 before consultations and follow-up, and the US average surgeon and facility fee is about $6,000 before anaesthesia. A combined functional and cosmetic operation is more complex everywhere.
- Surgery: 2–3 hours under general anaesthesia, often through an open approach.
- Stay in Istanbul: around 7 nights. The cast comes off about day 7, then a surgeon clears you to fly.
- Back at a desk: after about 10–14 days. Strenuous exercise and contact sport wait 4–6 weeks.
- Final result: breathing improves as the internal swelling settles; the tip keeps refining for 12–18 months.
What septorhinoplasty treats
- Cosmetic: a hump, a drooping or wide tip, a crooked bridge — everything standard rhinoplasty addresses.
- Functional: a deviated septum that obstructs airflow, often the cause of chronic blockage, mouth-breathing or poor sleep.
Doing both in one operation means one anaesthetic, one recovery and one cost instead of two — and a straightened septum often provides cartilage that supports the cosmetic reshaping.
Septoplasty vs rhinoplasty vs septorhinoplasty
| Operation | Treats | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Septoplasty | The septum only | Better breathing (functional) |
| Rhinoplasty | The external nose | Appearance (cosmetic) |
| Septorhinoplasty | Both together | Looks and breathing in one op |
If only your breathing needs work, an honest surgeon will recommend a septoplasty alone — we will not add cosmetic work you did not ask for.
Who is a good candidate
Septorhinoplasty suits you if you have both a cosmetic concern and a breathing problem from a deviated septum, are in good general health and have realistic expectations. A proper airway examination at consultation confirms the cause of any blockage — sometimes turbinates or allergies contribute and are managed too.
The procedure, step by step
- Consultation and airway examination. The surgeon examines the inside of the nose as well as its outline, confirms what is causing any blockage and agrees a written plan for both the breathing and the shape.
- Anaesthesia. Performed under general anaesthesia in an accredited hospital with full anaesthetic cover. The operation takes 2–3 hours.
- Straightening the septum. The deviated cartilage and bone are straightened or partly removed to open the airway. Cartilage taken here is often kept to support the cosmetic reshaping.
- Reshaping. Through the same approach, often open, the bridge and tip are reshaped to the agreed plan.
- Splinting. An external cast supports the new shape, and internal splints often hold the septum straight while it heals.
Recovery timeline
Recovery is very close to a standard rhinoplasty, with a few extra days of congestion from the internal work. The first week is spent in Istanbul and the rest of the recovery at home, with remote follow-up. Timelines vary from person to person, and no surgery comes with a guaranteed outcome.
Days 1–3. The nose is at its most swollen and blocked, so you breathe through your mouth and sleep propped up with your head above your heart. Expect pressure and stuffiness more than pain; the pain relief your surgeon prescribes covers it. You stay in Istanbul, close to the hospital.
Days 4–7. Bruising around the eyes peaks, then starts to fade. You rest, walk gently, and avoid bending, lifting and blowing your nose. Around day 7 the cast and any internal splints come off at a check-up, and this is usually when you are cleared to fly home.
Weeks 2–3. Most bruising fades and most people return to desk work. Breathing through the nose gets easier as the internal swelling goes down, though it can still feel blocked at times.
Weeks 4–6. Swelling over the bridge settles and the outline becomes clearer. Strenuous exercise, contact sport and anything that risks a knock to the nose wait until this stage.
Months 6–18. Swelling can take up to 6 months to go down, and the tip keeps refining after that. Many patients notice they breathe better than they have in years once the inside of the nose has fully healed.
Risks and side effects
The risks mirror standard rhinoplasty — asymmetry, residual breathing change or a need for minor revision — with the airway work assessed carefully to protect the structural support of the nose. As always, a board-certified surgeon in an accredited hospital is the biggest factor in a good outcome. The ISAPS and BAAPS publish independent guidance worth reading first.
How much does septorhinoplasty cost in Turkey?
Through Alpha Clinic Turkey, septorhinoplasty starts at an indicative €3,000, all-inclusive. Combining the functional and cosmetic work in one operation means one anaesthetic, one hospital stay and one trip. Your firm price follows a partner surgeon’s review of your photos, your breathing symptoms and your goals.
There is no reliable published price for septorhinoplasty itself in the UK or the US, so the table compares against a primary cosmetic rhinoplasty. Adding septal and airway work makes the operation more complex, in Turkey and at home alike.
| Where | Indicative cost |
|---|---|
| Turkey (Alpha Clinic Turkey) | septorhinoplasty from €3,000, all-inclusive |
| United Kingdom | £4,000–£7,000 for a primary cosmetic rhinoplasty, usually excluding consultations and follow-up (NHS) |
| United States | about $6,000 average surgeon and facility fee for a primary cosmetic rhinoplasty, excluding anaesthesia, tests and garments (The Aesthetic Society) |
The home figures leave out items such as consultations, the anaesthetist’s fee or follow-up, which are already inside a Turkey package. For indicative prices across every procedure, see the plastic surgery cost guide.
What moves the price
€3,000 is where the range starts. These things decide where your own quote lands:
- How much reshaping you want. A small tip refinement alongside the septal work costs less than reducing a hump, narrowing the bridge and reshaping the tip together.
- The airway work. A simple septal deviation is the baseline. A badly twisted septum, or turbinates that also need reducing, adds surgical time.
- Cartilage grafts. When support has to be rebuilt with extra cartilage beyond what the septum provides, the price sits higher in the range.
- Previous nose surgery. If you have had an operation on your nose before, the case is planned as a revision rhinoplasty and quoted accordingly.
What the package includes
One price, agreed before you fly, covers the medical work and the trip around it:
- The surgery under general anaesthesia, by a board-certified surgeon in an accredited partner hospital with full anaesthetic cover
- The hospital stay and pre-operative checks: consultation, airway examination, blood tests and surgical planning
- Hotel accommodation near the hospital, with breakfast, for the nights you are in Istanbul
- VIP transfers between the airport, hotel and hospital, every leg pre-booked
- A dedicated coordinator and interpreter for the consultation, the consent process and surgery day
- Structured aftercare: cast and splint removal and a surgeon’s check before you fly, then remote follow-up from home
Flights, travel insurance, meals outside the hotel and personal spending are not included, and we tell you that before you book.
Why Alpha Clinic
Alpha Clinic Turkey has coordinated aesthetic care in Istanbul since 2012, matching patients to board-certified partner surgeons in accredited hospitals, with a written plan you approve and structured aftercare. Send photos and describe your breathing through the free consultation for an honest assessment, compare standard rhinoplasty or revision rhinoplasty, or see the full range on the plastic surgery hub.