Facial Fat Grafting
Reshaping without destruction. Dr. Sturgill’s advanced techniques for a nose that looks natural - like you were born with it.
Midwest address
World-class technique
The Modern Standard in Rhinoplasty
You don't want a nose that looks "operated on." You want a nose that fits your face—refined, balanced, and natural.
A smoother profile, a more defined tip, improved breathing, and a result that doesn't announce itself as surgery. That is the goal of Dr. Sturgill's Scarless Preservation Rhinoplasty: to reshape your nose by preserving its natural structure, not dismantling and rebuilding it.
As a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon serving Carmel and Indianapolis, Dr. Sturgill approaches the nose as an architect, not a demolitionist. While traditional rhinoplasty often relies on breaking down the nose to build it back up, Dr. Sturgill specializes in advanced techniques that prioritize structural integrity.
Patients often arrive after extensive research—and many travel from out of state—because they are looking for a result that holds up over time and looks completely natural.
What Is Scarless Preservation Rhinoplasty?
To understand why this technique represents the evolution of modern rhinoplasty, you must distinguish between the approach (how we access the nose) and the technique (what we do inside). Dr. Sturgill combines the best of both.
The "Scarless" (Closed) Approach
In the majority of rhinoplasties performed today—Open Rhinoplasty—the surgeon makes an incision across the columella (the strip of tissue between the nostrils) and peels the skin back to expose the skeleton.
Dr. Sturgill specializes in the Closed (Endonasal) approach.
No External Scars: All incisions are hidden inside the nostrils. There is no external cut on the columella.
Undisturbed Blood Supply: Because the skin is never lifted off the tip, the vascular network and lymphatic drainage remain intact.
Faster Healing: Less soft tissue disruption means less swelling and a quicker return to social life.
The "Preservation" Philosophy
Traditional rhinoplasty is "reductive"—it involves cutting away bone and cartilage to make the nose smaller. This approach dismantles the nose's natural support system: ligaments are severed, cartilage connections are separated, and the skeleton is reconstructed piece by piece. While skilled surgeons can achieve good results, this disruption can lead to collapse, pinching, or breathing problems years later as scar tissue contracts and weakened structures give way.
Preservation Rhinoplasty takes a fundamentally different approach: work with the nose's architecture, not against it.
Rather than dismantling and rebuilding, Dr. Sturgill reshapes the nose while keeping its critical support structures intact:
Before & After Gallery
You can read about technique all day, but the truth is in the outcomes.
Revision Rhinoplasty
Expert Solutions for Complex Cases
Rhinoplasty is widely considered the most difficult operation in plastic surgery. A significant portion of Dr. Sturgill's practice is dedicated to Revision Rhinoplasty —correcting the results of prior surgeries performed elsewhere.
Common Concerns Dr. Sturgill Corrects:
The "Scooped" Profile: Over-aggressive removal of the bridge.
Tip Collapse: Pinching or asymmetry caused by weakened cartilage.
Breathing Obstruction: Valve collapse or scar tissue blocking airflow.
Pollybeak Deformity: Fullness above the tip creating a bird-beak appearance.
Why Revision Requires a Different Approach
While Dr. Sturgill specializes in the closed preservation approach for primary rhinoplasty, revision cases are different. Previous surgery alters the anatomy—scar tissue, missing cartilage, and disrupted tissue planes often make the open approach necessary.
Dr. Sturgill is equally proficient in the open (external) approach, which provides direct visualization of the altered framework. This allows precise assessment of what was done, controlled placement of structural grafts (from septum, ear, or rib), and meticulous correction of asymmetries that would be difficult to address through a closed technique.
The right approach depends on what your nose needs—not a one-size-fits-all philosophy. That surgical judgment is what distinguishes an experienced revision surgeon
Complementary Procedures
The nose does not exist in isolation—it must harmonize with the rest of the face. Dr. Sturgill often combines rhinoplasty with other procedures to create balanced, comprehensive results.
-
A rhinoplasty can make a beautiful nose look even better, but the final “wow” often comes from improving overall facial balance. A small or under-projected chin can make the nose look larger than it really is, especially on profile view. Chin augmentation (with an implant or filler, depending on goals) strengthens the lower face so the nose reads as more proportional and refined.
When the chin is brought into better alignment with the lips and nasal tip, the entire profile looks cleaner and more athletic. This is one of the most powerful “multiplier” procedures to enhance a rhinoplasty result because it changes the way the nose is perceived without needing to over-reduce the nose itself.
-
Rhinoplasty is a central facial procedure, but your eyes and brain judge the face as a whole. If the neck and jawline have laxity, banding, or heavy tissue under the chin, even an excellent rhinoplasty can get visually “lost” because the profile lacks definition below it. A neck lift restores a crisp cervicomental angle and a stronger jawline, which frames the nose and makes the profile look more elegant and intentional.
For the right candidate, pairing a refined nose with a tighter, more defined neck produces a balanced, youthful contour from forehead to collarbone. The nose doesn’t have to do all the work when the neck and jawline are cleaned up.
-
Submental liposuction targets fullness under the chin and along the upper neck. Even a modest amount of excess fat in this area can blunt the jawline and soften the profile, which can make the nose seem more prominent. By reducing that fullness, the lower face becomes sharper, and the nose looks more proportionate in side view.
This is a great option for patients who have good skin elasticity and mainly need debulking, not tightening. It’s a straightforward way to improve the profile “frame” around a rhinoplasty result.
-
A common misconception is that facial aesthetics are only about reduction. In reality, strategic restoration can be just as important. Fat grafting can add soft, natural volume to areas like the cheeks, temples, under-eyes, and around the mouth to create smoother transitions and healthier contours—especially when facial volume loss makes the nose look more dominant.
When the midface is better supported, the nose looks less like it’s sitting on a flat canvas and more like it belongs to a balanced, three-dimensional face. The end result is often a more harmonious, refined look without over-operating on the nose.
-
Buccal fat reduction can sharpen the lower cheek and highlight natural facial structure in carefully selected patients. When the cheeks are overly full, the face can look heavier through the mid-to-lower third, and the nose may feel visually “out of place” or too central. Subtle debulking in the right candidate can create better definition and improve facial proportions around the nose.
The key is nuance and candidacy. Done conservatively and for the right anatomy, it can enhance the overall contour and help the rhinoplasty result look even more refined and balanced.
-
The relationship between the nose and upper lip is one of the most important aesthetic pairings on the face. A long upper lip or limited tooth show can make the center of the face look elongated, which can pull attention back to the nose—even after a great rhinoplasty. A lip lift shortens the upper lip, improves tooth show, and creates a more youthful, attractive mouth-nose relationship.
For the right patient, this combination can be transformative because it balances the entire central face, not just the nasal shape. The nose looks more natural in its new form when the upper lip position and proportions match it.
Click Here to Learn More about Lip Lifts
-
People don’t look at a rhinoplasty result in isolation—they take in the whole face, and the eyes are the first place attention goes. If the upper lids are heavy or the lower lids look tired, patients may still feel they “look older” even with a refined nose. Eyelid surgery can brighten the eyes and restore a more rested, youthful expression, which makes the rhinoplasty result feel more complete.
When the eyes look open and refreshed, the nose reads as part of a cohesive facial improvement rather than a single change. This is especially true in profile and three-quarter views, where the harmony between the nasal bridge, under-eye contour, and cheek support matters.
Click Here to Learn More about Eyelid Surgery
Why Patients Choose Dr. Sturgill
Patients travel to Carmel from across the country for Dr. Sturgill’s care. They choose him for three specific reasons:
Specialization: He is a double board certified facial plastic surgeon. He focuses exclusively on the face and neck, performing rhinoplasty at a volume that ensures consistency and mastery.
Truth & Transparency: No sales pressure. No "magic" wands. Just honest assessments of what anatomy and surgery can achieve.
The "Unoperated" Look: His aesthetic goal is for you to look like yourself—just rested, refined, and restored.
Schedule Your Consultation
The consultation is where Dr. Sturgill evaluates your anatomy and builds a surgical plan around your specific goals.
Virtual consultations are available for out-of-town patients.
Read what Real Patients have to say about Dr. Sturgill
Ready to take the next step? 
Your consultation is a planning session - not a sales pitch.
What to expect at your consultation:
Dr. Sturgill will evaluate your facial anatomy, discuss your goals, and give you an honest assessment of what surgery can—and cannot—achieve. You will leave with a clear understanding of whether this procedure is right for you.
Review your concerns and goals in detail
Receive a facial analysis with personalized surgical plan
See before-and-after photos of what YOU will look like after surgery
Have all your questions answered directly
Consultations typically last around 45 minutes.
Your Questions, Answered
-
Closed preservation rhinoplasty is a technique that reshapes the nose while protecting key natural support structures. “Closed” means the incisions are hidden inside the nostrils. “Preservation” means we keep and refine what you were born with—rather than aggressively removing cartilage and bone and then rebuilding from scratch. The goal is a nose that looks naturally improved and stays strong and stable long-term.
-
For the right candidate, the big advantages are:
No external incision (all incisions are internal)
Less swelling and faster recovery
Less disruption of tip support in many cases, which helps maintain a natural look
A smoother, more “born-with-it” result because the nose is refined, not over-altered
Better long-term stability by respecting native anatomy and structural support
Technique matters, but candidacy matters more. Preservation is powerful when it’s the right tool for the job.
-
You may be a strong candidate if you want a natural-looking refinement—such as smoothing a dorsal hump, improving a slightly droopy or under-defined tip, or narrowing/straightening the nose—without looking “operated.” Candidates often have solid baseline structure and want a balanced improvement rather than a dramatic transformation. During your consult, Dr. Sturgill will evaluate your skin thickness, cartilage strength, nasal airflow, and whether preservation techniques will predictably get you the result you want.
-
That’s the whole point. The best rhinoplasty is the one nobody can spot—people just think you look better. A closed preservation strategy is designed to create a result that fits your face, preserves your identity, and avoids the classic “rhinoplasty look.” You should look like you—just more harmonious and refined.
-
If breathing is part of the issue, it should be addressed deliberately—not ignored. Many patients have structural factors like septal deviation or valve weakness that contribute to obstruction. When indicated, functional improvements can be built into the surgical plan so the nose looks better and functions better—without sacrificing long-term support.
-
Most patients describe discomfort as mild—more congestion and pressure than actual pain. The nose will feel stuffy for the first week, similar to a head cold. Pain medication is provided but many patients use only over-the-counter options.
Call or Text - We are here to help!