Rhinoplasty (Nose Enhancement, Augmentation & Reduction)

Rhinoplasty, also called a nose job, is a very popular procedure that can make profound changes not only in the balance and proportions of facial features , but also in a person’s self esteem. The improvements that a plastic surgeon can make include decreasing or increasing the size of the nose,altering the tip or bridge of the nose, and narrowing or thinning the nostrils. If there are any internal structural problems such as a septal deviation or hypertrophy of the turbinates that create obstruction, those are taken care of at the same time. In most instances, the medical portions of the operation are covered by your health insurance.

Rhinoplasty candidates should beat least in their mid teens (14 to 15 for girls and 16 to 17 for boys ).At these ages, the nasal bone has matured and the shape of the nose has stabilized. A very common time for these surgeries seems to be between high school and college years.

The most important point is to end up with a very natural result to be admired, a result that does not look like a nose job. The appearance should prompt positive responses from the others on the attractiveness of the whole rather than the nose itself. Software is available to try to create and show patients what results are expected after surgery.

It takes the better part of one year before the results are final and rhinoplasty patients should have realistic expectations. Looking to as many pictures as possible prior to surgery is very helpful.

The surgery begins by making incisions inside the nostril and creating a space between the bone and the skin. One then proceeds to lowering the profile and reducing the overall size of the nasal pyramid. There are no external scars except when the nostrils are reduced in size.

After the surgery, swelling and bruising will last several days. By the time the splint is removed at one week, very little sign of the surgery remains.

Risks are bleeding, infection, scarring and possibility of secondary surgeries due to irregularities. In the best of hands, Rhinoplasty has a %10 rate of revision. It is technically the most difficult plastic surgery procedure to master , therefore it would behoove you to ask a lot of questions about the results of any particular surgeon.

There is a non surgical nose job also and that is done by using injectable fillers such as Radiesse to smoothen out the profile. While this procedure has limitations, it can be much more affordable than the standard rhinoplasty.