A rhinoplasty is the surgical changing of the nose using special plastic surgery techniques. It can improve an individual’s self esteem by bringing a large nose or one with bumps back into the right proportion to the face. You can increase or decrease the size of the nose and you can change its features with a rhinoplasty.
What is a Nose Job?
A nose job or rhinoplasty is a type of plastic surgery that is able to correct defects of the nose or can perhaps aesthetically change the appearance of the nose.
Who can have a rhinoplasty?
Your nose doesn’t fully develop until you reach 14–15 years of age for girls and a few years older than that for boys. This is when the cartilage has finally matured enough to have the nose surgery done. You need to be in good physical health to have a rhinoplasty and you need to have realistic expectations about what you can expect after having surgery.
The Cost of Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty costs vary from region to region so talk to your plastic surgeon about what such a procedure should cost. Don’t forget the anesthesia costs and the costs of the preoperative evaluation and prescription drugs. You can get typically get financing through your doctor’s office.
Benefits and Risks of Rhinoplasty
You can get bleeding, swelling or an infection after having a rhinoplasty. You also may not be happy with the results. Be prepared for the fact that the nose you expected will not be the nose you finally get.
Getting Ready for a Rhinoplasty
Quit smoking two weeks ahead of the procedure and don’t take Aspirin for a week prior to surgery. Get your pain medications in advance of the surgery so that you can start taking them soon after you get home from the hospital. Make sure you have a driver to take you to and from the procedure. Get a preoperative examination within a week of the procedure.
What’s the procedure like?
The doctor will make an incision on the columella that separates the nostrils or on either side of the nose. The nose is shaped with tools by the plastic surgeon and the skin is replaced to its normal position. The skin is stitched together and you’re done. Your nose will be sore after the procedure and there will be some swelling and bruising. You can get black eyes after having the surgery. Use cold packs on your nose to prevent a lot of swelling from occurring.
Results of the Rhinoplasty
In some cases, the change is subtle but makes a big difference in how you look. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about how your rhinoplasty will look. If there are mistakes, a revision rhinoplasty is used to fix an unacceptable outcome. You need to let the skin and tissues heal first before undergoing a revision rhinoplasty.
Having a Nose Job without Surgery
Some doctors do non-surgical rhinoplasties by injecting filler into specific areas of the nose to create a different effect. This is especially true if you need a bigger nose or a nose with a different shape. Minor deformities of the nose can be corrected using this procedure.
