The nose is the most defining characteristic of the face; therefore, nothing has a greater impact on how a person looks than the size and shape of the nose. Even minor changes in nasal shape can greatly improve one’s appearance. Altering the appearance of the nose may be something you have wanted to do for a long time. You may be dissatisfied with the nose you were born with or the way it has changed with aging or secondary to injury. Rhinoplasty surgery to treat your cosmetic concerns may also be combined with surgery to address your functional concerns, such as trouble breathing through the nose or chronic sinus infections.

Rhinoplasty surgery may be performed under general anesthesia or “twilight sleep” using local anesthesia and IV sedation. The majority of incisions are within the nose where they are invisible, but there may be a small incision in the area of skin separating the nostrils, where it is inconspicuous. The underlying structure of the nose is then recontoured by removing, adding to, or reshaping underlying bone and cartilage. The tip of the nose can be narrowed by sculpting the cartilage in this area. The angle of the nose with the upper lip can also be adjusted to provide a more youthful appearance.

 

A splint will be in place on the nose for one week after surgery to reduce swelling and provide protection and stability. There may be splints inside the nose if septal surgery is performed. Infrequently packing may be used in the nose postoperatively, but if used, it is usually removed the day after surgery. Patients usually take a week to recover from this surgery. Typical recovery includes some discomfort, which is controlled with medication, some temporary swelling and bruising around the eyes, possible oozing of blood from the nose for a day or so, and some nasal congestion for a week. When the splints come off the nose at a week there will still be some swelling on the nose but we can usually see the nice results coming through.  There will be subtle improvements in the appearance of the nose as swelling continues to subside throughout the entire first year, but the majority of change is within the first few weeks to a month.

 

At the time of your consultation photographs will usually be taken and computer imaging performed to show the potential surgical changes. Computer imaging is not an implied guarantee of result; but serves as a useful tool between the surgeon and patient to see what changes the patient would like and what results the surgeon thinks are possible. This assures that the surgeon and patient are on the same page as far as the goals of surgery.