What is a rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty is the medical term for surgery that improves the appearance of your nose. Noses come in all shapes and sizes. The way your nose looks can be related to your ethnicity or sometimes it’s a nose that “runs in the family”. Other times it can be due to a previous injury to the nose or it could have existed since birth. Some common reasons why a person doesn’t like the look of their nose include: a “hump” on the nose, a crooked nose, a bulbous nose, or a nose that is too wide, too flat or downturned. A rhinoplasty can also be done to improve your breathing.
What are the benefits of a rhinoplasty procedure?
There can be many goals of rhinoplasty but two common ones are to:
- Make your nose look more aesthetically pleasing in regards to shape, size or proportion
- Help you to breathe better
- Both of the above
How much does a rhinoplasty cost?
Because your rhinoplasty will be specifically tailored to your needs, the cost of rhinoplasty will vary by individual. During your consultation you will talk about your goals and our surgeon will give you their thoughts on what type of surgery would best achieve those goals. After the consultation, you will be meeting with our Cosmetic Coordinator to receive your quote.
Receiving financing is an important part of most people’s surgical plan. We are experts in getting you the financing you need.
How is a rhinoplasty procedure performed?
Rhinoplasty can take anywhere from approximately 2-4 hrs. The kind of nasal surgery that you have can be very different from person to person, depending on your needs. The type of surgery can vary from relatively simple to complex reconstructions.
If you look at the anatomy of the nose, you will see that it is made of skin, cartilage and bone. You may need reshaping of one of those components or all three.
There are many things that your surgeon could do to improve the appearance of your nose. Just a few are: shaving down the bony hump on the bridge of the nose, reshape the cartilage to go from “hooked” to straight or slightly upturned, cartilage can be removed to decrease a bulbous tip of the nose, the skin can be modified to narrow the base of the nose or change the appearance of the nostrils, fillers can be added to raise the height of the nasal bridge.
Rhinoplasty is the kind of surgery that requires a high level of artistry and skill. Make sure that you understand what your surgeon plans to do during surgery so that you know what to expect afterwards.
How is the recovery process?
In order for this surgery to be successful, it is very important that you follow your surgeon’s exact after-surgery instructions. You might have packing in the nose. If you do, your surgeon will let you know when he or she will remove it. You may have a plastic-like shield or special taping of the nose. You should leave everything “as-is” until instructed by your surgeon.
You may feel quite congested initially, but that should gradually improve.
Also, the nose tends to have noticeable swelling longer than other parts of your body. You should expect that it can take weeks to months for the swelling to subside. The more complex your surgery, the longer your nose will be swollen. Ask your surgeon for what you can expect in terms of swelling in your particular case.
What are the common risks & complications?
It’s uncommon, but all surgery has its risks, including rhinoplasty surgery.
Bleeding
It is normal to have a little bleeding from your incisions or from the inside of your nose but sometimes there can be larger bleeding that may require intervention.
Asymmetry
No nose is completely symmetric, just as no part of the body is completely the same from side to side. Most people have slight variations in their nose to begin with and some of these variations may not be able to be changed.
Scarring
After the surgery, it is natural for some degree of scar tissue to form. Everyone will scar the way their genetics dictate, and this varies from person to person. If the scarring is excessive, additional surgery may be required to improve it.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Am I going to look like a different person after rhinoplasty surgery?
A: The nose is front and center on your face. Because of this, changes in the nose can change the way that you look. For most people, their goal is to look like a better version of themself, not to look like a different person. We understand that, so our surgeons will take special care to sculpt the nose to be in harmony with the rest of your face. Be sure to talk with your surgeon in detail, so you understand what your results might look like.
Q: How much time is needed for rhinoplasty surgery?
A: Approximately 2-4 hours, depending on complexity.
Q: Is rhinoplasty surgery an inpatient or outpatient surgery?
A: Outpatient.
Q: How long will it take for me to see the final result?
A: This is an important thing to ask your surgeon because this will be affected by how much and what kind of surgery was performed. Even if your surgeon gives you their best estimate, your actual healing time can be quite different, since this can vary widely from person to person. In general, though, the nose can stay swollen to some degree for a while.
Q: What is recovery like? Is it painful?
A: Patients usually describe the recovery as being a bit uncomfortable due to the congested-feeling in the beginning but not really painful.
How do I schedule an appointment?
Our surgeons would love to meet and go over everything you need to know about rhinoplasty surgery with you. Just give us a call at 951-699-9201 or use the link below. We look forward to meeting you soon!
