Every year, half a million people who are interested in improving the appearance of their nose seek a consultation with a Facial Plastic Surgeon. Some are unhappy with the nose they were born with, and some with the way aging has changed their nose. For others, breathing may be a problem, or an injury may have distorted the nose. Cosmetic nose surgery, also known as rhinoplasty, can improve the appearance and proportion of your nose – enhancing facial harmony and self-confidence. Nose surgery may also improve a breathing problem or correct abnormalities caused by trauma or a birth defect, and the procedure can change your nose’s overall size, tip, bridge and nostrils.
RHINOPLASTY CANDIDATES
You may be a good candidate for rhinoplasty if:
- Your facial growth is complete; this growth period normally occurs from ages 14 to 15 for girls and somewhat later for boys.
- You are physically healthy.
- You don’t smoke.
- You have a positive outlook and realistic goals in mind for the improvement of your appearance.
SOME OF THE NOSE TYPES FOR RHINOPLASTY
Irregular Nasal Tip
Your nasal tip sits right at the end of your nose, and in some people, one side of their nasal tip looks different from the other. For example, one side may be bigger, smaller, higher, lower or slightly twisted to one side.
Since the shape of the tip of your nose is largely dependent upon the underlying cartilage, irregular looking tips usually occur as a result of your genetics or an injury.
Crooked Nose
A crooked nose occurs as a result of the nasal bones and/or nasal septum not lying squarely down the midline of the face. As a result, the nose looks as though it’s leaning to one side.
Wide Nose
There are several factors which make a wide nose. Maybe the skin around your nose is very thick or your nose is wide due to its underlying bone structure.
Big Nose
Most large noses have an underlying bone structure which makes them relatively easy to reshape. However, it is important to remember that if you do have a large nose, a rhinoplasty surgeon will not necessarily be able to give you an extremely small nose.
Some people may develop a big nose later in life, such as those suffering from advanced stages of rosacea. In such cases, much more surgery will be required to reshape the nose.
Small Nose
Not everyone wants a smaller nose. For example, if you have an accident where the bridge of your nose has been crushed, or you naturally have a low nasal profile, you may wish to increase the size of your nose to make it look more aesthetically pleasing.
Long Nose
A long nose usually looks normal when you view it from the front, but from a side view, the excessive length becomes obvious. This can make a person feel very self-conscious when people are looking at them from the side.
Shorten a long nose can be done by reducing the length of the underlying cartilage, shortening the nasal septum or by removing skin within the nostrils.
Nasal Hump
Bumps on the nose can occur as a result of injury or because of your genes, with the latter being the most common cause.
Wide Nostrils
This type of rhinoplasty is sometimes referred to as “ethnic rhinoplasty”. To reduce the width of the nostrils, a plastic surgeon will most likely make a Weir excision. This involves removing tissue from the base of your nostrils where they attach to your cheeks.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING A RHINOPLASTY OPERATION?
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- The first step of the procedure is to administer the anaesthesia; this is done before the actual operation begins. There are two forms available; the first is intravenous anaesthetic, the second is a general anaesthetic. Which you will be given depends on the procedure you will be having and which is the most suitable for you.
- The second step is to make the first incision, once this is done, the surgeon can then access the cartilage and tissue that they will need to reshape. You need to remember that if you are having closed surgery then the incision will be made inside the nose, while if you are having open surgery then the incision will be both inside and out the nose.
- Once the incision(s) has been made, the surgeon will then perform the procedure of taking out what needs to be taken out and putting in what needs to be put in. This is the most complicated part of the procedure as this step is unique to each patient with terms to what they need to have done. Once all this has been done there is then the possibility of reshaping any parts of the nose that are causing problems to breathing. This is known as fixing a deviated septum and will only occur if your surgeon has spoken to you about it before hand and you have both agreed that it is what you need.
- Finally there is the closing of the incisions. Once all the work has been done the surgeon will stitch back together the skin and close the incision.
HEALING PROCESS AND RESULT OF RHINOPLASTY
Healing process of rhinoplasty happen in two stages:
Stage 1: initial recuperation
Visible swelling and bruising happen immediately after the operation. You should expect to see the initial, obvious post-surgical effegenerally subside somewhere between two to four weeks after surgery. Most patients are ready to return to work within two weeks; any residual bruising can be covered with concealer or bronzer.
Stage 2: long-term healing
The final stage involves watching your rhinoplasty results come to fruition as you complete the healing process. At about three months, most people see what could be called a “semifinal” result, and the vast majority of swelling will have disappeared. It isn’t until a full year after surgery that nose reshaping results are truly definitive.
The results of rhinoplasty are permanent, except for possible changes associated with the aging process.