Rhinoplasty at a Glance

Rhinoplasty: Face the World with Confidence

Before you go through a nose job, we will show you what you need to know about science’s most popular cosmetic procedure.

Rhinoplasty, commonly referred to as a “nose job”, is one of the most popular forms of plastic surgery. Used to reconstruct or repair the the nose, rhinoplasty is performed on individuals who wish to change their appearance, either in subtle or dramatic form, or for those who require plastic surgery in order to repair damage suffered in an accident.

Understandably, many patients are concerned about their decision to have plastic surgery. In addition, they may have a lot of questions suround the procedure itself. If you’re interested to get a nose job, here are some answers to some of your questions:

Where are the incisions placed during nose surgery?

In general, most or all of the incisions in rhinoplasty are hidden in the inside of the nostril. While external incisions hidden in the creases where the nost meets the cheek can be used to narrow the nose, incisions on the bridge or tip are not usually used in cosmetic surgery of the nose.

How long does rhinoplastic or nose surgery take and what kind of anesthesia is used?

Usually, Rhinoplasty takes from one to three hours depending on the complexity of the condition of the nose. Most patients have sedation prior to and during the procedure while some patients request a general anesthesia. Nearly all rhinoplasty operations are done as outpatient surgeries.

What are the risks of rhinoplasty?

It is possible to develop tiny red mark and “spots”, as a result of blood vessels that may have burst under the skin’s surface during the surgery. While this is extremely infrequent, it can happen and the “spots” may never go away. Scarring is minimal if the incisions are made inside of the nose; however when an “open” technique is used, or if narrowing of the nostrils in desired, the scars made on the outside of the nose may be visible for an undetermined amount of time. Some patients will lose their sense of smell, temporarily. Your nose may be swollen for up to a year. Scar tissue may heal month and a half, although patients report no serious pain or discomfort.

Will there be a lot of bruising afterwards, and how long will it last?

This depends again on how complex the procedure is, but in general most patients experience five to seven days of purple discoloration and swelling around the eyes and upper cheeks. The nose itself will be swollen for around ten to fourteen days or longer, but subtle resolution of the swelling of the tip of the nose can take many months after the rhinoplasty or nose surgery to go away.

What will my nose look like after surgery?

Rhinoplasty is typically designed to reduce excess cartilage and bone in the nose, removing irregularities and bumps to give a straightened, smooth and, usually, smaller appearance. Adding tissue to enhance certain features of the nose can also occur. The overall trend in modern Rhinoplasty is away from over-reduction of tissue that can reduce the ability to breathe through the nose and towards individualized treatment of each segment of the nose to give a balanced and refined look without compromising function.

Will my nose grow after the rhinoplasty surgery?

Our noses tend to elongate as we enter the middle years of our life and drooping of the tip of the nose can occur in the later years as elasticity disappears from the body. While undergoing a cosmetic rhinoplasty as a teenager or young adult will not prevent the effects of aging on the nose, the final shape that results from this surgery is expected to last a lifetime and regrowth of bumps and deformities corrected by the operation is a rare occurence.