Rhinoplasty

What is rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty, sometimes referred to as a “nose job” or “nose reshaping” by patients, enhances facial harmony and the proportions of your nose. It can also correct impaired breathing caused by structural defects in the nose.

Rhinoplasty can treat:

• Nose size in relation to facial balance;
• Nose width at the bridge;
• Nose profile with visible humps or depressions on the bridge;
• Nasal tip that is enlarged or bulbous, drooping, upturned or hooked
• Nostrils that are large, wide or upturned
• Nasal asymmetry

If the desire is a more symmetrical nose, keep in mind that everyone’s face is asymmetric to some degree. Results may not be completely symmetric, although the goal is to create facial balance and correct proportion.

The first step

The medical appointment is the first step and it is the time to discuss why you want to have this surgery, your expectations and the desired outcome.

At this stage the patient should report his health history, previous surgeries, current medications and the use of alcohol or tobacco. It is also important for the patient to report any breathing difficulty and if there is any relation with some activity, weather change and if only one or both sides of the nostril is affected.

It’s very important to understand all aspects of your rhinoplasty procedure. It’s natural to feel some anxiety, whether it’s excitement for your anticipated new look or a bit of preoperative stress.

Procedure steps

The surgery may be performed under general anesthesia or intravenous sedation. Each case is individually analyzed to recommend the best choice.

Rhinoplasty is performed either using a closed procedure, where incisions are hidden inside the nose, or an open procedure, the most common nowadays, where an incision is made across the columella, the narrow strip of tissue that separates the nostrils. Through these incisions, the skin that covers the nasal bones and cartilages is gently raised, allowing access to reshape the structure of the nose.

An overly large nose may be reduced by removing bone or cartilage. Sometimes surgery of the nose may require the addition of cartilage grafts. Most commonly, cartilage from the septum is used for this purpose. Occasionally cartilage from the ear or rarely a section of rib cartilage can be used.

Once the underlying structure of the nose is sculpted to the desired shape, nasal skin and tissue is redraped and incisions are closed. Additional incisions may be placed in the natural creases of the nostrils to alter their size.

During rhinoplasty recovery, a splint and/or packing may be placed inside the nose and a splint or bandages placed on the outside to support and protect the new structures during initial healing.

While initial swelling subsides within a few weeks, it may take up to a year for the new nasal contour to fully refine. During this time patients may notice gradual changes in the appearance of the nose as it refines to a more permanent outcome.

Source: www.plasticsurgery.org