Nose Procedures

Rhinoplasty is a procedure performed on patients who wish to balance their facial features by changing the appearance of their nose. This may include increasing or decreasing the size of the nose or making changes to the tip, bridge or nostrils. While rhinoplasty is commonly requested for cosmetic reasons, it can also fix structural defects of the nose caused by deformity or traumatic accidents.

You are an ideal candidate for rhinoplasty surgery if you are at least in your mid teens – 17 for boys and slightly younger for girls. This is when the nasal bone and shape of the nose has completely matured. It’s important that you have realistic expectations for your rhinoplasty. You will have the opportunity to discuss your expectations in detail with your surgeon before the surgery during your consultation.

To prepare for your rhinoplasty, be sure to fill all your pain medications prior to surgery day. It’s also best to arrange for a friend or family member to drive you to and from your surgery. Being aware of the physical change that is going to take place will help you to mentally prepare for the procedure as well. 

Although it’s possible to have a rhinoplasty using just local anesthetics, that approach is not recommended unless you have a problem with general anesthesia. On the day of surgery, your surgeon will go over the basic information you need to know and then the nurses will prep you for surgery and give you anesthesia. 

After you are under, your surgeon will make a small z-shaped incision between your two nostrils. Then, they will make a few more incisions inside your nose, just inside the nostrils, which will enable them to detach the skin of your nose from all the tissues underneath. The advantage of this method, which is called an intra-nasal rhinoplasty and was first performed in the USA by Dr. John Roe in 1887, is that it leaves no scars that are visible except a z-scar between the two nostrils. Then, the surgeon has a clear field to work on your nose because they can directly visualize all the tissues that needs to be corrected.

Once the underlying tissues are exposed, the surgeon will remove the cartilage and/or bone necessary to straighten your nose in a manner that the two of you decided. They may use a scalpel, chisel and hammer, or rasp to get the job done, depending on which tissue they are remodeling. You want a surgeon who has done hundreds of these procedures because practice makes almost-perfect. Young plastic surgeons that are learning this procedure first practice on cadavers. They subsequently move on to patients in hospitals who are volunteers without means to pay. If you are paying for this procedure, you want the best possible surgeon in your area with lots of experience. 

All the surgeons we recommend have been checked out, not just in terms of their credentials but also in terms of their positive and negative experiences. With this procedure, after a plastic surgeon has mastered the art and science of remodeling a great nose, there should never be errors that are due to technique. It cannot always be predicted exactly how a body will heal, or if an infection will create a problem. However, the competence of a plastic surgeon can be predicted based on their last five to 10 years of surgical experience. We will not recommend any surgeon who has had malpractice suits that they lost because of incompetence or negligence. This is important for you because it is extremely difficult to sue a plastic surgeon successfully for a rhinoplasty you do not like. Lawsuits against plastic surgeons are never won because you do not like the results, they can only be won if there is indeed a case of malpractice due to a medical error. Find a qualified rhinoplasty surgeon near you today.