Nose Reshaping (Rhinoplasty)
What is rhinoplasty?
Who is a good candidate?
Risks
Preparing for rhinoplasty
Recovery
What is rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty -- surgery to reshape the nose --
is one of the most common cosmetic surgery procedures.
When the doctor makes small incisions at the
base of the nose, the procedure is called an
open rhinoplasty. When the surgeon performs
the surgery from the inside of the nose, it
is a closed rhinoplasty. Depending on the changes
you want, the type of surgery you undergo will
vary. Most people want to change the upper part
of the nose, the tip or even both.
Even though the nose may seem to be a fairly
simple facial structure, it is actually quite
complex. The upper part of the nose is made
up of a series of small bones, while the midsection
of the nose and the tip are cartilage.
Who is a good candidate?
You may think your nose is too large, too
small, too wide or undesirable in some other
way. Perhaps your nose was injured in an accident.
If you're unhappy or self-conscious about your
nose, and have felt this way for a long time,
nose surgery may help you feel better about
yourself. Of all patients undergoing cosmetic
surgery, those who choose nose surgery are among
those most pleased with their appearance change.
In addition, if you have breathing problems
related to your nose's internal structure, rhinoplasty
may improve your breathing. In some cases, insurance
companies will pay for this portion of the surgery,
but will not pa
In addition, if you have breathing problems
related to your nose's internal structure, rhinoplasty
may improve your breathing. In some cases, insurance
companies will pay for this portion of the surgery,
but won't pay for the cosmetic part.
If you're interested in rhinoplasty, talk to
a qualified plastic surgeon about what he or
she recommends.
Risks
Every type of surgery has risks,
but you can usually help prevent complications
by carefully following your physician's instructions.
It's important to talk with your plastic surgeon
before surgery to be sure you understand the
potential risks and complications. If you don't
understand something, ask!
The techniques surgeons use for rhinoplasty
minimize the risk of scarring. Any scars from
closed rhinoplasty will be hidden inside the
nose. Scars from open rhinoplasty will be small
and difficult to see.
Occasionally, small red spots, which are tiny
broken blood vessels, appear on the nose after
surgery. These spots occur unpredictably, and,
while they're minor, are permanent. Sometimes,
even in the hands of an experienced surgeon,
you may find after nose surgery that you want
a minor revision to complete the alteration.
Preparing for rhinoplasty
If you smoke, your doctor will ask you to stop
one or two weeks before your procedure. He or
she may also ask you to discontinue or even
start taking certain medications and supplements.
Recovery
Even though most nose surgery is done in an
outpatient setting, you'll have anesthesia,
so you'll need someone to drive you home. If
you're having additional surgery at the same
time, your doctor may want you to stay overnight
or have someone stay with you for a few days
when you get home.
Each person heals differently, but most people
need one to two weeks to recover from rhinoplasty.
After surgery, you may have gauze packing in
your nose and a splint for a few days until
the nose bones stabilize. You'll also see bruising
around your eyes and cheeks for one to three
weeks. Although you may feel well, you may not
want to return to work for a week until the
bruises fade. Your doctor will let you know
when you can return to your regular exercise
routines, but it will probably be two to three
weeks until you've healed adequately.
It may be a full year before you see the complete
results of nose surgery, because this part of
the face heals slowly.
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