Considering Rhinoplasty? Your Personal Consultation

During the initial consultation, you may be asked to look in a mirror and point out exactly what you would like to see improved. This will help your plastic surgeon to understand your expectations and determine whether they can realistically be achieved.

Am I a good candidate for rhinoplasty?

Some of the indications that you may be a good candidate for rhinoplasty are:

• your nose appears too large for your face
• there is a bump on the nasal bridge when viewed in profile
• your nose seems too wide when viewed from the front
• the nasal tip droops or plunges
• the tip is thickened or enlarged
• your nostrils are excessively flared
• your nose is off-center or crooked
• previous injury has made your nose asymmetrical

It is important that you have a clear idea of how you would like your nose to look and, at the same time, realize that there are limitations to the procedure. Patients with sufficient physical and emotional maturity who undergo rhinoplasty because they want to enhance their self-image are usually very satisfied with their decision.

Your plastic surgeon can provide further information if you have an interest in any of these additional procedures.

Plastic surgeons usually recommend that patients wait until they are at least 14 or 15, and possibly older for boys, before undergoing rhinoplasty. This is because the nose may not be fully developed at a younger age. If you are a teen, your plastic surgeon will want to be certain that you have thought carefully about surgery and that the desire to change your appearance is based on your own feelings rather than those of your parents or friends.

Assuming you are in good health, there is no upper age limit for having your nose reshaped. Rhinoplasty is sometimes performed in conjunction with a facelift or other rejuvenate surgery to correct aging changes of the nose such as a drooping tip.

Sometimes certain breathing problems related to the internal nasal structures can be corrected at the same time as nose reshaping is performed. Your plastic surgeon will be able to help you determine whether these structures should be modified along with reshaping your nose.

How Rhinoplasty is Performed

Because of individual factors, not everyone will achieve the same results from rhinoplasty. Your surgeon's goal is to obtain the best possible results for you.

Where are the rhinoplasty incisions placed?

Alterations may be made to increase or decrease the nasal bridge, reduce the size or width of the nose, narrow the nostrils, change the angle between the nose and upper lip, or reshape the tip.

The surgical techniques employed will depend primarily on the goals established by you and your plastic surgeon. In many instances, all of the incisions will be placed inside your nose, where they will not be visible. If the base of the nose is narrowed or the nostrils reduced, small wedges of skin at the base of the nostrils will be removed. Incisions are hidden in the natural crease where the nostril joins the cheek.

Sometimes a very short incision is made across the vertical strip of tissue that separates the nostrils, called the columella. This technique is called an "open rhinoplasty." Whatever incisions are used to reshape your nose, they will ultimately be very inconspicuous.