Rhinoplasty or NoseJob

Nose surgery / Nose Job is commonly requested by both men and women. Plastic surgery can correct the obvious deformities, nose blockage and can also refine the nose.

You can opt for this Rhinoplasty surgery if:

• Your nose appears too large for your face.
• The nasal bridge is depressed.
• 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.
• The previous injury has made your nose asymmetrical.

Anaesthesia: General / Local
Surgery Time: 1-3hours
Hospital Stay: Discharge same day or next day
Stitches: Usually none or removed in 5 days. Splint on nose for five days
Recovery: Walking and dinner same day
Self Care: Same day
Work: Back to work in 7-10 days
Sports: 3 months

What is the right age for nose surgery?

Nose surgery/ rhinoplasty surgery is done after 15 years in girls and 16 in boys when the nose growth is complete. There is no upper age limit.

Are there going to be visible scars on the nose?

Nose surgery can be done through cuts inside the nose (closed rhinoplasty surgery). Sometimes cuts are made on outside but in such places where the scar is not visible. You can discuss that in person.

How is the nose surgery done?

Usually, through the small hidden incision, work is done on the cartilage and bone that form the framework of your nose. The skin and soft tissues then redrape themselves over this new framework.

There are different techniques for different purposes like:
1.For making the upper nose narrow: In fracturing of nasal bones, pushing them inwards.
2. For removing the hump on Nose: Excess bone/cartilage is shaved off.
3. For elevating the nose Bridge: Silicone implant/cartilage graft is placed on the nose bridge under the skin.
4. For flared nostrils and broad lower nose: Alar excision-small wedges of skin, as shown, are removed to narrow the base of the nose or reduce the width of the nostrils.
5. For the bulky tip: Tip reduction- the cartilages that make the tip, are made smaller and shapely, fat is removed.
6. For tip shaping: Cartilage graft from the septum of the nose or ear is placed inside the tip.

I understand that every surgical procedure has risks. What are the risks associated with rhinoplasty?

Fortunately, significant complications from a rhinoplasty surgery are infrequent. Some of the potential complications include hematoma (an accumulation of blood under the skin that may require removal), infection and reactions to anaesthesia. Numbness of the skin following a Nose surgery may occur but is usually temporary. Occasionally, if the surgical outcome needs further improvement, additional surgery may be necessary.

How much does the nose surgery cost?

The cost of nose surgery/ rhinoplasty surgery depends on how much alterations in the nose are required, on surgeons experience and skills and hospital facilities. Plastic surgery is a combination of science and art, and results vary from person to person and from surgeon to surgeon. A personal consultation is the best way for the surgeon to assess you and your nose and for you to assess the surgeon. Only then the cost can be best determined.

What is the total healing time and when can I get back to work after a rhinoplasty surgery without being noticed?

Just like after any other surgery or injury, there is swelling of the involved part (nose) after a rhinoplasty surgery. Additionally there is usually swelling of the eyelids. There can be bruises (black and blue patches) on the nose and lower eyelid. There is also splint and or tape and packing inside the nose. The pack comes off in a day or two and splint in 5 days. At the end of one week nose is still swollen but not very prominently, so people join back the work and if there are still some bruises, they can easily hide it with a concealer and with makeup. It is very important to remember that every person heals at different rates.

How soon after the surgery can I see the results?

Results of rhinoplasty surgery are only partially appreciated by 1 to 2 week. In the case of tip modification, more than one month is required to barely notice the result. This is because tip skin is thick and takes longer to redrape over the newly shaped cartilage framework. Tip shape can be gradually appreciated over next 3 to 6 months. In some cases, the tip has been seen to improve up to one year after surgery.

I have had nose surgery done two months back, and my nose still looks big. Will I need another surgery?

Two months is a short time to assess the result. A second Nose surgery is thought of only if your nose is dissatisfactory even after six months and only if your surgeon is convinced that it can be further improved by second rhinoplasty surgery. You can take a second opinion if needed. There is the limit to which a nose can be modified safely without disfiguring it, and extreme surgery can look artificial and incongruous like one American pop star’s nose.

I want to have my nose reshaped. I also have deviated septum. Can both the surgeries be done simultaneously or I need to meet an ENT surgeon?

Both surgeries can be done simultaneously by a plastic surgeon.

Is there a risk of developing breathing problem after a rhinoplasty surgery?

No, but if you have any pre-existent nose block, then it may worsen after fracturing. Thorough nasal examination before doing a rhinoplasty surgery can detect this problem and it can then be tackled at the time of surgery.

Is nose surgery covered by insurance?

Cosmetic / plastic surgery of nose or a rhinoplasty surgery are not covered by insurance in India.

My nose is fine, but I want Aishwarya Rai’s nose. Can I have it by plastic surgery?

Each nose is unique. Unlike clay modelling or sculpting where things are in artist’s hand, in the human body, there are many things beyond the control of plastic surgeon- like individual tissue characteristics and healing quality. Plastic surgery improves your existing nose keeping it in harmony with rest of the face and without making it look artificial. There is no guarantee of a certain look.

Is there any software that can give me the idea about how my nose will look after surgery?

Yes, such software is available, but they are not very good. A word of caution- software can never mimic the real result. The human body can not be manipulated in a way software play with pictures. So real result may be better or worse than the software modified image.

My nose is very big. I have no girlfriends because of this. I am not able to concentrate on my studies, and I feel depressed. Can my nose be changed by plastic surgery?

Your nose may be improved by plastic surgery, but it can not change your life. There is no guarantee that girls will start liking you after your nose is changed. You should have a stable mental condition and realistic expectation before opting for Nose Plastic Surgery.

Can other surgeries be combined with nose surgery?

Yes, other face surgeries like chin augmentation, fat injection, liposuction and any other body contouring surgery can be combined with a Nose surgery.

Is Silicone implant safe for elevating the nose?

Yes, Silicone implants are safe and time tested.

What is the difference between implants and grafts from one’s body? Which is better?

There are three choices for elevating the nasal bridge:
1. Implants (Silicone/medpor)
2. Bone from one’s body (hip/elbow)
3. Cartilage (nose/ear/rib)

There are advantages and limitations of each option. Nose cartilage is preferred in USA and Europe. Among Oriental (China, Japan), African and Indian surgeons implants are very popular because the thick skin of nose permits safe placement of implants.