What is Rhinoplasty?

For most of us our noses are a central feature of our face. Noses come in all shapes and sizes and no two are the same. A rhinoplasty is a procedure that can be used to correct a number of problems that you may be experiencing with your nose, whether that relates to the way your nose impacts your breathing or how you feel it affects the way you look. This simple procedure – also known as a ‘nose job’ – has been used by millions of people to correct defects and to improve confidence in their appearance. So, what does it involve?

When is rhinoplasty an option?

Reshaping the nose might be necessary for a number of reasons. Many people opt to have a rhinoplasty because they feel that a part of the nose needs to be reduced, whether that is the length of the nose or the size. You may have an asymmetric nose and would prefer to have this asymmetry corrected to improve the overall symmetry of your face. Other reasons to have a rhinoplasty may include:

• When you’re having breathing difficulties that could be minimised or alleviated completely by a rhinoplasty
• Where some reshaping would benefit your nose, e.g. to the tip
• If you have a bridge hump in your nose that you would like to have reduced or removed
• When it would be beneficial to you to reduce or adjust the size of your nostrils

Whatever the reason you’re considering a rhinoplasty the first step will be to sit down with a surgeon and talk about why you’re looking to have the surgery, what you’d like to achieve and the changes you’re hoping for. This is your opportunity to ask questions and also to establish whether your expectations are realistic.

Different types of rhinoplasty

Depending on the changes you’re looking to make you will have different options for the surgery itself. For example, during a nostril operation procedure tiny cuts are made to the nostrils to help alter the shape – scarring is hidden in the nostril crease. If you have an Open Rhinoplasty then the surgeon will make a cut across the skin between your nostrils – you will initially have a small scar that will fade with time. A Rhinoplasty-Tip procedure removes cartilage from the tip of the nose without any visible scarring. You’ll be able to ask your surgeon which process is right for you and what’s involved in each one.

The surgery itself

A rhinoplasty takes around two hours and is performed under general anaesthetic – you will usually stay overnight in hospital after the procedure. You can expect some bruising around the eyes and may not be able to breathe through your nose initially. Painkillers and rest will help to ease recovery as the pain and bruising fade in the following days. A postoperative appointment will be scheduled for a week or 10 days after the surgery.

Rhinoplasty is a very common option for correcting issues that you have with your nose, whether they are physical or aesthetic. It’s a simple procedure that has very effective results.