Rhinoplasty - Nose Job Surgery
By Dr. Tim Neavin, MD | Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Last updated: October 2025
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Dr. Tim Neavin is a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 15 years of experience specializing in rhinoplasty. His airway-first philosophy ensures patients achieve both aesthetic goals and optimal breathing function. Dr. Neavin is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
What Rhinoplasty Can Improve — Transform Your Confidence
Your nose is the centerpiece of your face. If you’re unhappy with its shape, struggling to breathe properly, or disappointed by a previous rhinoplasty, you’re not alone. Dr. Tim Neavin combines artistic vision with surgical precision to create natural-looking results that enhance both your appearance and breathing function.
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Are you tired of feeling self-conscious about your nose? Rhinoplasty enhances profile balance and bridge refinement, creating harmony between your nose and midface proportions. This cosmetic approach addresses tip definition, nostril base width adjustments, and symmetry correction after trauma. When combining functional rhinoplasty with cosmetic enhancement, breathing improvements can be achieved through correction of obstruction.
As an experienced surgeon, I approach each rhinoplasty case with airway-first planning, ensuring optimal breathing while achieving your aesthetic goals. Rhinoplasty results depend on realistic expectations, as the most natural-looking changes often involve subtle refinements that complement your existing facial features.
Common Concerns Addressed:
- Breathing difficulties from deviated septum or valve collapse
- Prominent bump on bridge creating harsh profile
- Drooping or bulbous tip affecting facial balance
- Asymmetry from genetics or previous injury
- Previous rhinoplasty disappointment requiring revision
- Ethnic considerations while preserving cultural identity
Bridge and Dorsum Refinements
Hump reduction versus preservation concepts depend entirely on your anatomy and aesthetic goals. Traditional techniques remove excess bone and cartilage, while preservation methods maintain natural architecture through careful repositioning. The procedure creates elegant dorsal lines requiring different approaches for rhinoplasty front versus rhinoplasty side views.
Spreader grafts often help protect the internal nasal valve during bridge work, maintaining breathing function while achieving cosmetic improvement. Your rhinoplasty surgeon must consider how skin thickness significantly affects achievable refinement in any nose job.
Thicker skin provides more camouflage but potentially limits fine definition in rhinoplasty results. I discuss these factors during consultation to ensure realistic expectations and optimal planning for your specific anatomy and nose characteristics.
Tip and Nostril Shaping
Rotation, projection, and definition improvements in the nose tip come through precise suturing techniques and strategic modification during surgery. Cephalic trim, when appropriate in surgery, removes excess tissue while preserving structural support and natural contours of the nose.
Support structures like columellar struts or extension grafts provide long-term stability when increased projection or rotation is desired. Tasteful alar-base narrowing addresses wide nostrils while maintaining natural proportions and ethnic characteristics.
Each tip modification considers how changes affect breathing, long-term stability, and overall aesthetic balance. The goal is creating definition that appears naturally refined rather than surgically altered.
Balancing the Nose with the Face
Proportional relationships with chin, lips, and cheeks fundamentally influence surgical planning and aesthetic outcomes. A strong chin may allow for more dramatic changes, while a weak chin might require conservative modifications to maintain facial balance. Consider chin augmentation for optimal facial harmony.
Lip projection and midface development affect how changes will integrate with your existing features. Small, precise adjustments often create the most natural and satisfying results, avoiding the operated appearance that comes with overcorrection in nose surgery.
I evaluate your entire facial structure during consultation, considering how proposed changes will enhance your natural beauty while maintaining appropriate proportions and ethnic characteristics in your nose. Learn more about ethnic rhinoplasty considerations.
Candidacy and Consultation for Rhinoplasty
Candidacy requires maturity, medical stability, and realistic expectations for successful outcomes. Complete nose growth is essential, typically achieved in mid to late teens, along with emotional readiness for the procedure. Medical stability includes managing allergies, reviewing prior trauma or operations, and optimizing overall health before surgery. I thoroughly review your allergy history, as chronic inflammation can affect healing and results. Previous operations or trauma may influence both cosmetic rhinoplasty and functional rhinoplasty approaches and require specialized techniques. The timeline from consultation to recovery varies, but comprehensive planning ensures optimal results. Understanding this process helps you make informed decisions about timing and expectations for your nose surgery.
Medical and Age Criteria
Typical maturity timing occurs in mid to late teens when nose growth is complete and emotional readiness is established. Certain medications must be paused before surgery, and I provide detailed instructions based on your specific regimen for optimal safety.
Nicotine cessation is absolutely essential for patients, as smoking dramatically impairs healing and increases complication risks in any procedure. Health optimization through good nutrition, adequate sleep, and stress management improves predictability and recovery quality.
I assess your overall medical status during consultation, addressing any concerns that might affect healing or results. Patients who prepare thoroughly tend to have smoother recoveries and better long-term outcomes.
Consultation Planning and Imaging
Standardized photography from frontal, profile, and oblique angles documents your current nose anatomy and aids in rhinoplasty planning. Nasal airway evaluation includes physical examination and sometimes endoscopy to assess breathing function and structural problems before rhinoplasty.
Optional morphing and 3D imaging serve as discussion tools for rhinoplasty, helping visualize potential changes while emphasizing these are not promises of exact outcomes. Computer imaging facilitates rhinoplasty communication but cannot account for individual healing variation or tissue response.
I use these rhinoplasty tools to ensure we share the same vision while maintaining realistic expectations about achievable results for your nose.
- Bring two clear reference photos that reflect realistic rhinoplasty goals.
Choosing a Surgeon: Credentials and Philosophy
Board certification in plastic surgery or ENT provides the foundation of rhinoplasty expertise and ethical standards. Case volume and revision experience indicate proficiency with complex rhinoplasty situations and challenging nose anatomy.
Reviewing outcomes libraries helps you understand a surgeon’s aesthetic philosophy and technical capabilities. Airway-first ethos ensures breathing function remains a priority throughout cosmetic enhancement.
Communication style and shared decision-making create the collaborative relationship essential for rhinoplasty satisfaction. I encourage patients to interview multiple surgeons, ask detailed rhinoplasty questions, and choose based on comfort level and shared aesthetic vision rather than rhinoplasty cost alone.
Approaches and Techniques
Selecting appropriate rhinoplasty exposure, support, and refinement methods requires careful analysis of your nose anatomy and aesthetic goals. Structural stability over time in rhinoplasty takes precedence over aggressive changes that might compromise function or longevity. Why structure matters becomes clear when considering long-term rhinoplasty results and avoiding revision surgery. Preservation concepts fit certain rhinoplasty cases perfectly, while others require traditional reduction and reconstruction techniques. I tailor my rhinoplasty approach to your specific nose anatomy, aesthetic goals, and functional needs. Experience with diverse rhinoplasty techniques allows optimal selection for each individual, ensuring the best possible rhinoplasty results for your unique nose situation.
Open vs Closed Approach
Incision placement varies between closed techniques using only internal incisions versus open approaches with a small external columellar incision. Visualization advantages of open surgery become crucial for complex cases requiring extensive work or graft placement in the nose.
Potential swelling differences exist between approaches, though both heal well with proper care and technique. Typical scar quality with careful closure results in nearly imperceptible marks that fade significantly over time.
I select the approach based on case complexity and precision requirements rather than preference alone. Both techniques can achieve excellent results when appropriately applied to suitable nose cases.
Primary vs Revision
Altered nose anatomy and scar tissue from previous surgery create unique challenges requiring specialized expertise and modified techniques. Requirements often increase in revision cases due to structural deficiencies from prior operations on the nose.
Comprehensive counseling addresses realistic expectations for revision procedures, potential limitations, and extended recovery timelines. Appropriate waiting periods after prior operations allow complete healing and tissue maturation before revision attempts.
Structural vs Preservation Concepts
Reduction plus reconstruction using struts, spreaders, and rim support maintains nose stability while achieving aesthetic goals. Dorsal preservation through push-down or let-down techniques maintains natural nose architecture when anatomy permits.
Candidacy for preservation depends on hump configuration, skin thickness, and desired changes in the nose. Some cosmetic cases benefit from combining techniques to optimize both aesthetics and function.
Incision Visibility & Scarring
Expected scar location and length vary with rhinoplasty approach, but careful technique minimizes visibility and promotes optimal healing. Healing timeline typically involves initial redness fading over 3-6 months with continued maturation up to one year.
Ethnic Considerations and Identity
Respecting heritage while addressing individual concerns requires cultural sensitivity and understanding of diverse aesthetic ideals. Thicker skin patterns or weaker characteristics influence surgical approach and achievable refinement in different ethnic nose types.
Radix height and alar width considerations vary significantly among ethnic backgrounds and require tailored techniques. Non-homogenized results maintain your unique identity while enhancing natural beauty and proportions.
Septorhinoplasty and Internal Valve Repair
Straightening the septum improves airflow while allowing aesthetic enhancement in a single procedure. Reinforcing internal and external nasal valves with spreader and batten support prevents collapse and maintains breathing function.
Turbinate reduction considerations arise when chronic enlargement contributes to obstruction, though conservative approaches preserve normal physiology. Improvements cannot be guaranteed but are commonly achieved when appropriate structural corrections are performed on the nose and septum.
Graft Materials Overview
Preference for septal tissue stems from its ideal characteristics, convenient harvest, and excellent long-term results. Indications for conchal ear cartilages include inadequate material or specific support requirements.
The Procedure Day: From Check-In to Cast Removal
Arrival flow includes pre-operative preparation, safety verification, and final discussions about the planned procedure. Safety checks involve reviewing medical history, medications, and confirming plans with the entire surgery team.
Anesthesia team involvement ensures optimal comfort and monitoring throughout your surgery. Duration ranges from 2-4 hours depending on complexity and whether components are included in your nose procedure.
What to Expect During Rhinoplasty surgery
Anesthesia type typically involves general anesthesia with comprehensive monitoring for optimal safety and comfort. Monitoring includes heart rhythm, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and other vital signs throughout the surgery. Plastic surgeons work with experienced anesthesia teams to ensure safety during nose surgery.
Grafts, Osteotomies, and Closure
Controlled osteotomies for straightening and narrowing the nose involve precise bone cuts to improve symmetry and proportions. Tip sutures and struts provide definition and support while maintaining natural nose appearance and function. Upper and lower modifications create harmonious results.
Splints, Taping & Dressings
Typical removal timing occurs at 5-7 days post-operatively, revealing your new nose shape though swelling remains. Showering guidance includes keeping the splint dry and avoiding direct water pressure on your nose during initial recovery.
Recovery Timeline
Clear, staged roadmap helps you understand what to expect during each phase of nose healing and recovery. Comfort measures include elevation, cold compresses, and prescribed medications to manage discomfort and promote healing. Activity restrictions protect your investment during vulnerable healing phases, gradually increasing as tissues strengthen. Travel guidance varies by timing, with commercial flights generally safe after the first week of recovery. Refinement, especially at the nose tip, takes months to fully develop as deeper swelling slowly resolves. Those who understand and follow instructions tend to heal more predictably and achieve better long-term results.
Week 0–1: Early Care
Elevation during sleep and rest minimizes nose swelling and promotes drainage during the critical first week of recovery. Cold compresses, when advised, provide comfort and may help reduce initial swelling and bruising after your procedure. Medications including pain relievers and antibiotics help manage discomfort and prevent infection following surgery. Saline sprays keep nasal passages moist and comfortable as congestion is normal initially. Congestion expectations include stuffiness that gradually improves over weeks to months as your nose heals. Splint removal timing occurs around day 5-7, revealing your new nose shape though significant swelling remains.
Wearing Glasses After the Procedure
Off-loading the nose bridge prevents pressure that could cause indentations or displace healing tissues after surgery. Cheek-supported devices or careful taping distributes weight away from your healing nose structures. Contact lenses serve as an excellent interim option when feasible and comfortable during recovery.
Weeks 2–12: Activity, Travel, and Swelling Control
Gradual return to cardio and weights begins around week 2-3, with full clearance typically by 6-8 weeks. Sun protection remains crucial as UV exposure can worsen nose swelling and affect scar maturation following surgery. Flying tips include staying hydrated and using saline sprays to maintain nasal comfort during air travel.
Risks, Safety, and Revision: Transparent Guidance
Bleeding, infection, asymmetry, and prolonged swelling represent potential complications that, while uncommon, require honest discussion. Altered sensation and breathing changes may occur in the nose but typically improve with time and proper healing. Anesthesia risks are minimized through careful screening, experienced providers, and comprehensive monitoring throughout your procedure. Revision possibility exists in any surgery, though rates remain low with proper technique and appropriate selection. I emphasize precise measurements, gentle tissue handling, sterile technique, and structured follow-up care to minimize complications.
Rhinoplasty Cost & Financing — Transparent Pricing
Investment in Your Confidence:
- Primary Rhinoplasty: $12,000 – $18,000 (surgeon fee)
- Revision Rhinoplasty: $15,000 – $25,000 (surgeon fee)
- Functional Rhinoplasty: $10,000 – $16,000 (may qualify for insurance)
- Additional Costs: Facility ($2,000-3,500), Anesthesia ($1,500-2,500)
*Final cost determined during consultation based on individual complexity
Complexity factors include primary versus revision status, with revision cases typically requiring more time and expertise from your plastic surgeon. Operative time varies based on planned modifications, with more extensive nose work requiring longer surgery and higher costs. Facility and anesthesia fees represent necessary components of safe surgery performed in accredited environments.
Insurance Coverage for Functional Rhinoplasty
Portions addressing breathing problems may qualify for insurance coverage when medical necessity is documented. We work with most major insurance providers and can help determine your coverage during consultation.
Financing Options Available
- CareCredit: 0% interest for qualified applicants (6-24 months)
- Alphaeon Credit: Extended payment plans
Frequently Asked Questions
Primary procedures range from $12,000-$18,000 for surgeon fees, with additional facility and anesthesia costs. Revision cases typically cost $15,000-$25,000. We offer financing through CareCredit and other partners.
Insurance may cover functional procedures if breathing problems are documented. We help determine coverage and work with most major providers.
Most people return to desk work in 7-10 days and full activity in 6-8 weeks. Final results take 12-18 months as swelling completely resolves.
Avoid placing weight on your nose bridge for 6 weeks. We provide cheek-supported alternatives or careful taping methods during healing.
Commercial flights are generally safe after the first week. Stay hydrated and use saline sprays for comfort. International travel should wait until splint removal.
Rhinoplasty can address structural issues that contribute to snoring, such as septal deviation or nasal valve collapse. However, sleep apnea requires comprehensive evaluation by a sleep specialist (Mayo Clinic).
Most patients experience pressure and congestion rather than severe pain. Discomfort is typically manageable with prescribed medications and peaks in the first 72 hours (ASPS).
Open rhinoplasty uses a small external incision for better visualization, while closed rhinoplasty uses only internal incisions. Your surgeon will recommend the best approach based on your case complexity.
Pressure and congestion typically dominate the first 72 hours of recovery rather than sharp pain. Most people find discomfort manageable with prescribed medications and proper elevation. Breathing through your mouth initially is normal and gradually improves over weeks.
Most people feel comfortable in public after splint removal at one week, though nose swelling remains visible. Phased return to desk work often begins within 7-10 days when comfort allows. Exercise clearance typically begins around week 2-3 with gradual progression to full activity following nose surgery.
Correcting deviation, valve collapse, and turbinate enlargement often improves airflow when these issues contribute to nasal obstruction. Improvements cannot be guaranteed but are commonly achieved with appropriate structural corrections. Comprehensive evaluation determines which nose problems contribute to your breathing difficulties.
Yes, Dr. Neavin specializes in ethnic procedures that honor your cultural identity while achieving your aesthetic goals. Each approach is customized to your unique features.
Dr. Neavin is experienced in revision rhinoplasty for patients disappointed with previous results. Revision surgery requires specialized expertise and careful planning.
Dr. Tim Neavin is an outstanding plastic surgeon Professional with an uplifting bedside manner to make you feel comfortable post surgery; he sees the beauty in you and improves it with the right cosmetic technique. – Hugo
