What a Rhinoplasty Can Correct

Rhinoplasty is an Art & Science

Rhinoplasty is a true art. Yet, the procedure entails not only visible differences. The cosmetic result relies on structural changes that are not seen.  That is, the overall result of the rhinoplasty is equally determined by support as it is with the visible changes.  This is difficult to understand without recognizing some of these facts  elements that are the mainstay of the surgery. Here are some  interesting facts and secrets that your rhinoplasty surgeon won’t share with you.

Below is an example of a non-surgical rhinoplasty.  The results were obtained from the injection of Juvederm.

19 Facts & Secrets From a Rhinoplasty Surgeon

1. When a plastic surgeon operates on the nose, he or she disrupts internal support of the tip.
2. The tip must be supported or it will drop. The tip is supported from cartilage.
3. Often, cartilage is removed to reduce a hump or narrow the tip.
4. Sometimes, the tip will heal in an unpredictable fashion if aggressive cartilage resection is performed.
5. When the bones are fractured, callus can form.
6. When swelling subsides a year or more later, small imperfections in the nose may become visible from unpredictable healing.
7. The correction of perfect nostril asymmetry is often difficult to impossible.
8. Both open and closed rhinoplasty approaches can produce similar results.
9. After surgery, the nose can swell for more than a year.
10. The thickness of nasal skin varies tremendously from person to person.
11. Those men and women with thick skin will never have the safe definition of those with very thin skin.
12. However, those with very thin skin are more likely to display minor imperfections under the skin than those with thick skin.
13. The chin is often seen as an extension of the nose when it comes to rhinoplasty.  The chin balances the nose.
14. The cheeks also balance the nose.  Thus, fat is often added to the cheeks to improve the appearance of the nose.
15. The width of the nostrils can be narrowed easily in the office under local anesthesia.
16. Plastic surgeons may have a 15 to 20% revision rate on rhinoplasty.
17. The revision rate depends much on the surgeon’s “acceptance” of the result as much as the result itself.  That is, some plastic surgeons will have a lower threshold to revise a surgery.
18. The more surgery one has on their nose the longer it will swell after surgery.
19. Often, ear cartilage us used to improve the appearance of the nose

For more on rhinoplasty, please visit  procedure page here.

Dr. Tim Neavin

Dr. Tim Neavin is a board-certified plastic surgeon located in Beverly Hills, California.