INTRODUCTION

The nose is perhaps the most defining feature of one’s face. A nose that is in harmony with the face is pleasing and “blends in” with the rest of the face. A nose that is in disharmony with the face attracts attention to itself and “stands out.”

Nasal surgery can either be external [“rhinoplasty,” to improve the appearance of the nose], or internal [“septoplasty", to improve the breathing through the nose].

External nasal surgery [“rhinoplasty”] is performed to restore or create natural and pleasing proportions of the nose and to design a “natural look” to the nose. The three most common areas of concern are: (1) the prominence along the top of the nose [“the hump”], (2) refinement of the nasal tip area, and (3) to narrow a widened nose.

Internal nasal surgery [“septoplasty”] is performed to restore or create more functional breathing passages within the nose. The simple goal of septoplasty surgery is to permit enhanced and uninhibited airflow through the nose [“ to breathe easier”].

Rhinoplasty and Septoplasty can either be performed independently or together depending on the special needs of each patient.

ANALYSIS

The goal of surgery is to make you happy. At your consultation we will obtain a very thorough medical history. We will want to know if you have had any previous nasal surgery. We will want to know your goals of treatment, both in terms of the kind of look you would like to achieve as well as the kind of look you would like to avoid. We will carefully examine you and make measurements as indicated. Photographs are an essential aspect of the analysis, and we request that you bring previous photographs of yourself for review. In addition, we would like photographs of four noses that you like and four noses that you do not like.

As stated, the objective of surgery is a very natural result. Patients often fear that their nose will have an exaggerated shape: (1) too much off the top of the nose [“ski-slope look”], (2) too much narrowing of the nose, or (3) too much off the tip area [“piggy nose,” “pinched tip”]. These effects are almost always the result of over-aggressive treatment by the surgeon. We specifically avoid any form of overcorrection. That kind of “overdone” look is totally contrary to our artistic goals and treatment objectives.

Following the analysis we will present to you a comprehensive treatment strategy. We will discuss the procedure(s) recommended in detail. We will also advise you of the potential risks and complications of surgery. We will outline your recovery period and make focused suggestions to make your surgery experience safe, easy, and as pleasant as possible.

PROCEDURE

The surgery takes between 1 to 2 hours to perform, depending on the needs and goals of the patient. You will be totally asleep for the surgery to minimize anxiety and to maximize comfort. In most cases all incisions are made completely inside of the nose, thus there are no external scars. All sutures are dissolvable. A splint is usually applied and kept in place for one week. Inside packing is almost never used for external nasal surgery [“rhinoplasty”], but is always used for internal nasal surgery [“septoplasty”].

AFTERCARE

Recovery from Nasal Surgery is a “process” and will depend largely on the kind of surgery performed, your motivation for success, and your dedication in precisely following our written after-surgery instructions. Discomfort is minimal. Your “down time” will be about 3-5 days. You will apply ice compresses frequently during these first few days after surgery. In most cases you will look “OK” at one week, “good” at two weeks, “very good” at four weeks, and “great” at six weeks. The final results from nasal surgery usually take many months [up to one year] to materialize.