Oklahoma’s Premier Rhinoplasty Surgeon
As the primary focal point on your face, your nose affects the harmony, symmetry, and aesthetic appeal of your face from both the front and the side. A nose that is too large may overpower other features, while a nose that is too small can flatten them. Your nose should not only flatter but complement your other facial features and, thanks to significant advancements in techniques and technology, the nose you were born with doesn’t have to be the nose you live with.
What is rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty, more commonly referred to as a nose job, is a surgical procedure that changes the shape, size, or proportion of the nose by repositioning, reshaping, removing, or augmenting skin, bone, cartilage, or a combination of the three. Rhinoplasty can be performed for cosmetic reasons to enhance facial appearance or for medical reasons to correct breathing complications.
Am I a good candidate for rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty is a nonreversible procedure that permanently changes the profile of your face. Usually, only adult men and women with fully developed facial features are considered for rhinoplasty, especially if it is for cosmetic reasons. Good candidates are also physically healthy non-smokers with realistic expectations and a positive outlook about their results.
Kids and teenagers are rarely good candidates for cosmetic rhinoplasty because not only can their noses continue to grow—altering the procedural work and resulting in a misshaped nose—but they also typically lack the emotional maturity and self-awareness to handle the psychological aspect of plastic surgery. Physically, teenagers should be fully developed (usually age 16 for boys and 14 for girls) before scheduling a rhinoplasty consultation.
However, there are cases where younger patients may benefit from rhinoplasty for medical reasons, especially if they are experiencing severely impaired breathing or are suffering from a birth defect.
Cosmetic vs. Medical Reasons for Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty is considered an elective cosmetic procedure if the purpose is to change the aesthetics of the facial features and breathing remains unimpaired without it.
Cosmetic reasons for rhinoplasty can include:
- Reshape nose tip that is large, bulbous, drooping, or upturned
- Straighten crooked nose
- Narrow nose bridge
- Change the angle between the nose and upper lip
- Widen or narrow nostrils
- Reshape nose profile with visible bumps or depressions on the bridge
- Nasal asymmetry or deviation
Medical rhinoplasty procedures are defined as necessary for patients who do not have full functionality of their nose without the procedure. Insurance companies will usually reimburse a rhinoplasty procedure if it is performed to improve or correct breathing, improve or correct a major deformity, or as a result of an accident.
Other medical reasons to get rhinoplasty may include:
- Chronic sinus problems like nasal allergies or sinus congestion
- Inflammation from chronic allergies
- Deviated nasal septum
- Cleft lip or cleft palate
- Deformities
- Broken nose
- Injuries
- Burns
Rhinoplasty Surgery Consultation
Before a rhinoplasty procedure, you will meet with a plastic surgeon to review your medical history, physical exam, and your expectations. A thorough consultation will also include photographs and/or computer software to assess the current shape of your nose from several angles and discuss the best approach for reshaping it in a way that produces natural-looking results.
It is important to remember that rhinoplasty is a highly individualized procedure and is not intended to duplicate the nose from someone else’s face. The ultimate goal is to reshape your current nose to enhance your other facial features and create a more aesthetic profile.
During the consultation, your surgeon may also recommend a chin implant or augmentation, or other facial procedure to balance the profile with the new nose shape.
The Rhinoplasty Procedure
Rhinoplasty is an outpatient procedure performed in a hospital or surgical facility and takes between 1 ½ to 3 hours. Depending on the complexity of the procedure, rhinoplasty requires general anesthesia.
Open vs. closed rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty procedures are typically performed with one of two methods or a combination of both. The methods differ in whether or not the seven structural components of the nose are separated or not.
- Open Rhinoplasty. In an open rhinoplasty, incisions are made inside the nose with an additional incision made across the skin between the nostrils. This exposes the nose’s internal structures for a better visual of the structural components and allows each component to be separated and modified individually.
- Closed Rhinoplasty. All incisions in a closed rhinoplasty are made inside the nose and the structural components are not separated.
During the procedure, the surgeon will readjust the nose by adding, removing, and shifting the bone and cartilage inside it. The skin and tissue will then be replaced over the nose and the incisions stitched up.
Rhinoplasty Surgery Recovery
There will be swelling and minor bruising following your rhinoplasty procedure and you may feel congested. To reduce this—as well as bleeding—you will need to rest with your head above your chest, avoid blowing your nose or extreme facial expressions, and avoid strenuous activities for several weeks. You will also need to refrain from wearing eyeglasses or sunglasses or pulling clothes on over your head to prevent putting pressure on your nose.
You may also experience minor bleeding or mucus drainage for a few days. Your surgeon may place a small piece of gauze called a drip pad under your nose to absorb it. The drip pad should not be tight against your nose and should be changed as directed.
You will need at least one week off from work or other obligations, after which swelling will start to go down and you will begin to feel more normal. Although most patients can resume all regular activities after two to four weeks, it may take several months for all the swelling to completely subside.
Choosing an experienced plastic surgeon for your rhinoplasty procedure
As with most facial cosmetic surgeries, rhinoplasty can dramatically change what you see in the mirror. Altering the shape of your nose alters your entire profile, and should be done with the utmost aesthetic skill, medical expertise, and professional care by a trained, experienced plastic surgeon.
Board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Tim R. Love has more than 30 years of experience performing rhinoplasties. He is a member of both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and is routinely voted as Oklahoma City’s “Best Plastic Surgeon.” Dr. Love leads the cosmetic surgery community in innovative techniques and comprehensive treatment approaches that deliver stunning, flawless, and natural-looking results.
A more beautiful you is waiting. Call us today at 405-751-LOVE (5683) to schedule your rhinoplasty consultation.
