The nose you’re born with doesn’t have to be the nose you live with. If you’re unhappy with the size, shape, or some other aspect of your nose, it may be time to explore rhinoplasty. Rhinoplasty is one of the many treatments offered by Galanis Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, CA.
FAQ About Reshaping Your Nose
Can Rhinoplasty Make the Nose Smaller?
Augmentation rhinoplasties, on the other hand, can increase the size of certain parts of the nose for a more pleasing overall look.
How Much of a Change in the Nose Can Be Accomplished?
There are several factors that influence how much of a reduction or augmentation in your nose can be accomplished. The stiffness of the cartilage in your nose, the thickness of your skin, and the ability of your skin to shrink or expand to conform to the nose’s new shape are all factors we will consider when planning your treatment.
What Does Nose Reshaping Involve?
We can perform this treatment entirely through incisions on the inside of the nose in what is known as the “closed” technique. If a more extensive reshaping of the nose is needed, we will make an additional incision across the base of the nose in the skin between the nostrils. The additional incision gives us better access to the interior of the nose. Regardless of the approach used, rhinoplasty is performed on an outpatient basis under anesthesia.
What Type of Recovery Is Involved?
Following treatment, patients are asked to wear an external splint for one week and refrain from exercise for two weeks. Depending on the demands of their job, patients often take a week or two off. We recommend that patients avoid any activity that may risk trauma to the nose for four weeks.
How Soon Will I See Results?
You’ll notice an improvement in the appearance of your nose immediately after your treatment, but it often takes several months for patients’ full results to develop.
Will My Results Be Permanent?
This treatment represents a permanent reshaping of the nose. Your results will last you a lifetime.
How Long Does This Treatment Take?
Most rhinoplasty treatments take an hour or more. The duration of the surgery depends on what we’re trying to accomplish.
Will the Surgeon Have to Break My Nose as Part of This Treatment?
Some rhinoplasties may involve an osteotomy, or a controlled break of the nose. An osteotomy may be performed if the patient is having a hump removed from the nose, which can sometimes leave the nose too wide in appearance. A nose reshaping treatment in which other bones are being repositioned may also require an osteotomy.
We’ll talk with you in advance about whether the type of cosmetic improvement you’re seeking will require an osteotomy. If an osteotomy is recommended, there’s no reason to be concerned about it.
What Advantages Are Associated With Rhinoplasty?
Better Facial Balance
By bringing the nose into proportion with the rest of the face, rhinoplasty can improve the appearance and balance of the overall face. The nose is one of our most prominent features, and it plays an important role in facial symmetry.
Greater Self Confidence
Patients who seek out this treatment have often been bothered by the appearance of their nose for years and are self-conscious about that feature. Resolving their cosmetic concerns can greatly improve their self-confidence and help them feel good about their appearance.
Improved Breathing
Because rhinoplasty reshapes the nasal tissues, patients who have undergone this treatment are sometimes surprised to find that they can breathe more deeply and are less prone to snoring. Although this treatment is primarily sought out for cosmetic reasons, some patients pursue rhinoplasty specifically because it can remove nasal obstructions, open up the nasal passages, and make it easier to breathe.
Clearer Sinuses
An alleviation of sinus problems is another surprising side benefit some rhinoplasty patients enjoy. Headaches, constant congestion, and other sinus difficulties can sometimes be resolved with nose reshaping treatment.
How Does This Differ From a Tiplasty or Septoplasty?
A tiplasty and septoplasty are two different types of nose surgeries. A tiplasty focuses exclusively on reshaping the nasal tip and does not tackle any other parts of the nose. A septoplasty works to straighten the wall of tissue and cartilage that divides the nostrils, which is also known as the septum. The primary goal of septoplasty is to improve the patient’s breathing, and a septoplasty is sometimes performed in conjunction with rhinoplasty.
What Other Types of Facial Plastic Surgery Do You Perform?
In addition to rhinoplasty, our practice performs eyelid surgery and facelifts. We also offer a comprehensive lineup of body treatments, including tummy ticks, the Brazilian Butt Lift, arm and thigh lifts, and breast augmentation.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
To find out if you’re a good candidate for nose reshaping, you’ll need to schedule a consultation with the friendly professionals at our practice. During your consultation, we’ll review your medical history, examine your nose, and talk with you about your cosmetic goals and concerns. We’ll work with you to determine if rhinoplasty is a treatment option for you. There are a number of signs you may be an especially good candidate.
You’re in Good Overall Health
Ideal patients are non-smokers who are in good overall health with no serious underlying medical conditions. Patients should also not be pregnant.
You’re Unhappy With the Appearance of Your Nose
Candidates for this treatment are unhappy with some aspect of their nose and are looking for improvement.
You’re Realistic About the Outcome
The best patients are realistic about the outcome this treatment offers. Rhinoplasty will improve the look of your nose, but the improvement is subtle, and it won’t shave decades off of your appearance.
You’re Looking for Reconstruction Following Trauma
Rhinoplasty can also be performed for reconstructive purposes on patients who have experienced a traumatic nose injury or who have had surgery to remove cancer in the nose area.
Your Facial Growth Is Complete
This surgery is usually not performed on patients until their facial growth is complete, which is often sometime around the age of 13 to 15.
You Want a Custom Treatment
Every nose is different, and each patient comes to us with a different set of cosmetic concerns. Fortunately, rhinoplasty is not a one-size-fits-all treatment, and we develop a custom plan to address each individual’s concerns.
Will My Nose Piercings Be a Problem?
If you have a pierced nose, we’ll ask you to remove the piercing before treatment and keep it out for roughly a week following surgery. Depending on where the nose the piercing is, and whether or not the surgery will involve the tissue where the hole is, you may need to have your nose re-pierced after surgery.
Is It True That I Won’t Be Able to Wear Glasses for a Period of Time?
For many patients, we recommend that they refrain from wearing glasses for several weeks after treatment because of the light pressure they place on the upper nose. You’ll want to prepare in advance for this and make sure you have contact lenses or another solution prepared.
Why Is Rhinoplasty Such a Popular Treatment?
Rhinoplasty is one of the most popular plastic surgeries performed. One of the reasons it’s so popular is that the nose is a central focus on the face. Because improving its appearance can have a significant impact on a patient’s appearance and self-confidence, many are eager to try rhinoplasty.
This surgery is also relatively easy for patients and involves a recovery period that is shorter than some other plastic surgeries.
What if I Have a Cold on the Day of Treatment?
If you have a cold on the day you’re scheduled for surgery, we may recommend that you postpone your treatment until you are healthy. Swollen nasal passages, bronchial infections, and other side effects of respiratory illness can complicate your surgery and your recovery.
Will This Treatment Leave Me With Scars?
Rhinoplasty using the closed technique, where all incisions are made inside the nose, will not leave any scars. If the reconstruction of your nose requires the open technique, which involves an additional incision at the base of the nose, any scarring is usually inconspicuous and hidden beneath the tip of the nose.
Does Insurance Ever Cover Rhinoplasty?
If you’re pursuing rhinoplasty for purely cosmetic reasons, as many patients do, your insurer may deem it an elective procedure and may decide not to cover any of the cost. But if rhinoplasty is being performed for medical reasons to correct sinus problems, birth defects, or some other health condition, there is a chance your insurance company may cover all or part of the treatment.
Will I Look Unnatural or Plastic After My Surgery?
No. With every rhinoplasty that we perform, our goal is to give the patient a look that is as natural as possible. Our goal is to improve the appearance of the nose and bring harmony to the face. Patients see a significant improvement from their preoperative appearance, but they don’t look overdone or unnatural. You’ll simply look like a better version of yourself!
Is Rhinoplasty Just for Women?
No. Men frequently take advantage of rhinoplasty as well. For male patients, rhinoplasty can help them maintain a masculine appearance while also improving facial symmetry, improving nasal function, and bolstering self-confidence.
How Soon Can I Shower After Treatment?
We ask patients to wait until two days after their surgery to shower.
What Age is Best for Rhinoplasty?
The ideal age for nose reshaping is somewhere between 20 and 40, because the skin is the most elastic during these decades and is more easily able to conform to the nose’s new shape. However, there is no age cutoff for this treatment, and older patients in good health routinely seek out this treatment.
Although teens are eligible for this surgery once their nose has stopped growing, their emotional maturity should also be considered when determining the timing of this treatment.
Get Started Today
If you’re greatly bothered by the appearance of your nose, and if you’re finally ready to steps toward improving it, it may be time to consider rhinoplasty. Whether you want to shrink or augment your nose to fix a nose that appears crooked, we can help. Call Galanis Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, CA, and schedule a nose reshaping consultation today!
