Are you dissatisfied with your nose? If so, you’re not alone. Whether you have trouble breathing through your nose or feel self-conscious about the way it looks, rhinoplasty is a procedure that can help you. If you want to finally get the nose that you deserve, our team at Ideal Face and Body, in Beverly Hills, CA are here to help.
How Long Does Rhinoplasty Take?
A rough guide to the time of a rhinoplasty is somewhere between 1-3 hours. However, the exact time your operation may take depends on a number of different factors. These factors include the reasons you have for seeking this operation, the complexity of the planned procedure, and the methods used by the surgeons during the procedure.
Complexity of Different Surgeries
The complexity of the surgery is the factor that has the most influence over the amount of time that your surgery will take. The nose is a complex structure, with delicate cartilage, skin, and bone, and alteration requires great expertise.
A change to one part of the nasal structure affects all of the rest of the nose. Therefore, surgeons take great care during operations to preserve function and minimize scarring, whilst also creating a natural new look for the nose.
Cosmetic Reasons for Rhinoplasty
There are a number of reasons for seeking surgery. It may be that you don’t like the way your nose looks, or perhaps you find it difficult to breathe due to the shape of your nose.
You may have previously had work done on your nose, and now be unhappy with the results. All these reasons require slightly different types of surgery and will take different lengths of time. Whether by reason of genetics, growth, or injury, lots of people are unhappy with the appearance of their nose or the way it sits on their face. Plastic surgery can help augment the appearance of the nose and restore your confidence and sparkle. Here’s what cosmetic surgery can fix:
Asymmetry
In many cases, patients cite a lack of symmetry as the reason why they are seeking surgery. Correcting the nose to make it more symmetrical can have a remarkable effect on the appearance of the whole face, and even a small alteration can make all the difference to your appearance and confidence.
Many patients who thought their nose was “too big” find after a consultation that the issue is actually that one part of the nose is out of proportion or crooked.
Asymmetry may be caused by the nose sitting crookedly on the face or may be as a result of uneven nostrils or other parts of the nose. It can be corrected either by adding to or taking away from the nose in order to make it even.
Lumps and Bumps
A nose may be symmetrical from the front, but in profile appear lumpy or humped. A surgeon can smooth the appearance of the nose so that it has a more pleasing shape.
Under or Over Projection
Some people find that their whole nose is out of proportion with the rest of their face. Whether too small or too large, an issue with the projection of the nose can have a drastic effect on the look of the face. A surgeon can build your nose up to give your face its prop[er character, or reduce it to fit with more delicate features.
Though the nose is just one of the elements of our faces, it is crucial to facial harmony. When we think of what is beautiful, we do not only consider the shape of the individual parts of the face, but also the balance and angle between eyes, nose, lips, forehead, and chin.
Because the nose is central in the face, it has the greatest impact on these angles. In this sort of surgery, the surgeon is not only a doctor but an artist. They will work to balance your features and give the best most aesthetically pleasing result.
Functional Reasons for Surgery
A nose job is not only for those who want to alter the shape of their nose for cosmetic reasons. Many patients seek an operation to improve the function of their nose, clear airways, alleviate allergies, and reduce snoring. Here are some examples of functional nose jobs:
Septoplasty
The internal cartilage of the nose is called the septum, and it is one of the key factors in determining the profile and appearance of the nose. In many cases, patients seeking an operation to improve the function of their nose find that a problem with their septum is the root cause of their issues.
The septum may be thicker than normal, leading to a narrowing of the nasal passages. In other cases, the septum is misaligned. These conditions may be the result of genetics where the septum grows at an angle or may be the result of trauma where the septum is pushed out of alignment.
A septoplasty is the name for a procedure that straightens the septum. During this surgery, the surgeon will move the cartilage that forms the septum so that it sits vertically within the nose, rather than at an angle. This operation usually takes between 30 and 90 minutes to complete, and after healing the patient should find that they are able to breathe more easily through both nostrils. Additionally, correcting the position of the septum has the added benefit of making the face look more symmetrical.
Turbinate Reduction
Turbinates are structures within the nose that warm and humidify air as it is inhaled through the nose. Allergies, hormones, or sinus infections can cause the turbinates to swell which inhibits airflow in both nostrils. In some cases, this swelling may be so severe that your doctor will recommend a turbinate reduction.
During this procedure, tissue is removed from the swollen turbinates in order to enlarge the nasal passages and allow you to breathe more easily. This is a simple procedure and can usually be performed in around 10 minutes under local anesthesia.
Revision
In some cases, surgery is needed to correct or alter the results of a previous operation. This may be a cosmetic surgery in order to ameliorate the shape of the nose resulting from a functional surgery. This is often a more complex operation as the structures of the nose have already been altered in the previous surgery, and must be carefully handled and preserved.
Methods of Rhinoplasty
Just as there are different reasons for seeking nose surgery, there are different methods that your plastic surgeon can use to help you accomplish your goals. Some surgical methods are suitable for more minor alterations, whereas a more dramatic change to your nose may require a specific surgical method to achieve the look you want.
Closed
For more minor alterations to the shape of the nose or to its internal function, small incisions can be made inside the nostrils. This reduces the risk of visible scarring but access to the nasal structures is limited.
Open
In surgery taking this approach, the surgeon makes incisions inside the nostril and joined with a small incision across the columella between the nostrils. This allows the surgeon to unveil the nose and have full access to its structures. This approach avoids trauma to the skin of the nose and minimizes scarring whilst allowing for significant surgical operation.
Non-Surgical
In some cases surgery is not necessary to alter the shape or general appearance of your nose. For those who don’t want surgery or who have only minor defects that they wish to correct, non-surgical, liquid, or filler rhinoplasty may be the best choice.
Hyaluronic acid-based fillers are used to smooth out bumps or lumps, correct asymmetry, and give a smoother shape to the nose. They can also be used to build up a nose that is too small for the face, or that lacks projection.
This procedure involves less recovery time and is ideal for those who want to change the look of their face but without incisions. Non-surgical rhinoplasty is also a good option for those wishing to see if a surgical rhinoplasty is a path that they would like to pursue in the future.
How Can I Be Sure?
Before surgery, your doctor will fully explain the process to you. Many doctors take multiple photographs of your nose to show what the alterations may look like from multiple angles. In some cases you may be able to see a 3D-printed image of the projected shape of your new nose. This should help you to visualize the results. A good doctor will also help to prepare you mentally for surgery and recovery and manage your expectations about the results of your nose job.
How to Prepare
In order to prepare for surgery, it is a good idea to make sure that all of your life is organized. You should pay all your bills, and make sure that you have groceries in, as you may feel less energetic for the first few days after your procedure. This way, you will be able to relax and allow the healing process to take place.
In addition, in the two weeks prior to surgery, you should not take painkillers that contain aspirin or ibuprofen. You should also discuss the medications and supplements that you are taking with your doctor, as it may be that some should be stopped for a time before and after surgery. Do not neglect to mention any herbal supplements or alternative medicines that you are taking, as these may have reactions with other medicines.
If you smoke, you should aim to cut down in the run-up to your surgery, and stop several weeks before surgery as nicotine restricts blood vessels. Your nose will need as much blood flow as possible during the healing process, so avoiding nicotine is one of the nest things you can do to aid your own recovery.
Recovery Time
When thinking about the time any medical procedure takes, it can be a good idea to factor in recovery time. Rhinoplasty is usually an outpatient procedure, meaning that patients can go home once they have recovered from their anesthesia. For around a week, patients will wear a splint to protect the nose during the healing process.
After the splint is removed, the nose continues to heal. Patients are advised to avoid strenuous exercise such as jogging, swimming, or any sports during which the nose may be in danger of injury, such as soccer or tennis, for at least two weeks thereafter.
What Next?
Getting a nose job is often a life-changing experience. If you’re looking for a cosmetic alteration it can restore your confidence; no longer will you feel like everyone is looking at you and judging your nose. If you want a functional alteration it can radically improve your quality of life; you can breathe easily again. Whatever your reasons for seeking to change your nose, you should get some professional advice. For any further questions about rhinoplasty, or to schedule a consultation, get in touch with Ideal Face and Body in Beverly Hills, CA to discuss your options.
