Rhinoplasty – or a nose job – is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries in the UK. It can be used to correct a nose that has been disfigured because of an accident or because a patient doesn’t think their natural nose is in proportion to their facial features which can impact on self-confidence and mental well being.
If you’re considering rhinoplasty then it’s essential that you are completely honest with your surgeon about what you hope the outcome will be and the surgeon, in return, will advise you on what is achievable, as well as the recovery process. It’s also important to remember that surgery alone won’t solve any emotional or social problems that you might attribute to your nose.
Rhinoplasty can help alter the appearance of several nasal features including:
• Alter the hump at the bridge of the nose
• Reshape the tip of the nose
• Alter the length of the nose
• Alter the width of the nose
• Alter the width of the nostrils
• Restructure and reposition the nose after an injury
A nose reshaping operation is either performed from inside the nostrils (closed rhinoplasty) or by making a small cut on the nose and elevating the skin (open rhinoplasty) and this depends on the area of the nose that is being operated on.
BRIDGE: The surgeon will remove the bone and cartilage that causes ‘the hump’. The nose may then be broken to allow the remaining pieces of bone to be moved closer together, resulting in the narrowing of the nose.
TIP: Here, the cartilage that makes up the tip-support needs to be partly removed or reshaped. This is done through the nostril, or by making a small cut in the bit between the nostrils.
LENGTH: Your surgeon can adjust and reduce the central structure of the nose to help shrink the tip and reduce the overall length of the nose. Adjustment to the tip cartilages also helps adjust nasal length.
WIDTH: By breaking and repositioning the side nasal bone, your surgeon can reduce the width of the nose and achieve a narrower appearance.
Recovering from rhinoplasty:
Nose surgery is carried out under general anaesthetic and lasts around 2 hours. This is normally followed by an overnight stay in hospital. Any incisions are sealed with soluble stitches which disappear within a week. If you have undergone open rhinoplasty then you may be left with some scarring, this is usually unnoticeable and your surgeon will discuss this with you before you decide to go ahead with your nose surgery.
It’s important to remember that recovery won’t be a quick process; your nose will be bruised and swollen after rhinoplasty and you may also experience bruising around your eyes.
You may have dressings placed inside each nostril to stop you from breathing through your nose which may need to stay there for a week post-op and you will need to breathe through your mouth during this time. You’ll also have a splint over your nose to help support it, which MUST remain there for at least a week.
It will take at least 2 weeks before the bruising begins to fade and several months before your nose settles into its new shape and common side effects include a blocked and numbed nose and light nosebleeds for around a week post-op. Most patients take 7-10 days off work following their nose job and you will not be able to take part in sport or heavy exercise for around 6 weeks so make sure you take into consideration any short term plans.
As with all surgery, it’s important that you talk through your options with loved ones as well as specialists and if you think that rhinoplasty is for you then we would love to speak to you – you can contact our expert team of surgeons here
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