Rhinoplasty: An Effective Method to Reshape Your Nose

Many people with a nose defect specifically are seeking to improve the appearance of their nose with the help of rhinoplasty or nose job. One of the nose's many functions is the passage of air for breathing, and that this function can also be improved by fixing a deviated septum.

The most common reason for nose reshaping is to remove the hump on the bridge of the nose, to change the shape and definition of the tip of the nose, to lift up the tip of the nose if it is droopy, or just to reduce the size of a large but otherwise pleasant appearing nose. Even though they can also be a result of prior injury or birth defect, most often, these problems are just a reflection of a person's natural anatomy.

To determine what the individual goals for a patient are, determine if these goals are reasonable and attainable, what surgical steps are necessary to accomplish those goals without compromising the function of the nose, and then to carry out the operation as planned are the key challenges for plastic surgeons. Many variables are involved in the overall appearance of the nose since the external nose is composed of bone, cartilage, and soft tissue. This is why among all the cosmetic surgery procedures; rhinoplasty is thought to be one of the most challenging operations.

There are hundreds of minor variations and techniques when it comes to how a rhinoplasty is actually performed. Even though the overall technique can be simplified into two major approaches that are closed or open, each plastic surgeon will have a different set of techniques and skills that he or she will use to perform each type of plastic surgery. Under closed method, without leaving any visible external scars the entire surgery is performed from the inside of the nose. Under open approach, all the cartilage and structure of the nose is exposed by making an incision across the bottom of the nose, through the columella.

The nose job is performed under twilight anesthesia or under general anesthesia. You can go home right after surgery with a plastic splint on your nose and possibly packing inside your nose as the whole operation usually takes between 1-2 hours.

There will of course be some discomfort for several days after surgery; however pain medication will help relieve it. Bruising of the nose and around the eyes as well as swelling of the nose is also expected after the nose job. While the swelling takes about three months to completely dissipate, the bruising will usually last 1-2 weeks. You will notice gradual changes occurring to your new nose for the next several months, until the skin finally conforms to the new dimensions of your nose after the splint comes off in 1-2 weeks.