Welcome to nose job 101, your online resource for all information relating to cosmetic surgery. Over the coming months and years we aim to be the number one resource for all the information you may need relating to all manner of cosmetic surgery information, including procedures and costs as well as any relevant topics . We hope you find what you need, however if you can`t find the information you’re looking for please contact us and we will endeavor to answer your question either in an email or related article. Enjoy!
A Nose Job and You
In this section we will take a look at the following information:-
- What is Rhinoplasty?
- Basic nose job overview
- Video diary nose job results
- What the procedure involves
- Functional or reconstructive nose job (what’s the difference?)
- Nose job recovery
- Side effects of a nose job
- Nose job risk
- Things you need to consider before you have the procedure
Nose job and Rhinoplasty
While you’re finding out more about nose jobs you may hear the term Rhinoplasty, an ancient Greek term used in the industry to describe the procedure for reconstructive nose surgery. Rhinoplasty can be traced back as far as 8OOBC to journals left by Sushruta, an ancient Indian physician, who developed what could be called the first applied technique for reconstructing noses.
Nose Job overview
A nose job procedure commonly known in the industry as (rhinoplasty) is used to cosmetically change the appearance, size and shape of the patient’s nose. It is considered to a be fast, effective and a safe method to quickly improve many people’s lives whether it be correcting a physical condition or simply improving confidence and quality of life for the patient. The procedure has evolved so much that a client can expect an outpatient visit and to return home the same day. As long as you take care it shouldn’t interfere with your daily activities. You can expect to be fully recovered in weeks. You can see costs on our Rhinoplasty costs page.
The procedure itself can produce some fantastic results and comparatively very quickly when put side by side with other forms of surgery. This being said a detailed discussion of your individual case with your surgeon is paramount in order to get the desired results first time round, reducing the possibility of needing further surgery
Nose job procedure
The procedure itself is relatively straight forward as far as cosmetic surgery goes and depending on the desired results a number of different methods may be used. The two main techniques used are open or closed rhinoplasty, both have their benefits and drawbacks. Your surgeon will discuss this with you in depth during your consultation.
Open rhinoplasty
This is where there is an external incision to the skin between the nostrils allowing the surgeon better access to the internal anatomy. There is also usually another small incision on the outside of the nose which won’t usually leave a scar once healed or if it does it won’t effect the overall appearance significantly. Using this technique of being able to move the skin out of the way means the surgeon can observe up to 50% of the lower nasal skeleton, which is usually the area where the surgeon will do most of his work. In the majority of cases the surgeon will use what are known as “grafts“ such as bone, cartilage and manmade objects in order to build the desired structure of the nose. The idea of breaking the structure of the nose to rebuild it can sometimes be unsettling and it is true that once the procedure is undertaken it can’t just be reversed as the structure of the nose will have been altered.
What are the benefits of open rhinoplasty?
The benefits lie really in allowing the surgeon much better access to the areas where he will be doing the majority of the work. Having this procedure makes it much easier to study the areas he/she will be working on and to make alterations and to put into place any grafts needed. It also allows for more extensive work to be undertaken especially when it comes to grafts.
What are the disadvantages?
As this is a more invasive procedure there is more chance of scarring. For one there is a small incision on the outside of the nose, this could be a scarring concern but as long as the wound is stitched properly and heals as anticipated the scarring should be barely noticeable.
The procedure will also take longer than closed rhinoplasty, taking up to 3 hours or more for the surgery to be complete. A whole hour more should be expected using this method compared with the closed method.
Closed Rhinoplasty
The closed rhinoplasty technique is where any incisions that take place are done from within the nasal cavity keeping any scarring to a minimum. It would seem to be in the minority of procedures undertaken and the reason for this would be because it is a method that is very difficult to teach. You have to be able to see through the skin so to speak and use a certain amount of creativity when implementing this strategy.
What are the benefits of closed rhinoplasty?
The main benefit of undertaking such a procedure is there will be no external scarring. Even if the scarring is minimal with open rhinoplasty some people just don’t want to take the risk. The other benefits are, it is much less invasive to the actual structure of the nose, making very targeted improvements while leaving the nasal structure for the most part in intact. That in turn decreases the operation times and recovery times.
What are the disadvantages?
On the surface it would seem that closed rhinoplasty would be a much better approach for the patient, however this procedure isn’t for everybody and would be completely reliant on your personal circumstances for this to be a viable option. A surgeon would in some cases be unable to complete some of the more extensive work which may be required with this method. Another concern may be finding the right surgeon to complete the task. It’s well known throughout the industry that most rhinoplasty specialists prefer the open method because it gives the surgeon the best circumstances in which to create the desired results. A thorough consultation should allow you to understand in more detail which is best for you.
Functional and Reconstructive nose job, what are they?
Functional nose job
A functional nose job refers to someone who is undergoing surgery in order to address a breathing issue. The idea is to correct the issue surgically by restoring the functionality of the airways and return the patients breathing to within the normal ranges.
Reconstructive nose job
A reconstructive nose job refers to surgery aiming to return the nose back to normal breathing function and appearance i.e. replicating the contours, skin tones and texture to how the nose was originally. The main reasons for this type of surgery are, skin cancer and traumatic nasal injury i.e. sustained from sporting injuries etc.
Nose job recovery
For most cases you can expect the surgery to last between 2-3 hours depending on whether you have open or closed surgery. This usually means you will return home the same day.
Once the surgery is complete a small splint is placed over the nose to keeping it stable for up to 8 days. Some surgeons also advise wearing the splint at night for a further 7 days depending on your personal circumstances. There may also be some nasal packing inside the nose until the morning after the surgery.
It is common to have some mild/moderate discomfort for up to 48 hours after your surgery. The doctor in charge can prescribe you some pain relievers for this. After leaving the surgery it’s best to have someone drive you home and to stay with you for the first day. You may have a feeling during the first week of a stuffy nose but it is recommended that you don’t blow your nose within the first week . During this time you will also have some swelling and bruising below the eyes. To aid recovery ice packs can be used and in most cases the face will return to something like normal within 1-2 weeks.
When the splint is removed you should immediately notice the difference in appearance even if there is swelling and bruising, although the full effects of the nose job may not be evident until up to a few months after the surgery has taken place. Some patients are back on their feet within days, going to work, doing the school run etc. It really depends on you and the surgery you are undertaking. This should all be explained to you in detail during the initial consultation with your doctor and he/she can also tailor a recovery plan to your personal requirements.
Nose job side effects
When you’re thinking about having a nose job it’s important to understand the potential side effects and risks involved. As with any other surgery there will always be inherent risks associated in undertaking this procedure even though it is one of the most common procedures performed in cosmetic surgery. It is paramount you choose a competent surgeon who you trust in order to minimize these risks.
As with any sort of surgery there will be a risk of bleeding and infection, there is also a chance you could have a reaction to any anesthesia you are administered.
Bleeding – As a precaution the doctor should tell you not to blow your nose for the first week, but bleeding can persist up to 4 months in some cases.
Infection – As with any surgery infection is always a concern. Infections tend to be low and are quite easy to reverse with antibiotics, drainage for abscesses etc. The key here is if you think you might have an infection talk to your doctor immediately.
As for side effects that are specific to a nose job procedure please see the list below.
Nasal blockage
People within the first week tend to report back having a feeling of mild flu, predominately because of having a blocked up nose.
Nerve damage
As at least some of the tissue in the nose will be damaged in order to reshape your new nose this can sometimes lead to loss of feeling.
Scarring
With an open nose procedure there will be some external incisions which can in some cases produce scarring, although if the procedure is done correctly the effects are usually minimal to none.
Burst blood vessels
In some cases there may appear to be small red spots on the nose which occur due to ruptured blood vessels during the surgery. If this happens it’s best to speak to your doctor as this could be permanent.
Not being happy with the result
The most recent figure for people going under the knife again to correct a previous procedure has been put at between 5 %– 10%, there are a number of reasons for this. It could be the person just didn’t like their results, or due to problems/mistakes occurring during surgery. Whatever the reasons many of these cases could possibly have been avoided if the patient had done their research, asked the right questions in the consultation and found the correct surgeon for their requirements. This is something you need to take care with as a 2nd procedure cannot be started until 12 months after the 1st.
It is worth noting that the above examples are unlikely to happen and even if they do happen most can be corrected to some extent. This being said prevention is always going to be better than cure. You really need to research as much as you can and seek out the clinics and surgeons you feel can provide you the service you desire. The consultation period should be the perfect time to (interview) the person performing the operation in order to gauge whether you feel they are the right person for you.
Things you need to consider before you have an operation
Probably the main thing you really need to consider is do you need a surgical nose job at all. There are other methods you can take a look at which aren’t as invasive and may go some way to providing the result you want. You can get an idea of what is available in our NON-SURGICAL NOSE JOB section.
If however you feel the results you want can only be achieved surgically, there are some things you need to consider and talk about with the surgeon during your consultation.
1. Any medical conditions you have, even if you think something isn’t relevant, let the doctor know just in case it can affect you adversely.
2. Explanation of the exact procedure. Ask in your consultation for a full rundown of what and how the procedure will work, including any particular risks associated with your individual case.
3. Ask for examples of previous work, qualifications and testimonials including the percentage of people returning for a 2nd procedure.
4. Ask what the risks involved are then compare these to what you know from your research. A professional doctor shouldn’t sugar- coat the potential risks.
5. Get a rundown of everything you need to do in order to aid you in a quick recovery, including the length of time you can expect before you will be fully recovered.
6. All associated costs and a breakdown of what for and why you’re being charged.
7. What symptoms you need to look out for and report after the surgery, including points of contact.
8. Always ask yourself , ” do I trust this person”? If you have any doubts at all continue your search for a surgeon you can feel comfortable with and trust with your procedure.
For extra reassurance (Baaps)
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons
If you really want to make sure you’re in the best hands it’s worth taking a look at the baaps website. Members of the association are on a specialist register held by the medical council. This is the best way for you to background check any consultant you meet as they are required to hand in an annual safety audit as part of the baaps membership. This should give you a clear indication of the surgeon’s expertise and knowledge before you decide to go ahead with the procedure. You can visit the website www.baaps.org.uk for more details.
Closing thoughts
It’s best to try and educate yourself as much as possible before you go for a consultation. Please read through our other sections and gather as much information as you can in order to prepare yourself adequately. As they say ” knowledge is power”. If you are armed with the right information before hand, it will be much easier to make an educated decision with regard to who you will choose to perform your nose job.
