Rhinoplasty

OMS Consultants' Cosmetic Facial Surgeons provide rhinoplasty procedures in order to reshape the nose. Appearance can be improved for those people who are dissatisfied with the shape and/or size of their nose. Nasal reconstruction was one of the first cosmetic procedures ever developed and is among those most frequently performed today. Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure in which deformities of the nose are corrected by removing, rearranging or reshaping bone or cartilage.

Reasons for Surgery

Reasons include altering the size of the nose, removal of humps, alterations is the shape or configuration of the tip of the nose, as well as improving the shape/size of the base (nostrils) of a nose. Conditions may be natural or due to external trauma to the nose. This operation may also help patients who have difficulty breathing through the nose. The operation can be performed on all age groups, including teens and the elderly.

Before Surgery

A medical history along with a careful examination is conducted in order to evaluate your general health and of course nose. We will discuss with you the way your nose can look in relation to your other facial features. Digital photography and computer imaging may be incorporated to aid in determining the appropriate procedures to achieve the desired results. Pre-operative instructions may include eliminating certain drugs that contain aspirin to minimize the possibility of excess bleeding, or the use of particular nasal sprays or other medications prior to the procedure.

Method of Surgery

Surgery may be performed under General Anaesthesia or sometimes I.V. sedation.

'Most people resume their normal activities within a week or two.'

In most cases involving a reduction in shape or size of the nose, alteration of the tip, or removal of a hump, the skin of the nose is separated from the underlying bone and cartilage. The bone and cartilage are then reshaped and the skin re-draped over the surface. This technique is called the 'open approach' and allows unparalleled visualization and accuracy during surgery.

Patients who have a deviated septum may benefit by correction of this problem simultaneously. The incisions may placed inside the nose only, unless the surgeon uses the open approach, in which case the incisions are made across the columella (the tissue between the nostrils).

In cases where the nostrils flare, the surgeon may make an incision at the junction between the nose and the skin of the upper lip to narrow the flared appearance. It is not unusual to combine rhinoplasty with chin augmentation, if desired, to improve the overall facial profile.

Recovery

The recovery takes one to two weeks. Most people resume their normal activities within a week or two. Following surgery, a lightweight splint is applied to the outside of the nose to help maintain its new shape. The splint is removed within a week. Nasal splints may be inserted at the time of surgery to protect the septum. If so, these are removed within a week. There is always some stuffiness of the nose, especially when work has been done on the nasal septum.

Pain is minimal and can be easily controlled with medications. Bruising usually occurs around the eyes and begins to fade within a few days. Discoloration usually disappears in two weeks. There may be some subtle swelling of the nose for many weeks, and though often not noticeable, it does delay visualizing the final result of your surgery until fully resolved.