The “Center” of the Target
Rhinoplasty Nose Surgery
As the focal point of your face (the “center of the target”), the nose plays a key role in shaping your facial beauty. If you have a disproportionately sized or misshapen nose, you might be lacking confidence in your appearance.
Rhinoplasty is a complex operation that can correct nasal deformities. The intricacies of working with the nasal bone structure as well as ethnically diverse ideas of beauty make surgical experience an important factor in achieving natural-looking rhinoplasty results.
“As a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon,
Dr. Shah has the experience and passion to produce beautifully sculpted noses.”
What Does Rhinoplasty Entail?
Rhinoplasty is performed as an outpatient procedure with the patient under general anesthesia. After discussing your expectations, Dr. Shah will map out the changes on the surface of your skin. Once you are put under anesthesia, Dr. Shah will create incisions to gain access to the supporting cartilage structure.
There are two incision options that can be utilized for the procedure, both of which Dr. Shah is highly trained in performing:
- An open technique uses a single incision underneath the nose, between the nostrils. This location allows for maximum camouflage. The skin is then gently elevated from the underlying structure.
- A closed technique uses incisions within the nasal passageway. Special tools are used to make adjustments to the supporting structures.
Once Dr. Shah has gained access to the nasal structures, he will remove, add, and rearrange cartilage as needed. In some cases, he will utilize sutures within the tissues to help narrow and reshape the nasal tip. Once finished, the incisions are closed, a splint is placed, and a cast is applied.
Immediately following your surgery, you may experience some bruising, redness, swelling, and soreness. Some patients find that there is temporary initial discomfort when learning how to breathe with the nasal splints. It is common for your whole face to feel puffy and swollen. Pain medication will be prescribed to control discomfort. Splints and casting are removed at five to seven days after surgery.
For the first week following your surgery, you should keep your head elevated. After two weeks, you will begin to see a noticeable reduction in bruising and swelling and will likely be able to slowly return to normal activities. Exercise and strenuous physical activities should only be resumed with your surgeon’s permission. Most major swelling should subside after a month.
- If an open technique is utilized, there may be some slight scarring at the base of the nose. This will likely fade over time.
- If a closed approach is taken, no scarring will be visible because all incisions will have been made in the interior of the nose.
The cost of rhinoplasty varies from patient to patient and depends on the extent of correction needed. Geographic location, anesthesia fees, and surgical fees will all affect the ultimate cost of your procedure. While cost is an important factor when deciding on a surgeon, it is also important to remember that you cannot place a price on quality work and proven results.
There is initial mild pain associated with rhinoplasty, which is often in the form of facial soreness and difficulties breathing through the nose. Dr. Shah uses soft, compressible splints with holes to allow nasal airflow. Pain medication will be prescribed to control additional discomfort.
Rhinoplasty Adjustments by Dr. Shah
Changing of Bridge and Tip Shape
Some patients are born with a disproportionate nose; others suffer trauma that causes a nasal deformity. There is no need to live with a nose that causes you embarrassment. By reshaping cartilage and utilizing sutures, Dr. Shah can sculpt a new supporting structure to dramatically change the shape of the nasal bridge and tip.
Altering the contour of the nose can improve the appearance of your facial profile and bring balance to your facial features. Instead of being a distraction or detriment, your newly sculpted nose can enhance your natural beauty. The following are some of the most commonly requested nasal corrections:
- Removal of a nasal hump
- Narrowing of the nasal bridge
- Shortening of the nasal tip
- Creating a more upward-pointing nasal tip
- Resizing the nostrils
A careful and systematic approach to evaluating the nose prior to surgery.
Correction of Breathing Obstructions
For some patients, rhinoplasty is performed to correct complications caused by a deviated septum, which is a serious medical issue that impacts your ability to breathe properly. This occurs when the septum (the cartilage structure that separates your left and right nasal passages) is crooked, which prevents proper airflow through the nostrils. The process of correcting a deviated septum is known as septoplasty, and it is commonly combined with traditional rhinoplasty techniques.
Dr. Shah’s years of experience and dedication to detail make him well-qualified to correct deviated septums. For patients with a deviated septum who would also like to improve the appearance of their nose, Dr. Shah can perform rhinoplasty to improve both nasal form and function.
Addressing a deviated (or crooked) septum by straightening the bone and cartilage
Ethinically Tailored Results
For some ethnicities, issues span beyond concepts of beauty and stem from the fact that their bone structure varies from that of many Anglo-Americans. Dr. Shah takes these issues into consideration to provide his patients with natural-looking rhinoplasty results that suit the rest of their features.
Dr. Shah knows that every patient deserves individually tailored results, and he takes great care to create an honest and open dialogue with each of his patients. Once he gains a thorough understanding of the patient’s goals for the procedure, he can better achieve the desired results that reflect and enhance the patient’s ethnic beauty.
Beauty standards are not universal, especially within a country as ethnically diverse as the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the collapse of the nasal sidewall can be treated during rhinoplasty. Generally, the patient’s own cartilage is used to widen and reinforce the nasal valves.
Nasal contouring usually focuses on narrowing the tip of a bulbous nose.
“Rasping” is when a rough instrument is used to file down the nasal dorsum to correct a nasal hump.
While most cartilage is reduced via rasping, breaking of the nose may be necessary to re-establish nasal harmony in some cases. This is common when addressing a large dorsal hump.
Deprojection of the nose is possible by utilizing an open technique, which provide access to the cartilage that compromises the nasal tip.
In cases where the top of the nose too small, we can use patient-harvested cartilage to create a graft. The graft is used to augment or elevate the nasal dorsum.
By utilizing intradomal (within each nasal dome) or interdomal (between the two nasal domes) sutures, we can narrow the nasal tip.
