Nose Job

Rhinoplasty, the medical term for a nose job, is one of the most common cosmetic surgeries performed by surgeons. While it can be performed in order to improve the function of the nose, it is most often an elective surgery chosen by individuals who feel embarrassed or self conscious when it comes to their nose. Some of the more practical functions of Rhinoplasty surgery include correcting birth defects or breathing difficulties in the individual. In the early 1930’s, it became very popular for people in Hollywood to have nose jobs, and this trend slowly leaked into the lives of more mainstream occupants. However, the surgery itself has been around and has been successfully performed for thousands of years. Now, all over the world there are doctor’s offices, clinics and hospitals that will attend to the needs of individuals who are looking to have nose job plastic surgery.

Today, many people have had a nose job and most feel like this was a very important step in increasing their self-worth. Sometimes the person is able to finance their reconstructive surgery and sometimes the surgery is paid for by a friend or relative as a present. Either way, it is typically appreciated and considered a positive investment for the individual. Many people underestimate the aesthetic value of the nose and how having a nose job can increase confidence and improve the overall value of life for a person. It is a very simple, yet important, change that a person can have done in order to improve their appearance and the way they feel about themselves.

There are two different types of nose job plastic surgery that can be performed. There is the closed Rhinoplasty and the open Rhinoplasty. The selected procedure will vary from one patient to the next, depending on what the surgeon and the patient determine is necessary. Closed Rhinoplasty is the less invasive option. There are only incisions made on the inside of the nostril and there is less scarring. On the contrary, open Rhinoplasty is the nose job plastic surgery that can leave small scars, since there will need to be incisions made on the outside of the nose. This does not denote a bad nose job; it is important to be aware that there are different procedures that will need to be performed in order to achieve different results.

Despite the fact that the nose job became very popular among people for cosmetic reasons during the 1900’s, it is not a new practice among surgeons in the medical field. There are now more superficial reasons for having the procedure performed, but the first known existence of the Rhinoplasty plastic surgery appears in texts dating back to as early as 500BC. A physician from ancient India wrote about the surgery in a book. The physician’s name was Sushruta, and he talked about reconstructing the noses of individuals who had their nose amputated as part of a criminal punishment. Basically, the procedure that was performed simply used techniques of the forehead flap in the surgery to reconstruct the nose. This method of performing the Rhinoplasty was very popular at the time and it continues to be very popular among different types of people.

In India, the same earlier defined practices of the nose job surgery were used until the late 1700’s. More modern techniques were developed over time, although the basic principles are still the same. In 1887, the first intranasal nose job was performed by John Orlando Roe. Eleven years later, in 1898, a man by the name of Jacques Joseph adopted the surgery to be used for people who were embarrassed or who felt ashamed about their nose. No longer was the surgery performed on a necessary basis, but it began to be performed on an elective basis as well. In more modern and urban areas there are more nose job surgeons to consider as opposed to rural areas. This is especially true of areas such as Hollywood and Los Angeles, California, where many people put a great importance on the aesthetics of a person. However, people all over the world can appreciate the benefits of having nose job plastic surgery performed and there are clinics and hospitals all over the world that offer this process.

There are different specific procedures that can be performed, and they will be dependent upon the doctor and the patient who is having the nose job performed. The patient may be knocked out entirely, or the patient may only have local anesthetics applied. Typically a patient’s health as well as their preference is considered when it comes time to use anesthetics of any kind during a nose job procedure. The entire procedure should not take more than two hours to complete, but it can take longer if there are complications that arise. Incisions are then made into the nostrils and in some cases also into the piece of skin that lies between the nostrils. There are two different procedures that can be performed. There is open Rhinoplasty, which requires incisions to be made on the outside and the inside of the nose and nostrils. Closed Rhinoplasty is the other option, which only requires incisions to be made on the insides of the nostrils. After the plastic surgeon removes the layers of skin and cartilage, the doctor can begin to reshape the bone and structure in a way that gets rid of the imperfection. Sometimes pieces are removed from the nose, and other times bone or cartilage is added to the nose in order to get the desired results.

When it comes to performing the nose job surgery in order to increase the function of the nose, there are more specific steps that need to be taken. Some cartilage can be used to strengthen the structure of the nose, and this can help to improve the breathing of the person who had the nose job. Once the nose job surgery is completed, the patient can recuperate. There is typically a splint that is applied in order to help the nose retain its new shape while it heals. There are follow up visits with the surgeon that will need to be kept by the patient in order to make sure that everything is healing as required.

Depending on the reasons for the surgery, Rhinoplasty may be covered by a patient’s insurance provider. Purely cosmetic surgeries are rarely covered by insurance companies, but if there is a more practical reason for the surgery then it may be covered. For example, if the nose job is being performed in order to correct a birth defect or a breathing problem, then the surgery might be covered by insurance policies. Nose job plastic surgery that is covered by insurance will cost much less to the individual as opposed to surgery that is not covered or is being performed for aesthetic and not medical reasons. The specific nose job cost varies from surgeon to surgeon, and from country to country. Not only is the doctor being paid for the work they will perform, but there is also the cost of the facility and the anesthetic that will be used.

In the year 2003, the average cost of a nose job could exceed $5000 in the United States when the cost of the facility and anesthesia is all added up. If the cost is not being done for a medical reason, then all of that money needs to come out of the pocket of the individual. Some of the nose job cost ranges for other areas currently include up to four thousand pounds in the United Kingdom, two thousand one hundred and fifty pounds in South Africa, and twenty eight hundred pounds in Spain. The initial consultation and the follow up visits may also add additional costs to the final price of the surgery and will need to be taken into consideration when a person is trying to put together a budget in order to comfortably afford a nose job.

First, a patient will go in for a consultation with their doctor to discuss their options regarding Rhinoplasty. A nose job, while a fairly simple procedure, still demands that certain protocol is followed and a patient’s health will need to be determined before a nose job can take place. The doctor will need to make sure that the individual is prepared both mentally and emotionally for the nose job surgery, and will also need to ensure that they are a good candidate for the elective surgery. Two weeks prior to the nose job surgery, it will be important that the patient stop taking certain medications, including aspirin, other pain relievers, diet pills and herbal supplements. These medications can all thin your blood, making it more difficult to clot. When the nose job is performed, the blood will need to be able to clot at a moderate pace in order to promote proper healing. This is also why it is important not to drink alcohol the night before the nose job surgery.

Some medical institutions will set up a vitamin and medication plan for the individual prior to their nose job surgery as a precaution. It will help the individual on a basic level. Other programs do not include a vitamin regiment, but most establishments do suggest having the prescriptions filled and ready to go before the nose job surgery is even performed. Some also suggest having another person available to the individual, just to help out, and to have these preparations made prior to the day of the operation.

The type of sedation that is used for the surgery will be a factor in the immediate recovery time of the patient. If only local anesthetics were used, then the person will be able to move about slowly after the surgery. On the other hand, if general anesthesia is used, then the person will need longer to recover initially since they will need to wake up and take time to become clear headed again. For one week after the surgery, most physicians will insist that the patient wear a splint over the bridge of their nose. This will help to keep the nose steady and stable while the patient is in recovery. Patients will still generally be able to go home on the same day as their surgery, since the entire process typically takes no more than three hours to complete.

Bruising of the face and black eyes will typically diminish within 3-7 days, although if the nasal bones were broken as part of the procedure than that time could double and take as long as 14 days to disappear. There is a significant amount of time that the nose will appear swollen, and it can take 1-6 months for the swelling to go away completely. This is dependent upon whether or not a person has open or closed Rhinoplasty surgery. Closed Rhinoplasty is the type of surgery that is performed when incisions are made only on the inside of the nose. Open Rhinoplasty requires the surgeon to make incisions on the outside tip of the nose in addition to the inside incisions that are made in closed Rhinoplasty. Contact sports should be avoided for six weeks after the surgery. Most participants in this elective surgery see finalized results, without bruising and swelling, within 6 months or less.

To avoid a bad nose job, it is important that an individual thoroughly review the credentials of a plastic surgeon. To go to a less reputable plastic surgeon is to submit one’s self to a potentially less successful surgery. If the surgery is taking place within the United States, it can be beneficial to make sure that they are on the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which will help to identify them as a potentially successful surgeon when it comes to plastic surgery. Also in America, the State Medical Board will be able to provide the individual with background information such as board certification and any disciplinary action that may have involved the surgeon. These things can be performed very easily by people that have the Internet. There are many search engines that can be used to research individuals.

Once this background work is performed, there are a number of different questions that a person can ask on the phone or in person when they are trying to get additional information about the surgeon that they are speaking with about Rhinoplasty with. Some of the most common and helpful questions to get answered would include the following:

Is the Surgeons State Medical License valid?

Will the surgery be performed at an accredited center?

Ask to see pictures of before and after clients.

It is always a bad sign if the surgeon does not have any pictures to show prospective clients. This does not mean that they necessarily perform bad nose job surgeries, but it is not a practice of many reputable nose job surgeons. Most people would benefit from being able to see previous work of the surgeon.

In order to be prepared, a patient will want to have a list of questions prepared to ask the doctor in order to get to know them better. Having a more personalized relationship with the surgeon will ease the mind of the patient. Some questions that will enable the patient to have a greater understanding of their surgeon include:

How long have you been performing rhinoplasties?

How many rhinoplasties have you performed within the last year?

How many rhinoplasties have you performed over the entire duration of your career?

Have you ever been asked to give a lecture dealing with rhinoplasties or your experience with them?

Have you been published for writing any type of scientific paper about rhinoplasties?

Do you have any patients that are willing to be contacted about their experience?

In the last two years, how many doctors have you performed Rhinoplasty on?

How many doctors’ family members have you performed a nose job on?

Do you have a photo album that I can look at of before and after nose jobs?

Do you have any photos of before and after pictures of incisions on patients?

Do you have certification for plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery that you can show proof of?

Where is the procedure performed?

Have you achieved any special recognition or honors in the field of cosmetic or plastic surgery?

Would you classify yourself as a perfectionist?

Have any patients asked you to redo work that you have already performed?

How many malpractice suits have been raised against you over the entire course of your career?

Has your ability to practice medicine ever been suspended or revoked? If so, what were the circumstances surrounding these events?

Most benefits of a nose job are personal. An individual will be able to notice a lot of benefits for themselves after the nose job plastic surgery. This surgery can help to increase a person’s level of confidence and physical appearance, but it can also help a person to be happier. If a person feels like they look good, this will make them feel better about themselves in general. This goes on to boost their confidence and help them in many areas of their lives. Increased confidence can benefit a person professionally and personally as well. However, not all reasoning behind Rhinoplasty is aesthetic. There are also breathing problems and birth defects that can be corrected by a nose job as well. With improved breathing thanks to nose job plastic surgery, a person can experience a higher quality of life.

Typically, there is very little scarring, if any, unless the surgeon performs a bad nose job. If the patient is careful about the nose job surgeon they select, they will have little worries about such an issue. Nose job plastic surgery has very few lasting side effects, and most people are very happy with their decision to have the reconstructive surgery done. Because the procedure is so common, another benefit of the nose job plastic surgery is that it is quick and relatively simple. Surgeons have a lot of experience with the process and so there are fewer risks involved.