Rhinoplasty is performed to change the shape or size of the nose and/or to improve breathing. The operation may be performed for purely cosmetic reasons or as part of a reconstruction for birth deformities or following trauma, cancer or other disease.
The best candidates for rhinoplasty are people who are seeking an improvement, but not perfection, in the way they look. If you are physically healthy, psychologically stable, and realistic in your expectations, you may be a good candidate.
Rhinoplasty is a commonly performed procedure. The nose is the central feature of the face and many people are self-conscious of the size or shape of the nose. The nose may be seen as too big, too small or have some other features which they dislike. Once the nose stops growing – at about 15 or 16 in females and about a year or two later in males – surgery can be performed to alter nasal shape.
Rhinoplasties are individualized to meet the patient’s needs and expectations. Rhinoplasties usually include an improvement of the nasal tip, straightening of the dorsum and adjustment of the bony nasal skeleton. These procedures may be performed as an open procedure with a small externally visible incision through the columella (base of nose) or may be performed as a closed procedure where all of the incisions are hidden. Different advantages exist in either approach. The choice is usually left to the discretion of the surgeon.
Rhinoplasty can correct a variety of conditions including an over-sized nose, a hump on the bridge, an undesirable shape of the nasal tip or a narrow or wide span of the nostrils. Both frontal and profile views of the nose are corrected to complement other facial features, and to provide a balance of proportions. Rhinoplasty can also be used to correct for breathing problems caused by narrow or partially obstructed nostrils.
