A rhinoplasty is surgery to change the shape and/or size of the nose. It can be done to correct an injury to the nose or a birth defect but it’s very often done for cosmetic reasons. That’s because many people don’t like the look of their nose. The nose might be too big for them, have a bump, have a shape that they don’t like or have a bulbous tip. Rhinoplasty or “nose job” is one of the few cosmetic procedures that can completely change the look of a person’s face.

About the Rhinoplasty Procedure

Rhinoplasty is usually an outpatient procedure, which means that the patient can go home soon after the operation has been done. However, some people may need to stay in the hospital overnight. Depending on how extensive the operation is, the anesthesia used can be general or local with sedation. General anesthesia puts the patient to sleep, while local anesthesia and sedation allows them to be awake but numbs the area of the nose that’s being worked on.

A rhinoplasty can be a fairly complex procedure as the nose is a surprisingly complex structure. Resculpting a nose can take as much artistry as it can skill. The plastic surgeon can operate from within the nose, which will hide any scarring or he or she can make an incision through the flesh that separates the nostrils. This can reduce the look of the scarring. Bone and cartilage are then resculpted and removed till the shape and size of the nose the patient wants has been acquired. The doctor may need to add grafts to the nose for it to be able to achieve the right shape and size. These grafts can come from the patient’s own body, so there’s no chance of rejection.

After the operation, the nose is sutured, packed and bandaged.