Introduction to Nasal Reshaping (Rhinoplasty)
Although there is no exact definition of the perfect
nose, the size, shape and appearance of your nose should
be in balance and blend with your other facial features.
If you feel that your nose is not a good fit, you may
benefit from cosmetic surgery of the nose, or rhinoplasty
surgery.
Best Candidates for Rhinoplasty
Men and women of all ages;
Emotionally mature children after age 14 or 15;
Nose appears too large or too wide for your face;
Nasal tip droops or is too thick;
Small or large bump on the nasal bridge seen on profile;
Nostrils are too wide or too large;
Nose is crooked or off-center;
Previous injury has left your nose crooked;
Breathing is obstructed from a deviated septum
What to Expect at Your Consultation
Dr. James Matas, a board-certified plastic surgeon
in Orlando, Florida, has extensive experience performing
rhinoplasty surgery. At your initial consultation, he
will discuss your goals and motivations for surgery,
along with assessing your physical and emotional health
and reviewing information you provide about previous
surgeries, previous injuries to the nose, past and current
medical conditions, as well as nutritional supplements,
herbal remedies and pharmaceutical medications you take.
He will examine the structures inside your nose and
the thickness of your skin, as well as the relationship
between the size and shape of your nose compared to
your other facial features.
He will recommend the exact procedure, or procedures,
needed to bring about the desired result, outlining
the techniques and incisions needed, the type of anesthesia,
where the surgery will be performed and the risks and
possibility of complications.
He will advise you to avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen
products, Vitamin E and certain herbal medications before
surgery, as these can cause increased bleeding or have
undesirable effects with anesthesia.
He may recommend that other procedures be performed
at the same time as the rhinoplasty, in order to correct
a breathing difficulty or further balance the facial
features.
To correct breathing problems, the nasal turbinates
may also need to be reduced to allow for better air
flow passing through the nostrils. Sometimes, a septoplasty
is performed to straighten the septum, which is the
cartilage that divides the two sides.
To better compliment the results of rhinoplasty, chin
augmentation surgery can be combined in order to give
the chin more prominence.
Once Dr. Matas has made his final recommendations,
a staff member may take photographs of you, and using
computer imaging technology, provide you with a before/after
comparison for discussion purposes.
You will also be provided with the financial details,
along with a suggested plan of action should you decide
to take the next step toward nose reshaping.
How Rhinoplasty Surgery is Performed
Plastic surgeons perform rhinoplasty in two ways, either
making the incisions inside the nostrils (closed rhinoplasty)
or under the nose across the columella (open rhinoplasty).
Under most circumstances, Dr. Matas prefers to use the
open rhinoplasty technique because it provides him with
the best visualization and control.
After making an incision to the columella, the small
strip of skin under the nose that separates the nostrils,
the nasal structures can be accessed by Dr. Matas. Depending
upon your individual circumstances, Dr. Matas may break
and then reshape the bone in your nose. Then, he trims
and reshapes the cartilage, placing suture along the
way to reinforce its new position. In some patients,
he may build up the nasal bridge by taking a piece of
your own cartilage and shaping it into a graft. If your
nostrils need to be narrowed, he will remove a wedge
of skin at the base of the nostrils. Once he has made
all the changes necessary, the skin and soft tissues
are then redraped over the newly shaped framework of
bone and cartilage.
The surgery is performed outpatient and takes about
two hours to complete.
Recovery from Rhinoplasty Surgery
You will be discharged wearing a nasal splint across
the bridge of your nose and gauze packing inside your
nostrils. The packing will be removed the following
day, but the splint will protect your nose and hold
it in place during the first week. You will also have
a small bandage beneath the tip of your nose.
You will keep your head elevated, get plenty of rest
and apply cold compresses over the eyes to help reduce
bruising and swelling. There is minimal discomfort with
this procedure, and it can be easily controlled with
prescribed pain medication.
Bruising below the eyes and over the cheeks sometimes
occurs, and we provide homeopathic medications to reduce
the amount of bruising you will experience. Most people
return to work in about a week after nasal surgery,
using makeup if there is any residual bruising. There
will be subtle swelling of the nose that subsides over
the first few weeks. It will be a few weeks before strenuous
activities or contact sports may be resumed.
It is normal to have reduced sensation in the beginning,
and this should resolve within a few weeks or months.
Although you will be able to see the major changes within
the first week or two, your final results will begin
to emerge 6 months to one year.
Your New Look
If your nose was very large and you had a large bump
removed, your changes will be quite dramatic and noticeable
to others. Otherwise, your friends, family and coworkers
may not know you’ve had nasal surgery unless you
tell them.
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