Nose: Rhinoplasty

I no longer perform cosmetic rhinoplasty. The information below is from my old site and left here for completeness sake only. I prefer to concentrate on the surgery that I enjoy. Rhinoplasty, even in the best hands has a 15% patient dissatisfaction rate. There is no procedure that I do that has such a high dissatisfaction rate, a rate that is too high for me. To be good at rhinoplasty, one really needs to be a high volume operator and I prefer to be a high volume operator in other areas.

Rhinoplasty is a group of operations performed to enhance the shape or size of the nose or to improve breathing. The operation may be performed purely for cosmetic reasons or as part of a reconstruction following trauma, cancer or other disease, or to correct birth deformities.

General anaesthesia is used for most operations, although for tip work local anaesthesia and sedation is recommended. I now perform most rhinoplasty procedures as day case surgery. Incisions are made inside the nostrils and usually a small cut is also made between the nostrils, referred to as the open rhinoplasty approach. The skin of the nose is lifted away to expose the skeleton. This skeleton of cartilage and bone is then modified to give the nose its new form. To achieve the desired result tissue may be added, removed or reshaped. Once reshaping is completed, the wounds are closed and a nasal shield may be applied and worn for about two weeks after surgery. Depending on the extent of the procedure, the duration of surgery may be between one and four hours.

Following surgery you will look worse than you feel. Rhinoplasty is not very painful, but the bruising and swelling can be marked and can take two to four weeks to settle. Complications can include bleeding, crusting, some loss of sensation at the tip and breathing problems. It takes a long time for the skin to adjust to the new shape of the underlying nasal skeleton and the final result will only be apparent a year or two after surgery. Even in the best hands about 15% of rhinoplasty patients request secondary surgery for further improvement. Despite this rhinoplasty has a permanent effect on nasal shape and can improve your self confidence and self esteem.

For a more detailed description of this procedure, click here.

Testimonials from patients who have had rhinoplasty.