Dr. Dirk Lazarus
Plastic Surgeon

Tel: 021 424 1112
Fax: 021 424 1118

86 New Church St
Tamboerskloof
Cape Town, 8001
South Africa

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 for purely cosmetic reasons or as part of a reconstruction for birth deformities, following trauma, cancer or other disease.

General anaesthesia is used for most operations, although for tip work local anaesthesia and sedation is recommended. I now perform most rhinoplasties as day case surgery. Cuts are made inside the nostrils and usually also a small cut is made between the nostrils (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. Tissue may be removed, reshaped or added to. Once reshaping is completed, the wounds are closed and a nasal shield may be applied to be worn for about 2 weeks after surgery. Depending on the extent, the duration of surgery may be between 1 and 4 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 2-4 weeks to settle. Complications 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 secondary 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.