Rhinoplasty

 

When it comes to the aesthetic imperfections of the nose, the most commonly reported concerns are size, shape, straightness, and overall elegance. In addition to these, there are many other reasons why people choose to have rhinoplasty. Cosmetic nasal surgery is one of the more difficult surgical procedures that one can have on the face. For one thing, the nose is a central feature of the face and flaws are more noticeable and harder to conceal than other imperfections. Equally important, rhinoplasty itself is difficult because it requires an understanding of how the external appearance will change given modifications of the internal bone and cartilage framework.

Aesthetic Shortcomings that Rhinoplasty Can Improve

The following is a list of common aesthetic concerns that a nose job may improve:

1. Wide or Flat Nasal Bridge

A wide nose can be narrowed by narrowing the bone in the upper portion and/or the cartilage in the mid and lower portions. Sometimes the nasal bridge is wide and flat and requires augmentation with cartilage or artificial material to make the bride more elegant. Different ethnic groups have different characteristic nasal shapes. Augmentation of the nasal bridge is common in some East Asian patients.

2. Large, Bulbous Nasal Tip

Rhinoplasty can help correct a large bulbous nasal tip by reshaping the tip cartilages and creating a more elegant, triangular shape. The extent of tip narrowing that is possible is related to the skin thickness. Certain ethnic groups tend to have thicker skin that limits the extent of tip definition that is possible.

3. Big or Long Nose

Noses may appear overall large or long or both. A large or long nose can be aesthetically unwelcoming, as it disrupts the harmony of the facial structure. Correcting a long or large nose requires complex rhinoplasty techniques to reduce the length (distance from where the nose starts below the forehead to the nasal tip) or projection (the distance that the nose sticks out from the face).

4. Crooked Nose

A crooked nose may be the result of a deviation of the septum, the partition that separates the right and left nasal passages. Of all the imperfections of the nose, this is the one that is frequently impossible to correct completely.

5. Prominent Nasal Hump or Nose-Bridge Bump

A nasal hump may be the most common reason that a patient seeks surgical improvement in the appearance of the nose and of all the flaws that patients are concerned about, this is the one that is probably easiest to correct.

6. “I hate my profile when I smile”

This is a common complaint and is usually related to a combination of the items mentioned above including a combination of a nasal hump, long nose, and a plunging nasal tip. This constellation of anatomic flaws is one of the most satisfying for the surgeon and patient because the post-operative improvement can be so dramatic.

7. “I had a rhinoplasty and I am not happy with the result.”

If the original rhinoplasty was underdone, correction is usually straightforward. If the original rhinoplasty was overdone, then correction is somewhat more difficult requiring the addition of material, most commonly cartilage, to build parts of the nose back up where they were over-reduced.

Consult a Surgeon

If you're having one or more of the aesthetic concerns mentioned above, be sure to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon with experience and expertise in aesthetic surgery of the nose.  

Dr. Charles Thorne is an experienced, Park Avenue plastic surgeon with expertise in rhinoplasty.  Schedule a virtual consultation with Dr. Thorne to discuss your concerns about your nose.