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Rhinoplasty, also referred to as a “nose job” or sometimes “nose reshaping”, is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgeries today. Rhinoplasty modifies the proportions of your nose to give you the facial appearance you desire. Rhinoplasty is also performed at times to correct impaired breathing caused by structural defects within the nose and at other times to correct facial damage from an accident or other such occurrence.
If you are considering undergoing a nose job, there are few things you should consider to qualify you as a good candidate for rhinoplasty; we also have some tips to review for your consultation with your rhinoplasty surgeon.
Important note: it is of utmost importance that you are completely honest with your surgeon in every way. Your surgeon will ask you about previous surgeries, medications you are taking or have taken, known allergies to medications or anesthesia, alcohol, tobacco and drug use, diet, etc. It is your responsibility to provide honest and accurate information to your surgeon. Being dishonest about any of these could result in a less than ideal outcome, or worse.
Are you a Suitable Candidate for Rhinoplasty?
You may be a suitable candidate for rhinoplasty provided your facial growth is complete and you are physically healthy. Ideally you should be a non-smoker, and you must have realistic goals in mind for the improvement of your facial appearance. If you fit this description, read on for some additional tips on what you should ask your surgeon during your nose job procedure consultation visit.
1) General certifications, training and experience:
Ask your surgeon to kindly provide his training and certification credentials as well as his overall surgical experience. Where did he train, what are his certifications and how long as he or she been performing plastic surgery procedures? There are a variety of certifications for plastic surgeons, so it is recommended to do additional research after your consultation so you are familiar with the credentials of your surgeon of choice.
2) Rhinoplasty specific surgical expertise:
Ask your surgeon how many years he has spent performing rhinoplasties as well as how many total nose jobs he has completed during this time. Ask your surgeon specifics on their success rate – what percentage of patients are happy with the procedures and consider their nose job a success and how many have required revisions? How many revisions ultimately lead to happy patients? You may also consider asking how many nose jobs they perform on a weekly or monthly basis as well as what percentage of overall procedures they perform are rhinoplasty as opposed to various other surgeries. This will give you a solid idea as to how often your surgeon is performing the same procedure and keeping their rhinoplasty skills sharp.
3) Revision policy:
Ask your surgeon if the results are not what you wanted, what is their policy on revisions? It is important to be clear on this matter, as one surgeon may perform a revision free of charge if you are not fully pleased with the outcome for a variety of reasons, while another surgeon may only perform revisions based on certain criteria. Also ask the timeframe for revisions – how long after your procedure do you need to wait before a revision is possible should you require one?
4) Rhinoplasty questions directly related to you:
You may ask your surgeon their experience performing rhinoplasty on your ethnicity and how that may affect the outcome. Does your surgeon specialize in male or female nose jobs, or does she have equal experience and success with both genders? If you are considering additional plastic surgery procedures in the future, ask your surgeon how your current rhinoplasty may affect these potential future procedures and if now is the proper time for a nose job.
5) RhinoplastyTechniques:
Ask your surgeon to explain some of the techniques she utilizes in rhinoplasty procedures. Specifically, ask if he or she uses minimally invasive techniques to reduce scarring. Another question to ask your surgeon as well as research yourself is the choice between an open and closed rhinoplasty and which technique your surgeon will use for your procedure. Open rhinoplasty and closed rhinoplasty are two techniques surgeons use in reshaping the nasal tip. Open rhinoplasty techniques use an incision along the columella, which is the soft tissue between your nostrils, while closed rhinoplasty implies that all incisions will be inside of the nostril. Naturally, there are advantages and disadvantages to each technique. Some noses are more apt for closed techniques and others better suited to open techniques. Ideally, your surgeon should feel comfortable with both techniques and apply the best one for your nose during your procedure, based on your unique anatomy.
6) Expected results from your rhinoplasty:
Have a point-blank discussion on what to expect with your procedure as well as what may go wrong. As mentioned above, it is very important that you have reasonable expectations on the outcome of your procedure. You must FULLY convey these expectations to your surgeon so he or she may confirm the likelihood of these or correct any expectations that may not be likely or even possible to achieve. Listen carefully to what your surgeon says and adjust your expectations accordingly before deciding to continue with the procedure. Also ask what can go wrong with your procedure and how likely is it to happen. Minor issues are uncommon but do happen and serious issues are rare; however, your particular physical structure or medical history may open up further risk or adversely affect the outcome. Again, be honest and listen very closely to your surgeon and make sure you are 100% comfortable with potential issues that may arise before moving forward with your procedure as you and only you must live with the end results.
7) Rhinoplasty recovery:
Ask specific questions regarding the recovery process of your nose job. Will the recovery process be painful? What types of medications will I need to take? How long will I need to take off school or work? What physical activities must I avoid and for how long? Should I avoid travel or flying? How will this affect my daily routine over the course of the recovery period? Will I be able to wear eye glasses or contact lenses directly after surgery? Your surgeon will lay out a recovery plan and what to expect in the hours, days and weeks after your surgery. Should you make the decision to undergo a nose job, make sure to follow the your surgeon’s instructions closely in order to ensure optimal results.
8) Personal responsibilities in order to assure the most successful surgical outcome for my rhinoplasty:
It is very important for patients to follow all instructions given by your surgeon both before and after surgery. Your surgeon will give you specific direction on how to properly prepare for your surgical procedure as well as what to do post-op. The list will include various directions on eating, drinking, and sleeping requirements prior to your surgery as well as potential medication additions or changes that may be required. Post-operative direction will include what medications you will be required to take, eating, drinking, and sleeping instruction, and also what issues and concerns to look out for once the operation is complete and your body is in the process of healing.
9) Before and after photos:
Ask to see before and after photos with your surgeon and ask him to explain the procedures as you look through the patient pictures. You will learn a great deal about rhinoplasty by viewing before and after pictures of the procedures and you will learn more about your surgeon, including his level of passion for his work and caring for his patients. Make sure you ask her to show you examples of noses that are close to yours as far similarity to your current nose as well as similarity to your expected outcome.
You may view a large gallery of before and after rhinoplasty photos of Allure Plastic Surgery patients here.
10) Testimonials:
Hearing the words of other rhinoplasty patients that have worked with your surgeon is reassuring for you and provides tangible proof of your surgeon’s capabilities. Ask your surgeon for written testimonials that are ideally accompanied by before and after pictures. Ask if it would be OK to directly contact one or two patients for a short chat on their nose job experience. It is rare that an experienced surgeon will not have at least one or two former patients that are open to having a conversation with another patient. Be wary of any surgeon that does not offer at least one patient that you may converse with.
11) Cost and financing:
This may be the very first topic you discuss with your surgeon and it is rightfully important to be clear on total costs. Make sure your surgeon explains exactly what it is included in their quote, as well as what is or may not be included such as revisions, lab work, post-operative check-ups, etc.
12) Finally, why NOT get a nose job?:
This is an interesting question and you may learn a lot from your surgeon’s answer. Ask them why you should NOT get a nose job. This may lead to further discussions on your unique physical attributes that may negatively affect the outcome as well as emotional reasons behind the decision. It may or may not change your overall decision but it will surely be a good discussion to have with your rhinoplasty surgeon.
After your surgical consultation, you should feel relaxed and comfortable with your surgeon. You should not feel as though questions were skimmed over or not answered fully and you should certainly not feel pressured into a decision. If the surgeon is pushy, does not take his time to answer your questions to your satisfaction, or seems more concerned with getting you to make a decision and/or sign up for additional procedures, than walk away and find another surgeon. This is someone whom you are placing your trust, your appearance and your health with and you need to be certain that they are the best person for your procedure. If you feel your surgeon is being evasive or unwilling to answer your questions fully then look for another.
Dr. Miller and Dr. Heller use their years of experience performing and refining their rhinoplasty techniques to give each patient exceptional results. If you are ready to enhance your facial appearance with surgical correction of your nose, give Allure Plastic Surgery a call (212) 661-2563 today to schedule your consultation with one of our experienced rhinoplasty surgeons. We welcome patients throughout the Manhattan, New York City, Staten Island, and Long Island areas and have a lengthy list of before and after photos of satisfied patients for you to view.