Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is a plastic surgery technique to restore a proportional nose shape, correct for constricted breathing, or to perform subtle aesthetic changes to nose size and shape.

The Rhinoplasty Procedure
Primary rhinoplasty normally requires one to three hours in surgery, depending on the amount of nose reshaping to be done. Two types of rhinoplasty include "open" versus "closed."

Open Rhinoplasty:
This more complex procedure is used for major nose reshaping. Incisions are made in the vertical strip of skin separating the nostrils. This is called the columella.

Closed Rhinoplasty:
For minor reshaping, incisions are made within the nose. The skin of the nose is then separated from the bone and cartilage, which form its supporting framework. Once exposed, bone and cartilage can be removed, reshaped, augmented, or rearranged to achieve the desired new shape. For example, to make the nose narrower, cartilage can be removed down the front spine of the nose. After the cartilage and bone have been changed, the nose tissues are redraped over the newly shaped structures and the incisions are closed.

After Rhinoplasty
Immediately after the incisions are closed, soft puffy material may be used inside the nose to maintain the structure along the nasal air passages. Also after surgery, an external splint is applied to help the nose maintain its new shape. The splint provides some additional protection for the nose during the healing process. The external splint is typically worn for six to eight days.

The nose area will be bruised and puffy after surgery. This bruising may extend to the eyes and all areas of the face. Common post-surgery instructions include a cold compress to reduce swelling, pain medication to reduce discomfort, and elevating your head for the first 24 hours.

Most of the swelling and bruising should disappear after seven days. You may experience limited bleeding the first few days. Normally after two weeks, all stuffing, splints, and other post-surgical dressings are removed. There will be some internal swelling within the nose for several months, but this will not be noticeable to anyone but you and the surgeon.  Do not bump your nose and avoid any trauma to the nose during the first week after surgery.