Nose Reshaping (Rhinoplasty)
Rhinoplasty is the medical term for nose reshaping surgery, also known as a ‘nose job’. The size, shape and proportions of the nose have a significant impact on the overall look of the face.
Nose reshaping surgery can also be performed to correct breathing difficulties caused by injury or damage to the nose, or by the natural shape of the internal passages of the nose.
There are several types of nose reshaping surgery:
- Tip rhinoplasty
- Open rhinoplasty
- Secondary rhinoplasty
- Augmentation rhinoplasty
- Submucosal resection (SMR) or Septoplasty
Mr Adams will discuss the best procedure for you during your consultation.
Types of Rhinoplasty
Tip Rhinoplasty
Open Rhinoplasty
Secondary Rhinoplasty
Augmentation Rhinoplasty
SMR
Nose Reshaping
What You Need to Know
As with all surgery, complications can occur. In the initial stage following surgery the main risk is bleeding. Very occasionally, patients need to be readmitted in the initial few days following surgery for nasal packing. This is a rare complication. The most common complication is adverse healing which can alter the shape of the nose leading to an undesirable result. However, because the nose takes up to nine months to settle, the final result cannot be fully assessed until that time. Rarely, some revisional secondary surgery might be required, though this is usually minor and often undertaken as a daycase procedure.
What Happens When I Leave Hospital?
Whilst all dressings are in place, you are advised not to drive. You have to be cautious even after the splint has been removed as the healing has yet to be complete. Avoid vigorous activities or sports (swimming, tennis, gym aerobics) for four to six weeks as the nose is still fragile during this time. Contact sport should be avoided for three months. Patients can return to work even with the splint on, as long as this does not involve significant physical activity. Further details will be provided to you preoperatively, and please do ask.
When the nose splint is removed, patients will begin to have a clearer idea as to what has been undertaken, however, the nose will still be slightly swollen, and the healing process within the bone and cartilage will still take some considerable time to settle. The full result of the nasal surgery cannot be judged for up to nine months following surgery. Patients will notice that the nose may feel numb and hard, especially at the tip. This numbness will gradually return to normal after several months and the woodiness of the nose will likewise settle, but after a number of months.
Resources
Read the full rhinoplasty fact sheet for more information on the types of nose-reshaping surgery, pre-operative advice and what to expect following the procedure