We’re calling our Tip Refinement surgery a Mini Rhinoplasty because it produces the long-term, transformative effectives of a traditional Rhinoplasty – just without the recovery of one. Here’s everything you need to know about nose tip surgery, from what to expect before, during and after the surgery.
But first, what is Tip Refinement?
Nose Tip Refinement is one of the many procedures Dr Yannis performs and as a specialist in Facial Reconstructive surgery, he is the best Rhinoplasty surgeon around. This is a procedure that is ideal for someone who likes overall the structure of their nose, the bridge, the way their nose projects outwards and the width of it, but is not completely happy with how the tip looks. As the tip of the nose of is often thought of as the most visible part, it is through Tip Refinement that the most natural and transformative changes are made!
It can be performed in either the Open or Closed Technique and involves removing the cartilage of the nose, called the lower lateral cartilage, which is what you feel when gently pinch the end of your nose.
The biggest difference in the Open and Closed Technique is that when Dr Yannis performs an Open Mini Rhinoplasty, he will make an incision across the septum, which will leave a small scar afterwards. When performing a Closed Tip Refinement, all incisions and alternations are made within the nostrils, so there are no external scars. In terms of results, an Open Rhinoplasty can be advantages in making more structural changes to the tip of the nose, so it depends on the type of transformation you want to achieve. Of course, Dr Yannis will be able to outline the best course of action after examining your nose and listening to your expectations for the surgery – usually what happens in your initial consultation.
The Consultation
Whether you’re having a Mini Rhinoplasty or regular Rhinoplasty, the consultation is often the same. It’s an exciting moment because it means your one step closer to achieving your desired nose and have an opportunity to ask any questions about the procedure.
The consultation is an informal chat where you can be honest about what you want, explaining very clearly how you want your nose to look. If you have image references this is also helpful to bring as this will help Dr Yannis assess if a Mini Rhinoplasty is the right route for you to go down – or if another procedure would be more suitable for your needs.
The next step, ensuring that all is good and well and you’re happy to have your Rhinoplasty at our Harley Street clinic, the next step is arranging your payment plans and pre-op. Our surgical team advisors will help arrange and assist you in these areas.
The Pre-Op
Whether you’re having a Rhinoplasty, liposuction, or Breast Augmentation, you’ll always have a pre-op. This is when our Surgical Nurse will go through the mandatory consent forms that are legally required before any surgery. This means going through your medical history, any medications you’re on and outlining any potentially tests you may need to do before your surgery day – for example a blood test or something along those lines.
However, as Tip Refinement is often performed under local anaesthetic, this means you don’t have to travel to one of our hospital clinics for your surgery – Dr Yannis can perform your Rhinoplasty right here at 111 Harley St.
The biggest difference between local and general anaesthetic is that with general anaesthesia, you’re asleep during your surgery and with local you’re awake. Being awake during a surgery can often be daunting for some patients, but our team will be with you every step of the way and cover your eyes so you won’t feel like you can see everything that’s going on! A lot of our patients often say that the experience of having a surgery under local anaesthetic is like having work done at a dentist.
Preparing for surgery under local anaesthetic does not require much change to your daily activities, aside from not smoking or drinking 24-48 hours beforehand which is advised before all surgeries.
When preparing for a surgery under general anaesthetist, you have to not drink or eat for six hours beforehand. You should be able to drink water two before your surgery but it’s always best to check with our Anaesthetist Hish beforehand. We advise fasting because it decreases the risk of vomiting as under general anaesthetist your reflexes are less active, so if you hypothetically vomit during your surgery it could go into your lungs and cause you all sorts of problems.
On Day of The Mini Rhinoplasty Surgery
When the big day has arrived, you should come to our 111 Harley St. theatre, you’ll meet with Zuzana who will ask you to fill out some consent forms, ask you to change into your surgical gown and she’ll also check your blood pressure.
Then Dr Yannis will arrive and together for the last time you will discuss exactly what you want to achieve from your surgery. He will then mark the area and you’re ready!
He will first numb the area using injections which take around 2 minutes to work. Then he’ll begin the surgery! It is usually a fast surgery and can take around 30-60 minutes, sometimes longer if more extensive work is needed. Once complete, he’ll use steri strips to dress the area and you should be allowed to go home afterwards!
The First Follow Up
Around a week after the surgery, you’ll have your first follow up. In the days after the surgery, you should not get the dressing wet, you can still wash, just be sure to avoid the nose.
Then when you get to the clinic, Zuzana will clean the area thoroughly and remove any steri stips or visible stitches (if they are ready to be removed). For a Closed Rhinoplasty, the stitches are naturally dissolved by the body over time.
When You’ll See The Full Results of Your Harley Street Rhinoplasty
Immediately after you should be able to see a difference, however, it’s important to note the first two weeks are not the most accurate representation of how your nose will look overall. There is still a lot of swelling at this early stage.
After 1-2 months, your nose should be mostly healed, however the 3-, 6- and 12-month post-surgery milestones often show how your nose will look more permanently (especially the 12-month mark!). You’ll visit Dr Yannis for these milestones, and he can assess the areas and take some pictures to show you the final comparative result.
We hope this gives you everything you need to know about our Mini Rhinoplasty and if you wish to enquiry about Rhinoplasty Harley Street prices, please get in touch with our team or fill out the enquiry form below!
Also, if you’re not ready for a full Rhinoplasty surgery, we also have Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty options, so you can still change your nose tip just on a more temporary basis using Dermal Fillers.
