Alar Base Reduction

The techniques of a Rhinoplasty can vary depending on whether the nose job is performed in an Open or Closed Technique. A Rhinoplasty is performed using medical tools that work to augment the bone and cartilage of the nose. Some of the tools used during a Rhinoplasty will be a Piezotome, which is an ultrasonic device perfect for sculpting the bone. A more manual tool that works in a similar way to a Piezotome is a rasp. These come in all sizes and lengths and look a little like a file. This instrument offers more manual altering of the nose bone. Other instruments used to perform a Rhinoplasty are nasal scissors, a splint to make your nose cast, sutures, and suction tools.

A typical Alar Base Reduction is performed under general anaesthesia meaning you’ll be asleep during your procedure. Before going under general anaesthetic, it is important not eat in the 6 hours prior to your surgery as this can increase risks. You should be able to drink water up to 2 hours beforehand, and if you have any other questions regarding anaesthetic, you can speak to our Head Anaesthetist, Dr Hish.

On the day of your surgery, you’ll arrive at your designated hospital clinic. We have partner hospitals in Battersea, Chelsea and Harley Street. You’ll be greeted by the team and taken to a private room to change into your surgical gown. Next, Dr Yannis will come and see you and discuss one last time exactly what you want to achieve from your surgery. He will then mark your nose and you’ll be ready to go into the theatre to have your anaesthesia administered

Your surgery will usually be performed in around two hours.

Immediately after the surgery, you may feel a little sleepy or nauseaous, which are all common side effects of general anaesthetic. However, this can vary from person to person and generally a lot of patients have very slight after-effects and will be ready to go home not long after the surgery.

However, while you may be feeling fine, we do advise that you ask a friend or relative to drive you home after your discharge from the hospital.

Dr Yannis will give you pain relief and potentially antibiotics to ensure your first few days are comfortable. Some of our patients don’t take the full course of pain relief and stop three days following their surgery, so this shows that recovery is already better than they expected.

Some common things not do after Rhinoplasty are:

Get the cast wet, you can wash your body and the face around the nose but do not directly wet your nose cast.

Drive. We advise you do not drive or operate any heavy machinery until your Harley Street surgeon says so.

Sleep with your head unelevated. If you can, sleep on your back for the first week or so, with your head raised.

Drink alcohol, smoke or undergo intense exercise. It is advised to avoid alcohol and smoking as this can bring out, or make any, bruising worse, cause more stress on the body and delay healing. Intense exercise can also do the same as well as cause potential pain and damage to the nose.

Blow your nose. While it is very common to feel very congested after a Rhinoplasty, please avoid blowing your nose as this can affect the internal stitches and knock things out of place. Once you have your first follow-up, around 7-10 days after, our Surgical Team will be able to remove your nose cast and you should be able to gently clean your nose with a saline spray or something similar.

The results of a rhinoplasty procedure last a lifetime; however, as you age, the cartilage and underlying bone structure can begin to weaken, which can cause the nasal tip to droop ever-so-slightly. Other changes could occur if you broke or damaged your nose in some way.

The speed of recovery varies from patient to patient. We may require you to wear a nasal splint for the first week following your operation.

Swelling and significant bruising around the eye and nose area may occur and will continue to improve over the course of 2-3 weeks. Discomfort may be felt during this time. Numbness felt at the tip of the nose is normal, and will resolve over a few weeks. Some patients can experience a stuffy sensation up the nostrils, and the nose may become runny with fluid or blood.

The surgery time depends on the extent of the procedure. It can vary from one hour to two and a half hours.

There can be stitches inside the nose which are dissolvable sutures and there can also be external stiches on the alar rim or across the septum. It can depend on the technique used by your Plastic Surgeon.

If anything, Rhinoplasty can improve breathing and a lot of Dr Yannis’ patients come to him because they not only want to change their nose but also want to improve their respiratory functions. By removing some of the lower lateral cartilage, or correcting a deviated septum, patients can breathe more easily.

Some are. The ones made inside the nose gradually dissolve. The ones on the outside of the nose must be removed by a medical professional once the incision has completely healed.

For more information on Rhinoplasty, please get in touch with our team to book your initial consultation!

We advise that you do not blow your nose until Dr Yannis tells you to do so. Blowing your nose will be very difficult after a Rhinoplasty as you will have packing inside of your nose. Nasal packing is when a small amount of gauze is placed inside each nostril which helps absorb any fluid in the days after your surgery.

Around 12 days after your surgery your nose cast will be removed and then you can wash your nose with a saline spray which will help any congestion.

Generally, it’s best to wait to fully blow your nose until all the stitches inside your nose are healed as blowing you nose can cause bleeding or irregular healing.