Rhinoplasty

Your nose restructuring surgery begins with a consultation which will determine the surgical technique. During this time, we will discuss your goals, expectations and suitability. We will also assess your facial anatomy and address any potential limitations.

The operation usually requires general anaesthesia but we can also offer local anaesthesia. Depending on your needs, the surgical approach will vary.

This may include:

Trimming and repositioning the cartilage for tip elevation or reduction.

Dorsum reduction for a reduction in the size of the nose or shape of the bridge.

Altering the septum to address breathing difficulties.
Tip restoration and reconstruction using cartilage to restore its shape. It may be necessary to use a nasal implant to reshape the nose.

Alar base reduction surgery to reduce the size of the nostrils.

Your rhinoplasty will involve either an open or closed surgical approach. An open rhinoplasty gives the surgeon more visibility of the nasal structure. During a closed rhinoplasty, the surgeon will make an incision inside the nostrils. Or, for an open rhinoplasty, the incision will be on the underside of the middle area between your nostrils.

Revision rhinoplasty procedures can be more complicated. It’s not always possible to correct the nose until a year has passed since the initial surgery. This time allows any issues connected with it to become fully apparent.

The ideal procedure for a nose reconstruction surgery would be someone who wishes to make changes to the appearance of their nose due to its shape or size or is having breathing difficulties.

Improvements will be visible upon the removal of your cast. Over six months to a year, your nose will continue to change shape. During this time, swelling should reduce and you should start to see the final results towards the end of 1 year.

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.

As with all surgeries, there are risks. Some of the risks may include:

Unsatisfactory result
Anaesthesia risks
Infection
Poor wound healing or scarring
Difficulty breathing – stuffy sensation up the nose which can also be linked to your sinuses.
Numbness or pain
Perforated septum
Skin discolouration
Pollybeak deformity

A closed incision will leave no visible remaining scars. This approach may be taken if the surgeon needs to remove cartilage or changes to the bone structure need to be made.

An open incision will leave a minimal scar that is virtually undetectable to the naked eye. This option is usually favourable if the surgeon needs to reconstruct the nasal tip.

If you’ve been considering making changes to your nose for two years or more, you may want to consider surgery; this may be for aesthetic reasons or maybe because you’re suffering from breathing difficulties. A nose job is a very popular surgery, and over 91% of Realself users say it’s worth it, with over 2000 procedures performed in the UK last year alone. Certain considerations may affect your decision such as whether you’ll be able to take up to two weeks off work, finances and of course, whether your nasal structure requires surgery.

Patience is key when it comes to results. You’ll see improvements from as soon as three weeks, with the final shape forming after around three months, but it can take up to three years for you to see the final outcome.

Secondly, the recovery process is quite tedious for some. Having a stuffy feeling up the nose or having a runny nose is common, but you must resist the urge to blow your nose (there are specific ways to manage this which your surgeon will give you more information on). We recommend trying to keep your head elevated when you sleep for the first couple of weeks following the operation by propping a few pillows underneath your head.

Lastly, it’s important to remember that having a rhinoplasty is not a guaranteed way to improve your confidence.