Plastic Surgeons Tell You Everything You Need To Know About Rhinoplasty (Nose Job)

What Is Rhinoplasty?

“Rhinoplasty is an operation that is used to change the nose,” says Jay Calvert , MD, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, CA. “This includes making the nose smaller, shorter, larger, or giving it a different shape – it is any surgery done to alter the look of the nose.”

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Who Needs It?

“Rhinoplasty is for individuals who wish to change the appearance of their nose. You need it if you don’t like how your nose grew naturally or if trauma or something bad has changed the appearance of your nose,” says Jeffrey Lisiecki , MD, a licensed plastic surgeon in New York City. “It is also good for individuals who want to breathe better through their nose,” he adds.

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What Does It Do?

“Rhinoplasty alters the shape of the nose by surgically altering the nasal bones, the cartilage, and the skin envelope by adding to or subtracting from the structures of the nose,” says Dr. Calvert.

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How Long Does It Take To Perform Rhinoplasty?

“This depends a lot on how difficult the case is and the techniques used, but typically a rhinoplasty takes three or four hours to perform,” says Dr. Lisiecki.

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How Much Does It Cost?

The cost of rhinoplasty varies depending on what needs to be done.

“Some rhinoplasties cost as little as $8000. Some cost as much as $50,000. It depends on whether or not this is the first nasal operation or a revision operation,” says Dr. ?Calvert. “It also depends on what ZIP Code the operation is performed in.”

The cost depends on other factors too. “The medical practitioner who will do the surgery, and the degree of severity of the procedure, also influence how much you will pay for this procedure,” says?Elie Levine , MD, a plastic surgeon at Plastic Surgery and Dermatology in New York City. “Most rhinoplasty procedures cost closer to around $5,000.”

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What Happens Before, During, And After A Rhinoplasty Procedure?

Before a rhinoplasty, your surgeon will examine you and then make a plan for surgery, according to Dr. Lisiecki. Often, this will include showing you pictures of your altered self to help give you an idea of what your nose will look like after the surgery.

During the surgery, you will be put to sleep and the skin of your nose will be lifted up off of the bone and cartilage. The bone and cartilage will be reshaped to fit your goals, and any changes that need to be made to your airways will also be made to improve your breathing.

After the procedure, you will wake up and go home. You will have splints on the outside and inside of your nose, and typically a bandage under your nose. You will need to keep your head elevated and avoid strenuous activities. The splints and sutures will typically be removed about a week after the surgery.

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What Are The Side Effects?

“The common side effects are bruising, which subsides after about two weeks, and swelling,” says Dr. Lisiecki. “Swelling of the nose is worst for the first month or so after surgery, and improves with time after that, out to about a year after surgery.”

There are other side effects that you may suffer. “There can be alterations in nasal breathing due to scarring of the nose,” says Dr. Calvert.

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What Are The Risks Of Death?

“The risk of death, as long as you are medically healthy and an appropriate candidate for elective surgery, is very, very low,” says Dr. Lisiecki.

Dr. Calvert agrees. “If the patient is an appropriate candidate, worked up appropriately, and preoperative testing is performed as recommended by the Anesthesia Society, rhinoplasty is very safe,” he says.?

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What Is The Recovery Time For Rhinoplasty?

This varies—it depends on what needs to be done.

“It can be as short as 5 to 7 days or as long as 3 to 4 weeks,” says Dr. ?Calvert. “However, all rhinoplasty operations that create significantly different-looking noses take up to a year or more before they completely heal. Though the nose will look good along the way, the nose will also change fairly radically over time,” he adds.

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When Will I See The Results Of Rhinoplasty?

This varies from person to person.

“You will see the results of your rhinoplasty when the splint comes off one week after surgery! However, there will still be swelling to resolve, which will improve over the coming weeks to months, and should be resolved by about a year out from surgery,” says Dr. Lisiecki.

It will take longer for you to see the eventual results. “The results of rhinoplasty can be seen in their full form at 9 to 12 months after surgery,” says Dr. Calvert. “However, the nose looks good the entire time if it is done well. Generally speaking, people are very happy and take new photographs of themselves to present on resumes or other formal documents, 3 to 4 weeks after rhinoplasty,” he adds. “And the nose will look even better 2 to 3 months after this point.”??

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What To Expect 3 Weeks After Rhinoplasty

“Although everyone’s recovery will be different, at three weeks after rhinoplasty, most patients can expect that swelling would have gone down and they will look great,” says Dr. Levine. “However, they will not have final results at 3 weeks.”??

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What To Expect 4 Weeks After Rhinoplasty

“Four weeks after rhinoplasty, the nose should be healing, even more so than the week before. There is rapid change over time early in the postoperative period, and then the healing tends to plateau in about three or four months,” says Dr. Calvert.

According to Dr. Lisiecki, you may feel normal, except that you will still have a little swelling left in your nose, which may get worse in the morning. Exercise can typically be resumed at this time.??

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What To Expect 3 Months After Rhinoplasty

According to Dr. Calvert, there will be some residual swelling. However, this will only be seen by the patient and their surgeon. The general public will not see this.

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When Can The Patient Go Back To His Regular Activities After Rhinoplasty Surgery?

This varies from person to person.

“Some patients can go back to normal daily activities after a day or two,” says Dr. Lisiecki.

Others may have to wait a little longer to resume regular activities.

“Some patients will have to wait for 2 to 3 weeks after rhinoplasty,” says Dr. Calvert.

Activities such as heavy lifting and strenuous exercise should be done a month after surgery, according to Dr. Lisiecki.

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When Should I See The Surgeon?

Follow-up is very important in rhinoplasty surgery. You should have regular follow-ups with your surgeon to make sure that everything is healing appropriately.

“You should return to your surgeon if you see anything that looks red, hot, and painful as it may be a sign of infection,” says Dr. Calvert. “You should also return if you’re having difficulty breathing through the nose or if you have any kind of bloody discharge or other issues that seem out of line with a routine postoperative course,” he adds.

According to Dr. Lisiecki, you should contact your surgeon when you see these signs too:

·???????Bleeding from your nose

·???????Pain or headache that is not relieved by pain medication

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How Can You Get Rhinoplasty Covered By Insurance?

“In general, rhinoplasty is not covered by insurance,” says Dr. Calvert. “However, certain aspects of the operation, such as septoplasty or terminate surgery, may be covered by insurance. So talk to your insurance carrier.”

Insurance may also pay part or all of the cost of surgery if you have certain medical conditions.

“If you have a documented breathing problem caused by your anatomy, such as a deviated septum, insurance may cover part or all of your procedure,” says Dr. Lisiecki. “You should check your benefits to understand what they will cover.”

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Tips For Choosing The Right Doctor To Do The Surgery

If you intend to do a rhinoplasty, you’ll want the best surgeon to perform the procedure. While many plastic surgeons perform rhinoplasty, it’s only a few of them who are regarded as rhinoplasty experts.

Rod Rohrich , MD, FACS, Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a plastic surgeon at the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute, and a doctor named as the best plastic surgeon in the United States for both rhinoplasty and facelift in 2021 and 2022, shares what you should look out for when choosing a doctor to do the surgery.

He recommends that you should choose a doctor who:

·???????is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery

·???????is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons or Aesthetic Society of Plastic Surgeons

·???????does his surgery in an accredited operating room facility?

·???????uses general anesthesia with an anesthesiologist or clinical research nurse (CRN)

·???????is a true rhinoplasty?expert, a doctor who does this kind of surgery?3- 5 x per week?

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Below, Dr. Calvert, who was awarded as the third-best American Rhinoplasty Surgeon in 2023 by his colleagues and other plastic surgeons nationwide, shares these tips:

·???????Get a referral from somebody who is happy with their rhinoplasty

·???????If that is not available, then look at the rhinoplasty society website. This is a group of surgeons who focus on rhinoplasty as a major part of their practice

·???????Look at their before and after photos. What you see in the before and after gallery of rhinoplasty surgeons is the style of surgery you will get

·???????The cost of the operation has to be within your budget. The range of rhinoplasty operation costs is fairly wide. Some surgeons who have been in practice for quite some time are very expensive; newer surgeons are less expensive

“The cost of the operation does not necessarily mean that the surgeon is good or bad,” says Dr. Calvert. “However, it is something you must consider.”??

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Dr. Lisiecki shares these tips:

·???????Look at their training. They should have extensive training in rhinoplasty specifically, such as a plastic surgery residency followed by an aesthetic surgery fellowship with a rhinoplasty expert. Avoid “cosmetic surgeons” who are not formally trained in plastic surgery

·???????Since this is a surgeon you are going to work closely with for months to come, find someone you connect and communicate well with

·???????Read reviews! Look at their reviews to see what former patients say about their doctor

·???????Stay in the country. Yes, you can get a really inexpensive rhinoplasty overseas, but you don’t necessarily know what you will get until you go there. Even in the best-case scenario, it will be difficult or impossible to follow up with your surgeon, in person, if you have any issues that require immediate attention

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Dr. Levine recommends that you should do the following:

·???????Choose a physician who you feel comfortable with, and who understands your specific expectations

·???????Meet at least 2-3 physicians before choosing. Get a sense that the practitioner understands you. Getting a good result is also getting what you expect from the procedure.?

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Tips For Choosing The Right Hospital To Do The Surgery

Surgeons need highly-skilled and experienced nurses and other healthcare professionals to help them do a good job. For this reason, you should consider the quality of surgical care and commitment to patient safety at the hospital where the surgery will be performed.

To help you find the best hospital that will give you the best care, Dr. Rohrich says here are important factors to consider:?

·???????It must be accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF)

·???????It must have full emergency facilities

·???????It should use either Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) or anesthesiologists

·???????It must have all the emergency equipment and staff for emergencies.

·???????It should have skilled body contour plastic surgeons or facial plastic surgeons that are true experts in rhinoplasty. These surgeons should have the 3 Es - experience, expertise, and exceptional results.

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Sources

Links in the comments section below.

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Do you intend to do a rhinoplasty? Do you have any questions on your mind? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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