Rhinoplasty, or as patients often call it, "nose job" or "nose reshaping," is a way for people to attain facial harmony or get rid of structural nose defects and be able to breathe freely. And it is the most popular type of plastic surgery.

You may not like your hooked nose or be terribly annoyed by the daily lack of sleep due to your snoring. Anyway, you can book an appointment with the plastic surgeon and get full information about your case, especially whether you should or shouldn’t undergo surgery.

By the way, you need to know that you can't copy someone else's nose with a rhinoplasty procedure. The main goal is to create the correct proportion of your nose and other facial features to achieve a perfect balance.

Things that rhinoplasty can help you achieve include the following: 

• Change the shape and length of your nose as well as the width at the bridge or the size and position of the nostrils
• Change the nose profile with visible depressions or humps on the bridge
• Change the shape of your nasal tip and nostrils
• Get rid of severe nasal asymmetry
• Address several medical issues like a deviated septum, cleft palate or lip, structural effects of injury or trauma, and nasal allergic inflammation.

Please notice that surgical nose reshaping can improve your appearance only if your nasal bone is fully grown (15+ years old). But in other cases, the procedure can be performed on patients at a younger age.

Possible risks of rhinoplasty

Any type of surgery comes with many risks. The most common risk is the possibility of bleeding or catching an infection. In addition, some scars may not heal completely after surgery, you may feel numbness in your nose, or it may be difficult to breathe.

Some patients may be disappointed with the result of the procedure. However, in order to have revision surgery, they will have to wait until the nose heals completely.

How to prepare for a nose job

Before the operation, you will have a consultation with the surgeon. There you will have a complete examination of the nose and all the parts of your face. Also, you’ll have to tell the doctor why you want to undergo the rhinoplasty and what result you would like to see.

The surgeon will closely examine your medical history and ask about any current and past medication history. 

During the consultation, your nose will also be photographed from different angles to estimate long-term results. Pictures can also be used during the surgery.

If rhinoplasty is done as a cosmetic procedure and not for medical reasons, insurance is unlikely to cover it.

You absolutely should not take drugs that thin the blood within two weeks before and two weeks after the procedure. These include any medication containing ibuprofen or aspirin. You also need to inform the surgeon about any medications or supplements you are taking.

Nose reshaping procedure

Before the treatment begins, the doctor will give you local or general anesthesia. With local anesthesia, you will remain conscious and feel numbness in the nose and some areas of the face around it. And with general anesthesia, you will receive medication and fall asleep, waking up after the surgery is completed.

After the anesthesia takes effect, the surgeon will make several incisions and reshape your nose. It takes no more than two hours if there are no complications.

Rhinoplasty recovery 

After your rhinoplasty, the surgeon will tape a special splint to your nose to prevent unwanted deformation while healing. Also, the doctor may put special tampons in your nostrils to strengthen the nasal septum.

You will have to spend about a few hours in the clinic under the supervision of your medical team. Then, if everything goes well, the doctor will allow you to go home on the same day. But if there are some complications, you must stay in the hospital.

The doctor will give you a list of tips on how to sleep better, wash your face, and brush your teeth during the period of tissue healing. If you want the recovery process to be quick and hassle-free, strictly follow the instructions.

In the first days after surgery, there may be some bleeding and swelling, and sometimes you may also feel headaches. Therefore, it is best if, in the first days after the treatment, someone is there for you to provide the necessary assistance.