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Rhinoplasty - Cosmetic Nose
Rhinoplasty, or surgery to reshape the nose, is one of the most common of all plastic surgery procedures. Rhinoplasty can reduce or increase the size of your nose, change the shape of the tip or the bridge, narrow the span of the nostrils, or change the angle between your nose and your upper lip. Birth defects, injuries and some breathing problems may also be corrected.
If you're considering rhinoplasty, although this information won't answer all your questions, it will give you a basic understanding of the procedure since a lot depends on the individual patient and their goals. Please ask Dr. Jain about anything you don't understand or any additional or more specific information you may need.
Rhinoplasty can enhance your appearance and self-confidence, but it won't necessarily change your looks to match your ideal or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with Dr. Jain.
The best candidates for rhinoplasty are people who are looking for improvement, not perfection. If you are physically healthy, psychologically stable, and realistic in your expectations, you may be a good candidate. The age of the patient may also be a consideration as many surgeons prefer not to operate on teenagers until after they've completed their growth spurt. It is important to consider the teenagers social and emotional adjustment and make sure it's what they, and not their parents, really want.
The Surgery
Rhinoplasty usually takes an hour or two, though more complicated procedures may take longer.
Most rhinoplasty surgeries can be performed from within the nose, making the incision inside the nostrils. Other cases call for an "open" procedure, especially in more complicated cases; making a small incision across the columella, the vertical strip of tissue separating the nostrils.
When the surgery is complete, a splint will be applied to help your nose maintain its new shape. Nasal packs or soft plastic splints also may be placed in your nostrils to stabilize the septum, the dividing wall between the air passages.
After The Surgery
After surgery, particularly during the first twenty-four hours, your face will feel puffy, your nose may ache, and you may have a dull headache. You can control any discomfort with the pain medication prescribed by Dr. Jain. A little bleeding is common during the first few days following surgery, and you may continue to feel some stuffiness for several weeks.
If you have nasal packing, it will be removed after a few days. By the end of one week or, occasionally two, all dressings, splints, and stitches should be removed.
Getting Back to Normal
Most rhinoplasty patients are up and about within two days, and able to return to school or sedentary work a week or so following surgery. It will be several weeks, however, before you're entirely up to speed.
Dr. Jain will give you more specific guidelines for gradually resuming your normal activities. Dr. Jain will also schedule frequent follow-up visits in the months after surgery, to check the progress of your healing. If you have any unusual symptoms between visits, or any questions about what you can and can't do, don't hesitate to call Dr. Jain or the nursing staff.
Your New Look
In the days following the surgery, it is easy to forget that you will be looking better. In fact, many patients feel depressed for a while after plastic surgery - it's quite normal and understandable. Rest assured that this stage will pass. Each day, your nose will look better and your spirits will improve. Within a week or two, you'll no longer look as if you just had surgery.
Still, healing is a slow and gradual process. The final results of rhinoplasty may not be apparent for a year or more.
See before and after pictures here
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