What is Rhinoplasty
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), 10 years of experience
What is the meaning of Rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty is a term used for nose surgery. It is a surgery performed to change the shape of the nose. Rhinoplasty is a common type of plastic surgery and many celebrities get rhinoplasty done to enhance their beauty.
Rhinoplasty enhances the facial features and overall appearance of an individual, but the procedure involves several precautions and may have a few disadvantages. According to some research, India ranks fourth in the world among the countries performing rhinoplasty surgery. Many young adults get rhinoplasty surgery every year.
In today’s article, we will tell you in detail about Rhinoplasty.
- What is Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery) ?
- When is Rhinoplasty Surgery needed ?
- What are the steps done before Rhinoplasty?
- What is the procedure of Rhinoplasty?
- What are the steps of care after Rhinoplasty?
- What are the complications of Rhinoplasty?
- What is the cost of Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery) in India?
What is Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery)?
Rhinoplasty is a surgery performed to change the shape, size, and proportions of the nose.
The upper part of the nose is the bone, and the lower part of the nose is called cartilage. Rhinoplasty surgery can change the bone, cartilage, and skin of the nose, or all of them together. Before the procedure of rhinoplasty surgery, the surgeon will first look at the condition of your nose and skin, along with other facial features of the patient and what the patient would like to change through rhinoplasty.
Consult a doctor to check whether rhinoplasty surgery is appropriate for you or not.
When is Rhinoplasty Surgery needed?
Rhinoplasty is recommended in the following cases-
- Surgeons may recommend rhinoplasty surgery to those whose nose shape is not correct.
- Surgery may be advised in case of an injury to the nose in childhood.
- Surgery may be suggested in case of cancer of the nose.
- If the size of the nose looks bigger than the face, it is recommended to get rhinoplasty.
- If the nose is crooked, surgery can be suggested to straighten it.
- Those who have difficulty in breathing through the nose may benefit from this surgery.
- Rhinoplasty can be done to correct a deviated septum (breathing difficulty caused due to an obstruction in the airway).
- If a child has a scar on the nose from birth, then rhinoplasty surgery can be done to repair it.
If Rhinoplasty is done for an esthetic purpose, that is, to improve the appearance of a person rather than a health condition, one should wait till the nasal bone grows fully. For girls, the growth of the nasal bone is completed by the age of 15, and for boys, this occurs at a slightly older age. However, rhinoplasty surgery done to correct a breathing problem can be done at an early age.
What are the steps done before Rhinoplasty?
The steps done before rhinoplasty surgery are-
- A consultation with the surgeon is first required to understand if one is a good candidate for undergoing rhinoplasty surgery. The first consultation will include a discussion about why one wants to undergo Rhinoplasty and what is the patient’s expectation from the same.
- The surgeon will first do a physical examination of the patient, and have a closer look at the skin of the nose, both inside and outside, to see what are the changes that can be possible through a nose surgery.
- The surgeon will take note of the medical history of the patient, including any existing medical conditions and the medications taken for the same.
- The surgeon may recommend undergoing a few blood tests or other lab tests before the procedure.
- The surgeon determines whether an additional surgery needs to be performed at the same time as rhinoplasty. For example, chin augmentation (a procedure done to improve the profile of the chin) is sometimes performed together with rhinoplasty.
- The nose is photographed by the doctor from different angles. These photographs can be referred to during the surgery and also help in comparing the before and after changes in the patient’s appearance post-rhinoplasty.
- The surgeon advises to avoid the use of painkillers such as aspirin or ibuprofen for at least two weeks before and also two weeks after the surgery. Blood-thinning medications like warfarin and clopidogrel are also stopped a couple of days before the surgery, as advised by the surgeon. These medications may lead to the slowing down of blood clotting which may cause an increase in bleeding during surgery.
- The surgeon should be informed about any medications or supplements one may be taking so that the surgeon can instruct you whether to continue them or not.
- Quit smoking before and after the surgery. Smoking leads to a delay in the healing process and may increase the chances of infection.
What is the procedure of Rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty can be performed in a doctor’s clinic, a hospital, or as an outpatient surgical facility (there is no overnight stay after the procedure).
Here are the steps of the procedure-
- The patient is given either local anesthesia (numbing agent) with sedation or general anesthesia before the surgery. The procedure is usually done under general anesthesia in the case of children. This is done by an intravenous (IV) line placed in the vein of the hand, neck, or chest.
- The surgery is performed by making cuts inside or between the nostrils.
- The skin is separated from the cartilage or the bone and the process of reshaping the nose is started.
- If a small quantity of additional cartilage is required for a newly shaped nose, the doctor will remove some cartilage from the patient’s ear, or the nose deeper inside.
- If more cartilage is required, cartilage may be taken from a bone graft or an implant.
- The doctor may place a metal or a plastic splint ( a small rigid material placed to support the broken bone) on the patient’s nose post-surgery. This splint helps in retaining the shape of the nose as it heals. ( Know more about- Total Hip Replacement Surgery in hindi )
- The surgeon may also place splints or nasal packs inside the nostrils for the stabilization of the septum (part of the nose between the nostrils).
- The procedure takes about one to two hours. It can however take longer if the surgery is complex.
What are the steps of care after Rhinoplasty?
- The patient is monitored in the recovery room for a couple of hours after the surgery. The patient is then allowed to go home after the doctor permits. A complicated surgery may require a hospital stay for a day or two, but this is usually rare.
- The patient should be taken home by a relative or a friend as the anesthesia effect will linger on for a couple of hours.
- The patient should rest with his/her head above the chest level. This reduces the chances of swelling and bleeding.
- The patient is usually asked to leave dressings and splints in their place for about a week after the surgery.
- The surgeon usually gives absorbable sutures to the patient. These sutures dissolve on their own and do not require removal. If non-resorbable sutures (sutures that don’t dissolve on their own) are given, the surgeon will remove them 1 week after the surgery.
- The medicines that are used for surgery may cause a slow reaction time, a lapse in memory, and loss of judgement.
- The patient may experience bleeding and drainage for a couple of days after the surgery. A drip pad (small gauze) is taped below the nose. This drip pad will absorb any mucus or blood that may come from the nose.
- The patient may experience headaches and puffiness of the face. The doctor may prescribe pain medicines to manage the same.
- The patient should avoid exposure to the sun as much as possible. Too much exposure to the sun may lead to permanent discoloration of the skin around the nose.
- The following activities should be avoided post-surgery:
- Blowing of the nose
- Physical activities like running ( Know more about– What are the Home Remedies for Arthritis )
- Swimming
- Brushing of teeth too vigorously
- Putting a cloth on top of the head
- Wearing eyeglasses or sunglasses
- Smiling, laughing, and other facial expressions that may require a lot of movement
- The patient can return to work after a week of surgery.
- Some patients may experience swelling, numbness, or discoloration around the eyelids for a couple of weeks post-surgery. On rare occasions, these symptoms may persist for about six months. The patient can apply ice packs to decrease the swelling and discoloration.
- The patient should come for regular follow-ups after the surgery as per the doctor’s advice.
- Sometimes, patients are not satisfied with their surgery. If you want to get another surgery, you should wait until your nose is completely healed, which may take up to a year.
What are the complications of Rhinoplasty?
Every surgery carries some risks, including infection, bleeding, or side effects of anesthesia. Rhinoplasty may involve some risks as well. Some of the risks involved with Rhinoplasty are-
- Difficulty in breathing
- Numbness in and around the nose
- An odd-shaped nose
- Marks on nose
- Dark circles under the eyes
- Pain in the skin around the nose
- Nose bleeding
- Swelling at the site of surgery
- Increase in the chances of infection at the site of the surgery
- Septal perforation (hole formation in the septum)
- Risk of anesthetics
- Pain in the upper part of the tooth. ( Know more about- Wisdom Tooth Pain )
What is the cost of Rhinoplasty ( Nose Surgery ) in India?
The total cost of Rhinoplasty surgery in India can be around INR 2,00,000- INR 2,30,000. There are many big hospitals and experienced doctors in India for rhinoplasty. But the cost of rhinoplasty may vary across different hospitals.
If you are coming from abroad, apart from the cost of your surgery, there will be other expenses, including hotel accommodation, local travel. Also, after surgery the patient must stay in the hospital for a few days for recovery. So, the total cost of rhinoplasty will be around INR 2,80,000.
We hope we could answer your queries about Rhinoplasty through this article.
For more information about rhinoplasty surgery and treatment, contact a Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon.
We only aim to provide you with information through this article. We do not recommend any medicine or treatment to anyone. Only a qualified doctor can give you the correct advice and treatment plan.
