A nose job is commonly requested by people in the UK who are unhappy with the appearance of their noses. It is important to be aware of the procedure as it is an invasive surgical procedure with certain risks. A consultation with an expert rhinoplasty surgeon will allow you to deeply understand the nose job procedure and how it can benefit you. Here, we discuss a nose job and what happens during the procedure. You may wonder if you are suitable for a nose job and if it is worth it. The information below will help you determine if you are an appropriate candidate by discussing the pros and cons.
What is a nose job?
A nose job, also known as rhinoplasty, is one of our most popular procedures at Centre for Surgery in London. If you do not like the shape or size of your nose, a nose job can surgically alter its structure by adjusting the amount of skin, cartilage, or bone present to achieve the ideal appearance.
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Although a nose job is most commonly sought for cosmetic reasons, a nose job can also benefit patients in other ways, including:
- Improve nasal function after traumatic injury to the nose.
- Improve breathing through the nose may cause snoring or sleep apnoea.
- Improve the ability of people to carry out physical exercise.
- Cleft rhinoplasty is also known for correcting several congenital defects, including nose reconstruction after cleft lip and palate.
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Am I suitable for a nose job?
Ideal patients for a nose job are those who would like to improve the size or shape of the nose for a more aesthetically pleasing appearance and to improve breathing.
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- Patients should be at least 18 years old. Before this time, the nose is still growing and developing, and the results of surgery could be affected by operating on an immature nose.
- Patients should be in good overall physical and mental health with no chronic medical conditions.
- Patients should be non-smokers as smoking can affect the blood supply to the nose and affect healing.
- Patients should clearly understand the pros and cons of a nose job and have sufficient time to reflect on all aspects of the procedure before deciding to proceed with surgery.
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What happens at the consultation?
The consultation is the foundation for planning nose job surgery, and your surgeon will listen to you carefully to learn about your needs and desires and what you would like to achieve with a nose job. Most patients wish to address the following areas:
- Aesthetic and functional issues affecting the nose
- Size and shape
- Length and width of the nose
The surgeon will cover several key areas to help determine if a nose job is a suitable procedure for you. The consultation generally involves several steps, including:
- Taking a medical history – the surgeon will want to know why you would like to have the procedure and your treatment goals. Your medical history will be enquired about, including any previous operations on the nose or medical conditions affecting the nose, such as nasal polyps. You will also be asked about the medications you currently take and if you suffer from a bleeding condition such as haemophilia or von Willebrand disease. A serious blood clotting disorder may make you an unsuitable candidate for a nose job.
- Physical examination – the surgeon will perform a thorough physical examination, including a detailed visualisation of both the internal and external aspects of the nose. The face will be assessed, and several measurements will be taken. An assessment of your skin thickness will be carried out, and whether any conditions could be affecting your breathing.
- Clinical photography – the surgeon will take standardised photographs of your nose from several different angles. Digital imaging software may be used to help you visualise how you could look after nose job surgery.
- Assessment of expectations – it is important to have realistic expectations of what a nose job can achieve. Your surgeon will discuss the potential limitations of nose job surgery and will give you a rough idea of what results to expect. If you have a receded chin, your surgeon may discuss having chin augmentation with an implant, as a small chin can make the nose look excessively large when viewed from the side.
Once you have booked your nose job procedure, it is important to arrange for a responsible adult caregiver to collect you from the treatment centre and look after you for at least 24 hours after your procedure.
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What does nose job surgery involve?
Nose job surgery is always customised to the needs of the individual patient. However, there are several common steps to every nose job procedure, including:
- Administration of anaesthesia—A consultant anaesthetist will first administer a general anaesthetic to put you to sleep and keep you comfortable and pain-free throughout the procedure. Here at the Centre for Surgery, our anaesthetists specialise in total intravenous anaesthesia, or TIVA for short, to permit a quick recovery with minimal risk of dizziness, drowsiness, or sickness in the postoperative period.
- Surgical incision – there are two methods of carrying out a nose job. A closed procedure involves making all incisions within the nostrils so that there is no external visible scarring. An open procedure involves making a small incision on the columella at the base of the nose between the two nostrils.
- Surgical reshaping – once the nose has been adequately exposed, cartilage or bone may be removed to make a large nose smaller. Depending on the procedure, cartilage grafts may be required to reshape and reconstruct the nose. The most common place to harvest cartilage is from the nasal septum.
- Correction of a deviated septum – in some cases, patients may have a bent septum, which requires straightening. Septal deviation can affect nasal airflow through the nose, causing difficulty in breathing. Septoplasty may be performed during the procedure, and when combined with a rhinoplasty, this is known as septorhinoplasty.
- Incision closure: Once the nose’s structure has been surgically corrected to the desired shape and size, the skin is carefully retracted, and the incisions are closed with non-dissolvable stitches.
- Recovery period – the nose may be packed with gauze, and a nasal splint will be applied to the bridge of the nose to protect the healing tissues. The splint will be removed seven days after the procedure, and you will be able to see the immediate results of the procedure.
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Recovery after a nose job – what to expect
Once the nose job procedure is complete, we recommend resting with your head propped up on two pillows so that your head is higher than your chest. This will help to accelerate the disappearance of bruising and swelling. It is normal to experience a degree of sleepiness after the procedure due to the effects of the anaesthesia. This will wear off after 24 to 48 hours. We recommend having a family member or a close friend stay with you for the first one or two nights to assist with your recovery. It is normal to notice temporary bruising and discolouration of the lower eyelids for two weeks after a nose job. Nose swelling will take longer to disappear, and the average is between six and 12 months. Whether people have a nose job or not, the structure of the nose will change throughout one’s lifetime. Although it can be difficult to determine when the final results will be noticeable, most surgeons would agree that nose job swelling should disappear within 12 months.
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Why choose Centre for Surgery for your nose job?
Centre for Surgery is highly renowned in London and the UK for expertise in all types of nose job surgery. Our surgeons perform hundreds of nose job procedures yearly at our state-of-the-art Baker Street clinic in Marylebone. Schedule a consultation today by calling us on 020 7993 4849 or completing the contact form below. People can achieve a significant boost in self-confidence by having a nose job. Over 98% of patients who have this procedure at Centre for Surgery tell us it was definitely worth it.
