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Rhinoplasty, or nose job surgery, is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedures at Centre for Surgery in London. Many patients choose not to share details about a rhinoplasty procedure they have had with others, and it is often something very private for patients who have undergone the procedure. This is entirely understandable, although in many cases, several myths have developed around the procedure, as well as a lack of understanding of the risks, the rhinoplasty recovery process, and what kind of expectations one should have from the surgery. As with all cosmetic surgery procedures, we always recommend patients carry out detailed research before deciding to undergo rhinoplasty, and we hope the information below will be useful in helping prospective rhinoplasty patients make an informed decision about having a nose job procedure.
Key facts about rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty surgery results in scars
Any type of surgery will involve a scar if an incision has been made in the skin, and rhinoplasty surgery is no different. The visibility of the scarring is determined by the type of rhinoplasty undertaken, as the position of the incision is different in each case
- Open rhinoplasty is the most commonly performed type of rhinoplasty and involves incisions which are made on the columella, and these can appear visible during the first few weeks of healing.
- Closed rhinoplasty involves all incisions being located inside the nostrils, so they should not be visible to the naked eye.
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Our rhinoplasty surgeons are experienced in positioning all incisions within the natural folds and curves of the nose and nostril area to ensure that any resulting scars are as invisible as possible. Centre for Surgery is also an expert centre in scar management with a full range of non-surgical and surgical techniques to optimise the appearance of scars.
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Rhinoplasty can result in a significant amount of bruising and swelling
Rhinoplasty surgery is highly intricate, and our surgeons take great care to use only the gentlest surgical techniques to minimise bruising and swelling after a Rhinoplasty. Having said that, it is not uncommon for bruising to appear under the eyes and in the cheek area. Open rhinoplasty is associated with a higher amount of bruising and swelling compared with the closed technique. Your skin type will also play a role in determining the amount of bruising. Patients with thin skin will be more prone to developing bruising than those with thicker skin.
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Preservation rhinoplasty is one of the most advanced techniques for minimally invasive surgery with reduced bruising and swelling and a shorter recovery period. Surgical techniques used for reducing dorsal humps with preservation techniques often avoid the need for the traditional mallet and chisel instruments which helps to reduce bruising after surgery.
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Reduced sensitivity commonly occurs after Rhinoplasty
Most surgical procedures will often result in reduced sensitivity after the procedure, and this is most commonly due to nerves that supply the skin becoming temporarily disrupted, giving rise to loss of sensation. Fortunately, in most cases, the normal sensation will return gradually over the first four weeks after rhinoplasty.
Loss of smell commonly occurs after Rhinoplasty
It is not uncommon to develop a reduced sense of smell after the rhinoplasty procedure, and this is most commonly due to swelling, which develops and may involve the mucous membranes swelling up on the inside of the nose. The ability to smell and taste may be temporarily impaired during the first six weeks after the procedure.
Both men and women can have a Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty consistently ranks as one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures for both women and men. The procedure is often the most popular procedure carried out in men, alongside liposuction and hair transplant surgery. The general techniques used for rhinoplasty in men are not similar to those used in women. The difference between carrying out surgery on the two genders lies in the different expectations which men have from the rhinoplasty procedure. Most men prefer a wider and more defined nasal bridge compared to women, who most commonly choose to have a nasal bridge which sits higher and is narrower.
Common Myths about rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty is a painful procedure
All Rhinoplasty procedures at Centre for Surgery are carried out under a general anaesthetic, so it should not be possible to feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure and in the early postoperative period. Your surgeon will inject the nose with a local anaesthetic before the procedure begins, and this helps to minimise any pain or discomfort in the postoperative period. You may have some mild discomfort in the post-operative period due to the packing used inside the nose to maintain the new shape. This is temporary and will settle down the next day once the packs are removed. Many types of rhinoplasty procedures do not require nasal packing, and your recovery will be even smoother.
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My nose will appear fake after having a rhinoplasty.
Many people believe they can identify when someone has had rhinoplasty surgery; in some cases, this may be the case if the person is well known to you. However, in the majority of cases, expertly undertaken rhinoplasty surgery, when carried out by a surgeon at Centre for Surgery, produces results which are natural-looking and in harmony with the rest of your facial features. Your surgeon will be able to advise you on how your nose could look after surgery at your face-to-face consultation and will carry out several key measurements, including the width and height of the nose, to give an idea of the final nose appearance.
All plastic surgeons carry out rhinoplasty surgery.
When researching the best rhinoplasty surgeon, it is vital that you look at their skills, qualifications and experience in all types of rhinoplasty surgery. Nowadays, it is uncommon for general plastic surgeons to carry out rhinoplasty surgery. It is, therefore, important to ask your surgeon how many rhinoplasty procedures they carry out each year. You should also ask to view rhinoplasty before and after photos and view patient testimonials on reputable review websites such as Trustpilot.
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My rhinoplasty surgeon can give me any nose shape I want
It is very important to carry out detailed research before embarking on rhinoplasty surgery and you should have a rough idea of the types of noses that you like the appearance of and noses which you do not like as this is important information for your surgeon to plan your procedure most effectively. It also serves as the foundation to gauge your expectations for Surgery and whether these are realistically achievable. Everyone has different facial features, so looking natural for one patient may look entirely fake for another. Our experienced rhinoplasty surgeons will work closely with you to prepare treatment plans that are both accurate and realistic to achieve a significant improvement on the shape you already have.
Rhinoplasty is only carried out for cosmetic reasons
Rhinoplasty surgery is classed as a cosmetic surgery procedure, and in most cases, it is carried out for aesthetic purposes to improve the appearance of the nose. However, in many cases, patients have functional disturbances affecting those such as deviated septum affecting breathing, deformed noses due to a previous injury, chronic inflammation due to a medical condition and cleft lip and palate. Rhinoplasty surgery is unavailable on the NHS unless patients have significant difficulty breathing. This means that patients with most medical conditions affecting the function of the nose will need to find a private clinic to carry out their treatment. We recommend choosing the best rhinoplasty surgery in London, and our surgeons are renowned for producing natural-looking rhinoplasty results.
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Why choose Centre for Surgery for your rhinoplasty procedure?
Centre for Surgery is one of the top cosmetic surgery clinics in the UK. Our surgeons have many years of experience in carrying out all types of rhinoplasty procedures at our state-of-the-art Baker Street clinic in central London. We carry out hundreds of rhinoplasty procedures each year, and our patient satisfaction rate exceeds 95%.
- Proactive preoperative and postoperative nursing care
- Your very own patient coordinator to guide you through all stages of your patient journey with us from start to finish
- Our after-care program has been described as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission
- 24 seven, round-the-clock coverage after your procedure for any questions or concerns you may have
- Highly competitive rhinoplasty prices compared with Harley Street clinics
- All-inclusive rhinoplasty cost with no hidden extras
If you are keen to learn more about rhinoplasty and if the procedure is appropriate for you, please call us today and book a face-to-face consultation with an expert London rhinoplasty surgeon at our central London clinic.
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