RHINOPLASTY FAQ

Rhinoplasty, also known as a “nose job”, is a surgery that reshapes the nose. Patients may be interested in a rhinoplasty to enhance the proportions of the nose, to achieve aesthetic goals, to correct impaired breathing caused by structural defects, or all three. At your consultation, your surgeon will consider your other facial features, the skin on your nose, and what you would like to achieve with surgery.

A nose-reshaping procedure is highly individualized. As with any cosmetic procedure, you should do it for yourself – not to fulfill anyone else’s desires or to fit the current “ideal” beauty standard. A rhinoplasty can address:

• Nose size in relation to facial balance.
• Nose width at the bridge, or size and position of the nostrils.
• Nose profile (visible humps or depressions on the bridge).
• Nasal tip that is enlarged or bulbous, drooping, upturned, or hooked.
• Nostrils that are large, wide, or upturned.
• Nasal asymmetry

Good candidates for rhinoplasty include patients whose facial growth is complete, who do not smoke, who are physically healthy, and who have realistic goals in mind for improvement of appearance. Keep in mind everyone’s face is asymmetric to some degree. If you wish to correct asymmetry, a rhinoplasty may not produce completely symmetrical results. Your surgeon’s main goal in addressing asymmetry is to correct your nasal proportions, which will enhance your features and create facial balance.

The Consultation

At your consultation, be prepared to discuss your medical history, surgical goals (in regard to breathing and appearance), medical conditions, current medications, and previous surgeries. Your surgeon will also conduct a physical exam, which involves examining and measuring your face. This will help determine what changes need to be made and how your physical features, such as the amount of skin on your nose or the strength of your cartilage, may affect your results. You will also discuss likely outcomes and any risks or potential complications associated with nose surgery. The key to a successful result—a nose that matches the shape and size you desire, looks natural, and functions as well as if not better than before surgery—is to work with a board-certified cosmetic surgeon who will understand your aesthetic vision and personalize your procedure to meet it.

Crisalix

If you’re familiar with our practice, you may know of Crisalix – the 3D imaging software we use for prospective breast augmentation patients. This software processes photos of the patient’s body from different angles and generates the look of different implants on their body. We do the same thing for prospective rhinoplasty patients! At your consultation, we will take photos of your face from different angles. Then, using the Crisalix software, we will generate what results different rhinoplasty techniques would produce for your face! This is extremely helpful for determining the specific goals of the surgery.

The Procedure

The rhinoplasty procedure is tailored to each individual. It is performed under general anesthesia, meaning Dr. Capizzi’s dedicated anesthesiologist will be there on surgery day to put you “under.” They will also discuss any concerns and answer any questions you may have beforehand.

Incisions

Rhinoplasty is performed as either a closed or open procedure. With a closed procedure, a small incision is made inside the nasal cavity. With an open procedure, an incision is made across the columella – the narrow strip of tissue that separates your nostrils. Through these incisions, the skin that covers the nasal bones and cartilage is gently raised, allowing access to reshape the structure of the nose.

Deviated Septum Correction

Rhinoplasty is sometimes combined (and often confused) with septoplasty—the surgical correction of a deviated septum, a condition where the dividing wall between your nasal passages is positioned to one side of the nose. After making an incision inside the nasal cavity or across the columella, your surgeon will straighten your septum.

Reshaping

A large nose can be reduced by removing bone or cartilage. If necessary, your surgeon may use additional cartilage grafts. Additional cartilage is most commonly taken from the septum.

Once the underlying structure is sculpted to the desired shape and size, the nasal skin and tissue are re-draped, and incisions are closed.

Recovery

After your procedure, a splint and or packing will be placed inside your nose. A splint or bandage will also be placed on the outside of your nose to support and protect the new structures during your initial healing. Initial swelling subsides within a few weeks but may come and go and worsen in the morning over the next 6 months of your healing process. Following your surgery, you will be given specific aftercare instructions for how to care for the surgical site, medications to take or apply to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection, and the date/time of your follow-up.

Are you curious about rhinoplasty and wondering if it is the right procedure for your needs? Give our office a call to speak with our lovely Patient Care Coordinators at 704-655-8988. They would be more than happy to chat about what to expect with pricing and recovery and answer any other questions you may have.

• Nose size in relation to facial balance.
• Nose width at the bridge, or size and position of the nostrils.
• Nose profile (visible humps or depressions on the bridge).
• Nasal tip that is enlarged or bulbous, drooping, upturned, or hooked.
• Nostrils that are large, wide, or upturned.
• Nasal asymmetry

Good candidates for rhinoplasty include patients whose facial growth is complete, who do not smoke, who are physically healthy, and who have realistic goals in mind for improvement of appearance. Keep in mind everyone’s face is asymmetric to some degree. If you wish to correct asymmetry, a rhinoplasty may not produce completely symmetrical results. Your surgeon’s main goal in addressing asymmetry is to correct your nasal proportions, which will enhance your features and create facial balance.

The Consultation

At your consultation, be prepared to discuss your medical history, surgical goals (in regard to breathing and appearance), medical conditions, current medications, and previous surgeries. Your surgeon will also conduct a physical exam, which involves examining and measuring your face. This will help determine what changes need to be made and how your physical features, such as the amount of skin on your nose or the strength of your cartilage, may affect your results. You will also discuss likely outcomes and any risks or potential complications associated with nose surgery. The key to a successful result—a nose that matches the shape and size you desire, looks natural, and functions as well as if not better than before surgery—is to work with a board-certified cosmetic surgeon who will understand your aesthetic vision and personalize your procedure to meet it.

Crisalix

If you’re familiar with our practice, you may know of Crisalix – the 3D imaging software we use for prospective breast augmentation patients. This software processes photos of the patient’s body from different angles and generates the look of different implants on their body. We do the same thing for prospective rhinoplasty patients! At your consultation, we will take photos of your face from different angles. Then, using the Crisalix software, we will generate what results different rhinoplasty techniques would produce for your face! This is extremely helpful for determining the specific goals of the surgery.

The Procedure

The rhinoplasty procedure is tailored to each individual. It is performed under general anesthesia, meaning Dr. Capizzi’s dedicated anesthesiologist will be there on surgery day to put you “under.” They will also discuss any concerns and answer any questions you may have beforehand.

Incisions

Rhinoplasty is performed as either a closed or open procedure. With a closed procedure, a small incision is made inside the nasal cavity. With an open procedure, an incision is made across the columella – the narrow strip of tissue that separates your nostrils. Through these incisions, the skin that covers the nasal bones and cartilage is gently raised, allowing access to reshape the structure of the nose.

Deviated Septum Correction

Rhinoplasty is sometimes combined (and often confused) with septoplasty—the surgical correction of a deviated septum, a condition where the dividing wall between your nasal passages is positioned to one side of the nose. After making an incision inside the nasal cavity or across the columella, your surgeon will straighten your septum.

Reshaping

A large nose can be reduced by removing bone or cartilage. If necessary, your surgeon may use additional cartilage grafts. Additional cartilage is most commonly taken from the septum.

Once the underlying structure is sculpted to the desired shape and size, the nasal skin and tissue are re-draped, and incisions are closed.

Recovery

After your procedure, a splint and or packing will be placed inside your nose. A splint or bandage will also be placed on the outside of your nose to support and protect the new structures during your initial healing. Initial swelling subsides within a few weeks but may come and go and worsen in the morning over the next 6 months of your healing process. Following your surgery, you will be given specific aftercare instructions for how to care for the surgical site, medications to take or apply to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection, and the date/time of your follow-up.

Are you curious about rhinoplasty and wondering if it is the right procedure for your needs? Give our office a call to speak with our lovely Patient Care Coordinators at 704-655-8988. They would be more than happy to chat about what to expect with pricing and recovery and answer any other questions you may have.