It’s always a great time to treat yourself to the care you deserve. If you’ve been considering getting a rhinoplasty, now is a perfect time. No matter what you’re looking for in a new nose, Mountain State Cosmetic Surgery, conveniently located in Beckley, WV, will give you top-tier care and results.
How Does Rhinoplasty Work?
People decide to get nose jobs for all different reasons. What you’re looking for in your nose job will determine what type of nose job you get and how the process works.
Functional Versus Cosmetic Nose Jobs
Nose jobs are classified in different ways. The first step to determining what kind of nose job you are seeking is to know whether you are looking for a functional or a cosmetic nose job.
Functional Nose Jobs
If you are seeking a nose job to fix a problem with how your nose works, then you’re getting a functional nose job. Some of the most common reasons people seek a functional nose job is because nasal passages are too narrow or the cartilage septum has deviated. Deviated septums can occur naturally or as the result of an injury.
Another common reason for functional nose jobs is because of allergies or sinus infections causing the turbinates, also known as nasal conchae, to become enlarged. These shell-shaped structures are made of bone, blood vessels, and other tissues and can become swollen and inhibit airflow. If this becomes a chronic problem, a turbinate reduction can help by removing tissue to allow more space for air to flow.
Cosmetic Nose Jobs
If your nose works just fine, but you want to change its size or shape for aesthetic purposes, then you’re looking for a cosmetic nose job. A common reason for this type of nose job is an asymmetry of some kind. Maybe your nose size is disproportionate to the rest of your face and it throws off your facial symmetry. Perhaps you don’t like the width of the bridge of your nose or the size or position of your nostrils. The tip of your nose might be bulbous, hooked, upturned, or drooping.
Oftentimes, fixing a key area of the nose can improve facial symmetry, but plastic surgeons are also skilled in addressing many areas of the nose at once.
Endonasal Versus External Approach
There are two main approaches to nose jobs: the endonasal, or closed, approach and the external, or open, approach. When you have a consultation with your surgeon, they will work with you to determine which is the best approach for your particular needs.
Endonasal Approach
This approach is perfect for small changes to a nose. With a closed endonasal approach, all of the surgical incisions are hidden inside the nostrils. There won’t be any visible scarring because all the scars are left within the nose. While the endonasal approach has the clear benefit of leaving no visible scarring behind, there are also some limitations to this approach.
The endonasal approach is perfect for small and simple fixes because it doesn’t allow the doctor full visibility of the underlying nasal structures. Furthermore, the skin cannot be repositioned fully when the nasal cavities are not connected. However, if you are only looking for a small change, this approach is perfect because it may not require extensive repositioning or a full view of the nose.
External Approach
If you are looking for major changes to your nose, your surgeon will most likely suggest an external approach. As opposed to the endonasal approach, a surgeon doing an external, or open, nose job will make a small bridging incision, called a trans-columellar incision, that connects the nostrils and allows the nasal skin to be folded upward so that the plastic surgeon has complete access to the underlying structure.
If you have complicated nasal issues or need serious change to your nose structures, you most likely will require an external nose job so that your surgeon can fully address all of your needs. Best of all, when healed, the trans-columellar incision is often invisible.
What Should I Expect From the Process?
Preparing for Rhinoplasty
The first step to getting a nose job is to have a consultation. You will meet with a surgeon to make sure you both are on the same page. You’ll have the chance to tell your doctor exactly what you’re looking for in a nose job and what you’re looking to accomplish.
Your plastic surgeon will examine your medical history and ask about any medications you take. It’s important that you tell them about any medical problems you currently have or have had in the past, as well as any prescription and over-the-counter medications you take. After talking, the surgeon will perform a medical exam, closely examining the skin on the inside and outside of your nose. They will discuss with you what changes can be made to help you achieve the nose you want.
The surgeon may order blood tests or other lab tests to make sure your body is ready for surgery. The consultation will also involve taking pictures of your nose from various angles. These photographs will be used for reference during the surgery and to assess the results.
Health Precautions
It’s important that you avoid painkillers that contain ibuprofen or aspirin for at least two weeks before and after your surgery. Medications that include these substances slow down your body’s blood-clotting process, which can lead to you bleeding more. As you let your doctor know all medications and supplements you take, they will let you know which ones are safe to continue and which, if any, you need to stop prior to surgery.
Smokers have a more difficult time recovering from surgeries in general, and nose jobs are no different. This is because cigarettes slow the recovery process. The nicotine in cigarettes constricts your blood vessels, and this leads to less oxygen and blood circulating and healing the tissues. If you are a smoker, it’s best to stop before and after surgery to help the healing process along.
The Day of the Procedure
Your rhinoplasty can be done in a hospital, but it can also be done in a doctor’s office or in an outpatient surgical facility. The degree of work going into your nose will determine what kind of anesthesia you receive. If it’s a pretty simple procedure, you might just receive local anesthesia to your nose that will numb your face.
Your doctor may also choose to give you anesthesia through an IV line that makes you groggy but allows you to still be awake. Or, your doctor could put you under general anesthesia, where you will be unconscious for the duration of the surgery. Once the anesthesia has taken effect, your surgeon will make cuts between or inside your nostrils. Your doctor will separate your skin from the cartilage or bone beneath and start reshaping the underlying structures.
The process of your surgery depends largely on your individual needs. If your nose needs a small amount of cartilage to be reshaped, the doctor may remove some from your ear, or from deep inside your nose. If more is needed, you may get an implant or a bone graft.
Generally, the procedure takes about one to two hours, but it can take longer if it is a complex procedure.
Recovering From a Nose Job
After your procedure, your doctor may place a metal or plastic splint on your nose to help it retain its new shape as it heals. You may also have nasal packs or splints placed inside your nostrils to help stabilize your septum: the piece between your nostrils. As you recover from surgery, you will be monitored for several hours to make sure that you are doing well.
Assuming everything goes smoothly, you’ll be able to go home later that day. Because you will receive anesthesia during the procedure, you’ll need someone to drive you home. If the procedure is more complicated, you may stay in the hospital for a day or two to help you recover.
It will take some time for the anesthesia to fully get out of your system, so you will likely experience some impaired judgment, memory lapses, and loopiness, so it’s best to have a friend or family member stay with you for your first night after surgery, if possible. As you rest and recover, you’ll want to make sure you keep your head above your chest to help yourself heal more quickly.
Aftercare
After your surgery, you need to get lots of rest. For several weeks after your surgery, you should avoid strenuous activities, like running or ones where your nose is exposed to water, like swimming. You should avoid blowing your nose and should eat soft foods to avoid excessive chewing. Try to reduce the amount you make facial expressions that require lots of movement like laughing and smiling.
Avoid clothing that you have to pull over your head as you might damage your nose. You will also want to avoid resting eyeglasses on your nose or vigorous tooth brushing. It’s important that you be careful about not getting too much sun exposure as it could permanently discolor the skin around your nose. You should need about a week of rest after surgery before you can return to your normal school or work activity.
The way you care for your new nose after surgery has a big impact on the results, and it’s important that you follow your doctor’s instructions for proper aftercare. Be sure to keep your appointments with your doctor so they can keep tabs on your recovery.
Long-Term Healing
Although you will feel back to normal soon after your procedure, healing is a long-term process. It can take months for your new nose to fully heal, so it’s important to be patient and remember that even though you may feel back to your old self, you still need to be gentle with your nose and follow your doctor’s instructions. Don’t push your new nose before your doctor tells you that you are ready for strenuous activity.
Learn More at Your Consultation
Getting the perfect nose isn’t as difficult as you may have thought. Having a rhinoplasty allows you to completely reshape your nose. Whether you are having functional problems that affect your breathing, or you want to reshape your nose to improve facial symmetry, nose jobs are an effective way to change everything you want about your nose.
It’s never the wrong time to invest in yourself and have your nose changed so that you can feel comfortable and confident in your own skin. To schedule a consultation, or to have any questions answered, give us a call today at Mountain State Cosmetic Surgery, located in Beckley, WV.
