When looking at photos of other faces, humans instinctively gravitate toward symmetry and proportion as being the most attractive elements. That’s why people whose noses are out of balance with the rest of their facial features may consider their options for a rhinoplasty, popularly known as a nose job.
If you’re thinking about surgically improving your nose, you’re in good company. A recent report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reveals that nose reshaping continues to be one of the most popular procedures in the U.S., with more than 218,000 procedures performed nationwide in 2017. To help you become an informed patient, we’ll provide details about what rhinoplasty surgery entails, what makes someone qualified to get this surgery, and what to expect as you recover.
What Is a Rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure designed to improve the appearance and sometimes the breathing function of the nose. In this surgery, our a board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon Dr. David Gerth can alter the proportions and size of the nose to create a desired shape that fits with your facial bone structure. Some patients with respiratory problems may also seek rhinoplasty to ensure they can breathe freely.
Since your nose plays both functional and aesthetic roles, it’s essential to select a highly trained surgeon who is skilled at manipulating the bone, cartilage, and airways inside the nose in a way that preserves both clear air passageways and enhances your nose’s naturally appealing structure.
What Is Involved in Rhinoplasty Surgery?
Because of the unique qualities of facial anatomy and aesthetic goals across patients, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all rhinoplasty procedure. Depending on your desired outcomes, a rhinoplasty can refine the shape or size of the nose, modify the angle between your nose and upper lip, reduce or increase the projection of your nose, or straighten a bumpy or crooked nose, among other aesthetic improvements.
Like many of his fellow qualified cosmetic surgeons, Dr. Gerth prefers to use an open rhinoplasty approach, which takes place through a tiny horizontal incision across the columella, which is the vertical strip of soft tissue that separates the nostrils. Through this method, he can carefully reshape the bones and cartilage to perform your desired cosmetic correction. In another approach, called a closed rhinoplasty, all the incisions are concealed inside the nostrils.
Either technique involves carefully separating the skin from the underlying bone and cartilage to re-sculpt them to the desired shape, before draping the skin back over the new, ideally shaped nose and closing the incisions.
The key advantage of an open rhinoplasty is that it gives Dr. Gerth more control, visibility, and precision than a closed rhinoplasty. Closed rhinoplasties, in contrast, typically involve a shorter operation and healing process. However, most patients are ultimately more concerned about achieving their desired cosmetic outcome than with how much recovery time they have to plan for, so Dr. Gerth can help you decide which of these two methods would be better for you based on your goals.
Ways to Improve Your Nose
Choosing between an open vs. closed rhinoplasty isn’t the only decision Dr. Gerth can help you make about your nose. Here are some additional options you’ll want to consider.
Since many people are self-conscious about having a nose that is disproportionate to the rest of their features, reduction rhinoplasty is common among both female and male patients. In a reduction rhinoplasty, you may choose to make your nose smaller overall or to reshape one aspect of your nose, such as a bulbous tip or a bump in the bridge of your nose.
As opposed to reduction rhinoplasty, the goal of an augmentation rhinoplasty is to increase the size of the nose. This approach is less commonly requested than reduction rhinoplasty but is recommended for patients who have a low nose bridge that creates an undesired appearance.
Whether you were born with a breathing problem or injured your nose in an accident, blocked nasal passages may make it hard for you to get adequate airflow through your nose. You may wish to get a rhinoplasty to restore your sinuses and air passages to full function and help improve your overall quality of life. Some functional rhinoplasty patients choose to get additional cosmetic enhancements as part of this process.
Who Is a Good Rhinoplasty Candidate?
Physically healthy, nonsmoking adults who have realistic surgical goals and who have concerns about improving the overall appearance and function of their noses are potential candidates for rhinoplasty. Though cosmetic rhinoplasty is suitable for most patients over the age of 18, Dr. Gerth can perform nose surgery solely to improve respiration sooner for children, as long as their noses have stopped growing.
Your first step before getting a rhinoplasty surgery will be to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gerth at his modern cosmetic surgery clinic in Miami Beach. For this private, confidential meeting, come prepared to discuss what you would like to change about your nose, and bring photos of “ideal” noses to share if you so choose.
After talking with you about your goals and evaluating the balance between your nose and other facial features, Dr. Gerth can advise you about how he can best use his surgical skills to help provide improved symmetry. Our Vectra M3 3D imaging software can also be a powerful tool to help give you a more accurate visualization of how your nose will look after surgery.
Meet Dr. Gerth
Looking to book your procedure in the Miami Beach area? Learn why you should choose a versatile surgeon like Dr. Gerth today!
Recovering From a Rhinoplasty
Following a rhinoplasty, patients usually wear a nasal splint for the first week or so to maintain the new shape of their nose. You can expect swelling and some bruising around your eyes after surgery that will begin to improve after the first few days, though it can last up to two weeks.
Your nose itself will have both internal and external swelling as well. Normally, after the first two to three weeks, this swelling will have subsided enough to the point where it’s unnoticeable to most people, after which you’ll be able to return to work and your normal social activities.
You should avoid strenuous exercise until Dr. Gerth clears you to resume it — typically for three to six weeks after surgery. You’ll be able to enjoy the final shape of your nose after it has completely healed, approximately four to six months afterward.
Call Today to Schedule Your Rhinoplasty Consultation
Dr. David Gerth’s comprehensive educational and surgical background has uniquely prepared him to perform even the most challenging aesthetic and reconstructive facial surgeries. He has completed training in three disciplines recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties: plastic surgery, head and neck surgery, and facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Gerth and his team believe it is essential to keep each patient’s best interests in mind with every procedure he performs. To that end, we take great care to listen to each person’s concerns to perform a surgery that creates symmetrical and natural-looking results. To help you love what you see in the mirror and get the best outcomes from your rhinoplasty surgery in Miami Beach, contact our office today to set up your individualized consultation.