Rhinoplasty (Nose Job)

Your nose is the most prominent feature on your face, second only to your eyes. Its size and shape may be the most defining characteristic on your face. If you are unhappy with your nose, you are not alone. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people throughout North America elect to improve the appearance and/or function of their noses through nose surgery or rhinoplasty. Some people want a different size or shape, others wish to repair damaged caused by an injury, and some just want to breathe easier. If you have been wondering how nose surgery might change your looks, improve your self-confidence or your breathing, you should schedule a consultation with a surgeon at the Chernoff Plastic Surgery Laser and Wellness Center.

A misshapen nose, is often the subject of cruel taunts and ridicule. This can be the most distressing facial disfigurement or imperfection. The nose has been described as the secret to a beautiful face and rhinoplasty or nose reshaping can help achieve this. Perhaps the most well known and most performed cosmetic procedure, rhinoplasty realigns the nose so that it is proportion with the contours of the face. Rhinoplasty is suitable for patients over the age of 18 and takes about one to two hours to perform. The nasal bones are typically sculpted and nasal cartilage is either removed or sculpted to reshape the external nose.

At the same time, if a patient complains of difficulty breathing or is plagued by chronic sinusitis, then an accompanying procedure called a septoplasty can be performed in conjunction with endoscopic sinus surgery to rid a patient of their chronic sinusitis symptoms. The incision for the rhinoplasty is in the shape of small "W" at the base of the tip of the nose and is barely perceptible after one to two weeks. The incision for a septoplasty is placed on the inside of the nose and is not visible outside. Once Dr. Chernoff straightens a crooked septum or the partition of the two sides of the nose, he then corrects the external appearance by sculpting the nasal bones and cartilage as previously mentioned. Through the advent of smaller instruments and diamond cutting tools, once again minimal bruising, minimal bleeding, and minimal pain are achieved. No internal packing is required; however, an external fiberglass, flesh-colored splint will be placed on the nose for ten days. It is remarkable that patients who for many years have held their heads down or refused to be seen in profile can have this distress removed by a relatively simple procedure in such a short period of time.

THE PROCEDURE:
Rhinoplasty is performed as an outpatient procedure under either a local, twilight, or general anesthetic. The incisions which have been previously described are barely perceptible in a short period of time. The skin and tissues of the nose along with the underlying bone and cartilage are sculpted by the surgeon to your desired new shape.

If your nose is too large, your surgeon can sculpt away cartilage to reduce its size. Noses that point up or droop down can be redirected by trimming the septum which divides the two nasal passages. Skin can be removed from both sides of the nostrils at the center, to narrow the base of the nose. Sometimes, the contour can be improved by adding tissue which is borrowed either from the nasal septum or the patients ear.

THE HEALING TIME:
Most patients undergoing rhinoplasty are pleasantly surprised by what little pain they experience. Most patients describe a stuffiness of the nose which usually lasts a few weeks. If your nose has been causing you any distress, you should call for a consultation now.

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