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Rhinoplasty

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Nose-Reshaping Surgery in Orange County

Your nose is the central feature of your face, but it should not be the most noticeable one. A nose that is too big or too small, or that has an unusual shape, can draw attention away from your eyes and mouth and distort the visual balance of your face. If you are uncomfortable with the look of your nose or have experienced changes due to injury or disease, rhinoplasty, or nose-reshaping surgery, might be the transformation you are looking for. By bringing the size and form of your nose into harmony with your other facial features, rhinoplasty can work wonders in improving your appearance — and your self-esteem.

Surgeons may also perform rhinoplasty for medical reasons — when the natural structure of your nose or an injury to it impairs breathing. In some cases, the nose-reshaping procedure can correct a structural defect, while also creating a symmetrical nose.

Nose surgery is among the most challenging plastic surgeries to perform, so it’s crucial to choose a plastic surgeon with the experience and skill to do it well. To learn more about rhinoplasty and our uniquely qualified surgeons, contact UCI Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation at one of our five locations: in Orange, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Yorba Linda, or Newport Beach, CA.

woman showing facial contours

What Is Rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty is a surgical nose-reshaping procedure, performed to improve the appearance of the nose, restore full breathing function, or both. The goal of cosmetic rhinoplasty is to bring all facial features into better harmony.

Nose-reshaping surgery is a highly customized procedure. It can straighten a crooked nose, reshape the nasal tip, change the width of the nose tip, build up a weak-looking nose, or remove a prominent hump.

Why Might I Consider Rhinoplasty?

You might consider nose-reshaping surgery if you are self-conscious about your nose or feel that it detracts from the appearance of your face. You might also consider nose surgery if the structure of your nose impairs your breathing.

Rhinoplasty is among the most popular plastic surgery procedures for both men and women. 

View our before-and-after gallery to see what results we have been able to achieve for other patients.

The procedure can:

  • Correct the size, shape, or projection of your nose to bring it into harmony with your other facial features.
  • Improve the shape of the bridge your nose.
  • Correct a nasal tip that is drooping, turned up, bulbous, or too wide.
  • Eliminate a large bump or hump.
  • Straighten a crooked nose.

Our plastic surgeons can reshape the structure of the nose to create a more symmetrical and harmonious appearance. The goal is to reshape your nose so that it harmonizes with the other features of your face. Nose surgery can also correct medical concerns, such as an obstructed airway or damage left by an injury.

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UCI Plastic Surgery is a leader in the field of cosmetic surgery. Each of our specialists is highly knowledgeable, trained, and committed to bringing our patients the latest advancements in the field. Learn how our experts can help you obtain industry-leading results by scheduling a consultation today.

What Happens in a Rhinoplasty Procedure?

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all rhinoplasty. Our qualified surgeons customize each nose surgery to the patient’s unique goals and the size, shape, and structure of the nose. In your consultation with the surgeon, we will discuss what you hope to achieve, so we can provide you with the best results possible.

To begin your procedure, your anesthesiologist will administer general anesthesia. Your surgeon will then reveal the underlying structure of your nose by making incisions inside your nostrils or along the thin line of tissue between them. Your plastic surgeon can then reshape your nasal bone and cartilage to achieve the nose you desire and to correct any breathing problems.

Trained surgeons use various surgical techniques to make different types of changes to the nose.

Once your surgeon has reshaped the underlying structures of the nose, they’ll reshape the upper layers of tissue and skin over the new foundation and close the incisions. Finally, they’ll place a splint to help your nose heal properly.

The surgery typically takes two to three hours, depending on the complexity of the changes.

What Can I Expect in Recovery From Nose Surgery?

You’ll need to wear the splint for about a week to protect your nose and help keep it in its new shape. You can expect some swelling and bruising at first, which will temporarily hide the results of your procedure. Keeping your head elevated will help minimize swelling. The initial swelling will go down within a week or two, but minor residual swelling can come and go for as long as a year.

Most patients can return to work and normal light activities a week to 10 days after their procedure. You may choose to use makeup to help conceal any persistent bruising or redness. By about three months after your surgery, your nose will be close to its final form and you’ll see the new harmony of your facial features. Your nose and face will continue to look even better over the next few months as the last of the swelling disappears.

Your surgeon will give you specific post-operative care instructions, including a schedule of follow-up visits to ensure your nose is healing well.

Nose Surgery FAQs

The results of rhinoplasty are permanent. Once the structure of your nose has fully developed, which typically occurs by about age 16 or 17, its size and shape change only minimally as you age, so nose-reshaping in adulthood provides long-lasting improvement.

If you have rhinoplasty to correct a deviated septum or a closed or depressed nasal valve that makes it challenging to breathe through your nose, insurance may cover all or part of the procedure. Insurance does not cover elective plastic surgery done solely for cosmetic reasons. When rhinoplasty aims both to open the nasal airway and to improve your nose’s appearance, insurance may defray your overall cost to have the procedure done.

You should wait to have rhinoplasty until your bones, and particularly the bones in your face, have stopped growing or are near their final size and form. For females, this is usually by about age 16, and for males by about age 17, but the specific age varies from person to person. One way to judge this is by the curve of your growth chart. If you are within an inch or two of your projected adult height, the bones in your face are unlikely to change significantly, and you may be ready for rhinoplasty. If you might still grow another four to six inches, you should wait.

When performed by a skilled surgeon with training and experience in rhinoplasty, you can expect results that are not only natural-looking, but that also give your face a naturally attractive look. When done well, nose-reshaping surgery will make your nose less noticeable, so people focus on the harmony and balance of all your facial features.

Because rhinoplasty is a tricky procedure, in which millimeters can make the difference between success and disappointment, it’s crucial to select a board-certified plastic surgeon with demonstrated

Most rhinoplasty surgeries are done under general anesthesia, but this can depend on the nature of the surgery being performed.   Moderate sedation and local anesthesia may also be an option.

You may experience swelling, bruising, and may have stents in the nasal airway to facilitate healing.

Know what you would like done, prepare questions, check your surgeon’s board certification, and know where the surgery will take place. You should also have realistic expectations for the surgery.

Surgical instructions will begiven to you prior to surgery.  Please do not eat or drink the morning of surgery.

Bleeding, infection, asymmetry

Usually, smoking is a contraindication, which means the procedure could be harmful to you if you are a smoker.

Recovery occurs within 4-6 weeks, but the final result will take up to 1 year following surgery.

This depends on the type of work, but 2-3 weeks in general.

All surgery changes the shape and type of nose you have, so a consultation with your surgeon is critical to understand expectations.

No, but it can be more uncomfortable because breathing will be affected for a while.

Functional rhinoplasty concentrates on the breathing issues of the nose and can be beneficial to help with breathing difficulties.

You may need a septoplasty if you are able to breath out one side of the nose or the other better – your surgeon can also look inside and determine if the septum is deformed.

There is no specific age requirement, and it depends really on what you are having the surgeries done for, but we would want patients to be at least over the age of 18 for elective cosmetic rhinoplasties.  Rhinoplasties required for cleft lips and palates can be done sooner.

If septal work is required, yes.

There is usually more scarring and structures not as “clean” as the primary surgery.

Not everyone uses computer imaging.  Like anything in surgery, a computer-generated picture is no guarantee that the result will look the same.

Some functional rhinoplasties for breathing may be covered.

In the hospital or ambulatory surgery center.

Schedule a Consultation in Southern California

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and find out how rhinoplasty can improve the harmony of your facial features and give you a new boost of self-esteem. We have offices in Orange, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Newport, and Yorba Linda, CA.

The doctors at UCI Plastic Surgery are leaders in the field of cosmetic surgery. Through their teaching and lecturing roles at UCI, they stay current with state-of-the-art techniques and technology. With their advanced technical skills, they consistently produce better, more natural-looking results for their patients.