Am I a Candidate for Rhinoplasty?​​​​​​​

If you are unhappy with the appearance of your nose, you are certainly not alone. Located right front and center of our faces, this feature is impossible to hide completely.

Many patients who dislike their noses spend a great deal of time using cosmetics to try and make minor improvements to the way that it looks, but the only permanent way of improving the shape of your nose is rhinoplasty surgery. For this reason, rhinoplasty remains one of the most commonly-requested of all cosmetic surgery procedures. 

There are a variety of different aspects of the nose that people want to improve. Some of the most common complaints include noses that:

• Are too large
• Are too small
• Have a bump on the bridge
• Have particularly large nostrils 
• Have a large tip
• Are hooked
• Are too upturned
• Are broken

While there are many cosmetic reasons for getting a nose job, a number of patients also choose rhinoplasty because of the health benefits that it offers. Some people are born with particularly flat noses, while others have suffered an injury to the nose which has caused it to become flat. 

Unfortunately, patients with a flattened nose may find it more difficult to breathe through this airway, particularly when they also have a cold or seasonal allergy. Rhinoplasty surgery can transform the efficiency of your airway and enable you to breathe more easily. 

Which type of rhinoplasty is right for me?

There are various different types of rhinoplasty, and these tend to fall into the following categories:

• Reduction rhinoplasty. As the name suggests, this type of rhinoplasty is designed to reduce the size of the bridge and tip of the nose, and in some cases, the nostrils. This will make your nose appear smaller and in better proportion with your face and features. In some instances, bone and cartilage will need to be removed to make this procedure successful. 

• Augmentation rhinoplasty. If you have a flattened nose, either naturally or due to an accident or injury, you will probably be referred for augmentation rhinoplasty. This involves rebuilding the framework of the nose using bone and cartilage from another part of your body. In doing so, the airway will have greater room to expand and the patient will be able to breathe more easily. 

• Septorhinoplasty. The septum is the flap of skin that separates your nostrils. Some people find that their septum becomes damaged – this is often due to injury or, in some cases, prolonged drug use. A septorhinoplasty alters or restores the septum, as well as improving the overall appearance of the nose.
   
• Rhinotip. If you are more or less satisfied with the size and width of your nose and only wish for the tip, or nostrils to be improved, you will almost certainly be recommended for rhinotip rhinoplasty which addresses these areas.

Am I a candidate for rhinoplasty?

Whether or not you are a good candidate for rhinoplasty really depends on two key factors. These are:

• Your general health and wellbeing.
• Whether the improvements you wish to make to your nose are viable, and you have reasonable expectations for the outcome of your procedure.

Before you can be approved for any cosmetic surgery you will need to have a thorough health assessment which will look at your medical history and your current health and well-being. This includes finding out whether you have any ongoing health conditions if you take medications and if you have any allergies that the surgical team would need to be aware of. 

Rhinoplasty surgery is only really suitable for adults since the nose does not stop developing until the patient reaches around 16 years of age. The only exception to this would be if the patient was really struggling to breathe normally. 

Dr. Potter will also ensure that you understand and accept that a rhinoplasty is not designed to transform your overall appearance. Any good plastic surgeon will instead create improvements that are subtle, while still making the changes to make a patient feel happier with the shape, size, and overall appearance of her or his nose.

Cosmetic surgery decisions should be based on sound reason and judgment, so it is important that you have realistic expectations for your surgery. Before scheduling your rhinoplasty appointment, we will ensure that you are happy with your treatment plan.