Everyone wants to look good; those who say they don’t want to look good are lying. Sometimes, looking good entails needing to put in a little extra effort, and a little bit more money, to get the appearance you want.
In 2012, our national spend nearly $1.8 billion on skin rejuvenation procedures in the never-ending quest to look and feel great. There have been an estimated 14.6 million cosmetic surgery procedures performed in 2012 as well, the majority of which were rhinoplasty procedures.
What is Rhinoplasty? This procedure is performed by a rhinoplasty specialist and involves reshaping both the soft tissue and bone structure of the nose to create a desired appearance. Rhinoplasty surgeons can either perform the surgery for aesthetic reasons or for functional reasons. For example, if children or adults are suffering breathing problems due to their nasal airway being blocked, they can undergo rhinoplasty. Athletes who have broken their nose may also need a rhinoplasty surgeon to reshape their nose.
During Surgery: The top rhinoplasty surgeons will be able to deliver the results you want by making your nose longer or smaller. They can change the angle, correct bumps, and even alter the tip and width of the nose (also known as a wide nose rhinoplasty).
Rhinoplasty surgeons will first make an incision to access the bones and cartilage which support the nose. The best surgeons will be sure to make the incisions inside the nose so as not to create any surface scarring. Depending on what the patient wants, bone and cartilage will either be reshaped or removed entirely.
After reshaping the nose, the skin and tissues are put back over the underlying nose structure and a split is placed on the outside of the nose to ensure proper healing. The whole process can be done under general or local anesthesia and will require you to stay at the hospital overnight to make sure no complications arise (infections, etc.).
Post Surgery: After about a week, the split and bandage will be removed. Your face may feel a bit puffy and your eyes may not be adjusted to your new nose shape yet, but these feelings — along with any swelling or bruising — will subside within two weeks. If you can, use cold compresses to reduce the pain.
Do not undergo any vigorous exercises such as team sports and you may find that you have to keep your head elevated slightly at night and remain still for the first couple days after the surgery.
An estimated 243,000 Americans underwent a rhinoplasty procedure in 2012, many of which are satisfied with their new facial appearance and have improved self esteem and confidence. Read more here.
