Making Functional Improvements

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Whether open or closed rhinoplasty is used, your surgeon may use various surgical techniques to improve the function of your nose in addition to enhancing its appearance. Functional improvements are intended to allow you to breathe more freely. The most common functional improvement made during rhinoplasty involves correcting a crooked or deviated septum. When the septum, which separates the two nostrils, is deviated, it can create a blockage in one of your nostrils. This airway obstruction can lead to breathing problems. During your procedure, your surgeon may also make functional improvements involving other tissues within the nose.

Ethnic Nose Reshaping

Rhinoplasty can change ethnic nasal traits. Depending on your particular desires, it can build up the bridge of your nose or narrow the width of your nostrils. However, if you're hoping to completely eliminate the ethnic character of your nose, you should be aware that this usually can't be done and still maintain a balance in the facial features. In most
cases, refinements can be made to certain traits, but the nose won't lose all of its ethnic characteristics. Be sure to discuss any concerns about maintaining or eliminating ethnic characteristics with your doctor.

Limitations of Nose Reshaping

There are limitations to what rhinoplasty can correct. The amount of correction that can be achieved with your nose depends on certain characteristics and traits, such as your skin texture and thickness and the underlying support system of bones and cartilage in your nose. If your skin is very thick, it may limit the amount of fine tuning that can be
accomplished, especially in the nasal tip. Think of it this way: If you put a shoe on a bed and cover it with a sheet, you can probably still tell that it's a shoe. However, throw a blanket over the shoe and you probably won't be able to identify it. It's the same principle with noses. A surgeon can refine the underlying bones and cartilage within your nose, but if you have thick skin covering them, the changes may not be clearly evident.

In some instances, the need to maintain nasal support and function can limit the degree of sculpting a surgeon can perform. In addition, the structures of the nose have  memory and may try to reassume their presurgery shape. For example, a very crooked nose may look vastly improved following a surgical procedure. But as time goes by, it may
have a tendency to bend again.

Are You a Candidate for Rhinoplasty?

If you feel self-conscious about your nose for any reason, you may be a candidate for nose reshaping. For instance, if you think your nose is too large for your face, if you have a bump on the bridge of your nose, if your nose is crooked or asymmetrical, if the tip droops or appears to be too thick, or if your nostrils seem too wide, you may want to consider rhinoplasty. Likewise, if you've broken your nose, or if you don't like the way it's changed due to aging, you may see improvements from nose reshaping. In addition, if you suffer from breathing problems, your surgeon may be able to correct these. To determine if you're a good candidate for nose surgery, a surgeon will evaluate several things,
including your expectations, your age, your health, your mental well-being, and your attitude.

Expectations

A realistic level of expectations is the single most important thing facial plastic surgeons look for in rhinoplasty patients. If you realize that the goal of nose reshaping is to improve the traits you currently possess rather than to create a  perfect nose, you're more likely to be satisfied with your results. In addition, it's important to understand that rhinoplasty will change your nose, but not your life. It may give you a boost in confidence, but it won't improve your relationships, earn you a promotion at work, or solve your other problems.

Age Requirements

Nose surgery can be performed on men and women of almost any age from teenagers to seniors. In general, rhinoplasty patients tend to be younger than patients seeking other types of cosmetic plastic surgery. More than 60 percent of rhinoplasty patients are under the age of 40, and rhinoplasty is overwhelmingly the most common cosmetic surgical procedure performed on people under the age of 20. However, surgeons usually prefer to postpone surgery on very young persons until they've stopped growing at around 13 to 15 years of age for girls and about 16 to 18 years of age for boys. Waiting until an individual has reached maturity is extremely important. Why? The septum in the nose affects the growth of the midface, including the cheeks. Any changes or injuries to the septum before it has reached full maturity can affect the development of the midface, leading to imbalances in your facial features. In some cases, young patients who have suffered injury to the nose can undergo rhinoplasty to correct the nose alignment.

On the other end of the age spectrum, however, there's no limit. Even if you're in your golden years, you can see improvements with rhinoplasty. No matter what your age, it's important to be in good overall health.

Emotional Health

Your mental well-being is another important factor in determining whether surgery is right for you. In general, if you're happy with your life and you're emotionally stable, you're likely to be considered a good candidate for surgery. Your motivation for seeking rhinoplasty is a good indicator of your mental well-being. If you're seeking cosmetic surgery to
please yourself as opposed to trying to please a spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend, you're likely to be viewed as a good candidate.

A good attitude is another factor surgeons consider. It's important to be willing to take an active role in the cosmetic surgery process. It's your responsibility to research the procedure, to choose a qualified surgeon, to ask questions, to communicate clearly what you'd like to change about your nose, to follow pre- and postoperative instructions, and to show up for any follow-up appointments. When you take an active role in the process, you're more likely to be pleased with the results.

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