Beauty nowadays is a necessity, not just a gift that we wish for that we have. Many people actively search for ways to improve their looks, from trying all the beauty products available in department stores to get weekly or monthly appointments to their cosmetic salons of choice. Some would even undergo cosmetic surgery procedures to permanently alter how a part of their face, if not their whole face, would look. One of the highly sought-after cosmetic surgery procedures that people would turn to is rhinoplasty. Who would have thought that reshaping the center part of your face would make a huge difference to your overall look? However, some may still wonder, is rhinoplasty worth it?
The ins and outs of the rhinoplasty procedure
Before answering the question, ‘is rhinoplasty worth it?’ one must fully understand what the surgical (or nonsurgical) procedure would do. What is rhinoplasty and what is it all about that so many people are curious and want to undergo such complex operation?
Rhinoplasty: At hindsight
Rhinoplasty, commonly known as a nose job, is basically a nose reshaping procedure. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons says that rhinoplasty is the third most popular cosmetic surgery, with more than 200,000 patients opting for the nose procedure every year. A nose job surgery is a small but extensive procedure that reshapes, resizes, contours, and straighten flaws and imperfections of the nose. No matter what alteration this procedure makes, the final outcome only has one distinct characteristic – it should be proportioned to the face of the patient.
Types of nose job surgery
If we are talking about rhinoplasty as a whole, there are surgical and nonsurgical approaches to it that need to be discussed in detail. Let us focus our attention first on the surgical methods. There are two approaches that your surgeon can follow when performing your nose job surgery.
Open rhinoplasty is the first type of rhinoplasty that has been performed for many years now. This method uses internal and external incisions on different parts of the nose to fully visualise the structures that need to be altered and repaired. If this procedure is the one recommended by your surgeon, expect that there is a small cut that may turn into a scar at the flesh in between your nostrils on top of your lip.
Closed rhinoplasty is also called the scarless type because all incisions made to perform the nose job surgery is made inside the nose. Minor alterations and reshaping are made using this method, making the outcome of the surgery discrete without any sign of noticeable scarring.
Who can be considered a good candidate for a rhinoplasty?
As one of the top 5 most popular cosmetic surgeries in the world and considered the most wanted facial surgery, getting a rhinoplasty procedure is indeed effective. Those who would want to undergo one should then possess the following characteristics so they can be considered good candidates for a nose job surgery.
- You are generally healthy
- You have fully-developed facial features
- You reached the legal age of at least 17 years old
- Your surgeon recommends rhinoplasty as an ideal surgery to address your problems.
- You have realistic expectations with the final results.
There is also a consideration with regard to the budget that you may have allotted for the procedure. Moreover, your racial descent and the proportion of your desired nose to your face should be mentioned as well. Many have the misconception that rhinoplasty makes a straight nose and perfectly-shaped nasal features when in fact there is no perfect nose to begin with. The main goal of the rhinoplasty surgeon is to make sure that the surgical outcome of the nose is functioning properly and physically proportioned to the facial features of the patient.
The nose job surgery procedure
Some who have heard of rhinoplasty may wonder what happens during the surgery. Basically, the surgeon places the patient under either local anaesthesia with sedation or under general anesthesia, especially if the patient is extremely anxious or a more extensive procedure needs to be performed. Based on his clinical findings during his comprehensive assessment, he targets the structures of the nose that need to be altered so that reshaping and improving the function of the nose may be achieved. The nasal bone and cartilages inside may be broken down and reshaped based on the surgery’s need to reconstruct the nose. The surgeon may also insert implants or, if extremely needed, transplant pieces of bones or cartilages harvested from different parts of the body like the ribs or ear, so that the whole reconstruction of the nose may be completed. After the alterations, the surgeon closes the incisions with absorbable sutures that are biocompatible to the body. Nasal splints and bandages would cover the site so as to support and protect the nose. The patient may then be sent to the recovery room and released after the anaesthesia wears off.
The cost of rhinoplasty
We all know that cosmetic surgery procedures are all expensive, and we can say that rhinoplasty is not an exception. Expect that this complex procedure may cost you between $4000 to $15000 in Australia, with an average of $7500 in the world. The cost is relative to the location where you would get your surgery, the expertise of your surgeon, the type of nose job surgery to be performed, and the reason why you need the operation.
Is rhinoplasty worth it?
The answer to this question would depend on the patient and the reason for the surgery. Let us dig deep and determine the highs and lows of this cosmetic surgery procedure so we can somehow give you an idea if rhinoplasty is really worth it all.
The benefits of rhinoplasty
It is not a typical cosmetic surgery. As mentioned earlier, rhinoplasty is not only a cosmetic surgery procedure but also a reconstructive one. It can address medical conditions that are affected by problems with your nasal structure, like cleft palate, deviated septum, and obstructive sleep apnea. If you are diagnosed with any of these problems, your surgeon may recommend that getting a rhinoplasty surgery to improve your overall health is worth it.
It is permanent. While many people consider getting nonsurgical or injection rhinoplasty as affordable and more advisable, the effects of fixing your nose through rhinoplasty is a lifetime thing. Forget about going in and out of your surgeon’s office to touch up or extend the use of your dermal fillers. With proper care and protection of your rhinoplasty, the alterations you see and admire will last you a lifetime.
It ups your self-confidence. If you feel satisfied with your surgery, chances that you will confidently flaunt it are high. Your emotions will lighten, your outlook in life will be brighter, and your interpersonal relationships with blossom because you are assured that your physical features are better and your self-esteem has improved as well.
The downsides of rhinoplasty
It may change some of your normal activities. There may be things that you enjoy doing before that you may be limited to perform now that you have enhanced the appearance of your nose. Swimming, diving, and snorkeling may be prohibited due to the pressure it may present to the nose. Contact sports are also a no-no now that you have reshaped and straightened your nose.
It may not be a one-time thing. Some rhinoplasty procedures that only need minor changes may achieve its goal using one surgical session only. However, there is a very big possibility that another rhinoplasty procedure is needed to reach the goal or a surgical outcome that you and your surgeon are trying to achieve.
The sensation of the nose may change post-op. As mentioned earlier, there are certain risks and complications that maybe the effects of this nose job surgery. Numbness, tenderness, and swelling may be a prolonged thing during your recovery period and they are somehow considered a given. However, there are some patients who still complain of these effects even after 2 or 3 years from their surgery.
It is expensive. Come to think of it, if you are only going to do this cosmetic surgery for the sake of aesthetics only, your insurance policy would not cover the cost. Moreover, you should also consider the possibility that you are not going to get a rhinoplasty surgery not just once, so how much money should you need to improve your looks?
We hope that we have given you some basic information about what you should consider when thinking about undergoing rhinoplasty. If you really are decided to get one, it is still best to talk and discuss all your concerns with a trusted plastic surgeon who is the only reliable resource person that you can get intelligent and spot-on answers from.
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