Nose surgery (rhinoplasty) reshapes the noses to improve its appearance and balance its proportions with other facial features. Many features of the nose can be altered: a hump can be removed, enlarged nostrils can be reduced, and a drooping tip can be corrected.
Dr. Patronella will discuss your concerns and evaluate your nasal bone, cartilage, and facial structure to determine the best approach to achieve the results you desire. Computer imaging may also be helpful to define your facial appearance goals.
For dramatic nasal reshaping, a splint may be applied to the nose to help maintain its shape, and/or soft, plastic splints may be placed in your nostrils to stabilize the airway. These splints are removed in five to seven days.
Nose surgery may be performed on females as young as 15 and males who are 17, but Dr. Patronella will make this determination based upon each individual case.
A rhinoplasty can be performed as outpatient surgery under general anesthesia in two to three hours. Patients should plan to stay in bed with their head elevated the first day after surgery. Most patients can return to work or school within seven to ten days after their surgery, and exercise and other strenuous activities may be resumed in about two to four weeks.
It is important to avoid hitting or rubbing the nose for approximately eight weeks. Exposure to the sun should be limited for two months following surgery.
Septoplasty to Correct Breathing Difficulties
Breathing can be difficult if the airways are obstructed by a deviated or crooked septum, the dividing wall between the nasal passages. A septoplasty procedure will correct the shape or position of the septum to improve the nasal airways.