As cosmetic surgery continues its upward flight in popularity, rhinoplasty continues to be one of the most popular procedures. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), which collects statistics each year, rhinoplasty was the third most popular procedure for men in 2007, with only liposuction and eyelid surgery being done more often. In 2006, it was the second most popular procedure for both men and women combined, with only breast augmentation being done more often for women.

Since we breathe through the nose, and oxygen is essential for life, rhinoplasty is often done for non-cosmetic reasons as well as for cosmetic reasons. When there is a hereditary condition which makes it hard to breathe, or somewhat harder, such as a deviated septum, nose surgery can correct that. And if that person would like a nicer shape to their nose, some cosmetic work can be done at the same time. Improvements in the nasal shape can create enormous changes in the facial shape and appearance.

A Nose Job Can Correct:
The width of the nose at the bridge
The overall size, improving harmony with the other facial features
The nasal tip if it is too bulbous, droopy or upturned
Nostrils which are too large or wide
The nose profile, if it has too large a hump
Any nasal asymmetry or deviation

Who Makes a Good Candidate?
Your facial growth would need to be completed, so you would need to be at least 13 years old. Good general health is important. If you are a smoker, you would be asked to stop smoking for a few weeks before and after your rhinoplasty, because nicotine constricts blood vessels, especially on the skin, and that would interfere with healing.

As with all cosmetic surgery procedures, you would need to have realistic expectations for the outcome. Nobody is physically perfect, and even the best cosmetic surgeon cannot necessarily give you a perfect nose. In any case, fashions change as to what constitutes a beautiful face, and rhinoplasty is not a reversible procedure.

Preparation for Your Rhinoplasty
Your cosmetic surgeon would have you get some lab tests done, and a general medical evaluation. He would ask what medications and health supplements you are taking, and might want to adjust those. You would need to refrain from taking any aspirin, and any anti-inflammatory drugs or supplements, because they tend to thin the blood, and could increase bleeding.

Your cosmetic surgeon will talk to you ahead of time about how the procedure will be done. He or she will give you any prescriptions ahead of time, so you can have them filled and ready on hand for your recovery period. You and your surgeon can discuss methods of anesthesia, and what you should do the night before and the morning of your surgery. You will probably be -NPO after midnight-, which means you should take nothing by mouth after midnight, based on the assumption that your surgery is scheduled for 8 a.m. the next morning.

Be sure and arrange for someone to drive you home afterwards.

The Nose Job Procedure
Nose surgery can be done as either an open procedure or a closed procedure. That refers to the placement and number of incisions. In a closed procedure, an incision is made on the columella – the little area of tissue separating the nostrils below the nose’s tip. In a closed procedure, incisions are made inside the nose, which means there will be no visible scar.

Which type of procedure to do would be a judgment call made by your cosmetic surgeon, depending on what exactly needs to be done.

Cartilage may be grafted from elsewhere on the body and attached to change the nose’s shape. The nose’s hump may be reduced, the septum straightened, the tip’s angle changed. When the work is completed, all incisions are closed an internal splints or tubes will be placed. They will support the nose for about a week while it heals.

Recovery
At first there will be some swelling and bruising but it will subside within a few weeks. Your cosmetic surgeon will give you some written instructions for how to care for yourself in recovery. There will be a series of follow-up visits so your progress can be monitored, and any potential problem caught early.

It’s very important to follow your surgeon’s post-op instructions closely, as your successful recovery depends on that. Do not resume exercise or vigorous activity before you have permission to do so. However, do start moving around carefully as soon as you can, as this helps prevent any blood clots, and helps with blood circulation, so crucial for successful healing.

A successful outcome depends on many things, and the first of them is your choice of a fully-qualified and well-experienced cosmetic surgeon. Do your homework well, and choose one you feel confident in, and one who has time to talk with you and make sure you understand how to play your role of -patient-.