RHINOPLASTY (NOSE)
When you think of a harmonious face, one of the most important structures to consider is the nose. Its shape is usually the result of heredity. If you are bothered by the size and shape of your nose, you can resort to plastic surgery Rhinoplasty, one of the most performed procedures in Brazil and in the world.
WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT IS DONE
Nose plastic surgery Rhinoplasty aims to improve the appearance and proportion of the nose, enhancing facial harmony. Besides the aesthetic approach, nose plastic surgery is used in functional procedures that improve the patient’s breathing conditions with the correction of anomalies – such as septal deviations, turbinate hypertrophies and nasal valve incompetence – and also in the reconstruction of the traumatized nose.
As for the technique, we can perform the surgery either by closed or open procedure. In the first case, the incisions are hidden inside the nose. In the open one, the incisions are made through the columella, a narrow strip of tissue that separates the nostrils. The soft tissues covering the nose are carefully lifted, allowing access to the structure of the nose. In trauma cases, we usually use the open procedure and the focus is on leaving the structure in optimal condition for breathing.
Nose structure remodeling aims to reduce or augment the nasal structures with the use of grafted cartilage from the nasal septum, partition in the middle of the nose, the ear or even the patient’s own ribs, producing more natural and functional results.
Once the underlying structure of the nose is sculpted into the planned shape, the skin and nasal tissue are accommodated and the incisions closed. If indicated, we also alter the size of the nostrils with incisions in their natural grooves.
Depending on each case, we opt for general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation and the procedure can last from 2 to 4 hours.
Most of the time, after the procedure is finished, we make dressing molded in a kind of plaster, internal tampon and dressing with Micropore that support and protect the nose in the healing of the first days.
INDICATION
The aesthetic procedure is indicated for women and men when facial growth is finished, starting at age 13. When it requires a reparative or reconstructive procedure, there is no age limitation.
From an aesthetic point of view, the Rhinoplasty can increase or reduce the nose, thin the nasal wings, modify the profile or reduce the giba (bony callus), project the tip (thin, suspend or lower), correct asymmetry, among others.
PREOPERATIVE
It is essential to consult the SCHEDULED THE SURGERY? page which has a series of questions to talk about during the consultations, to help you with your doubts and where you will find recommendations for the day of the procedure.
When it is necessary to reshape the obstructed airway – such as, for example, the correction of a deviated septum -, whether along with the aesthetic procedure or not, Rhinoplasty requires careful evaluation of the nasal structure as it relates to airflow and breathing. In this case, we request more detailed examinations.
POSTOPERATIVE
After the surgery, the patient is hospitalized for 12 to 24 hours. The pain is not usually very bothersome. In the first postoperative days, the formation of edemas and hematomas is common. Discrete bleeding can occur in the first 2 days, which is contained by the dressing. Do not blow your nose on the first days. We advise you on how to clean your nose, but nasal cleaning is done during the first post-operative visit.
With the support of pillow(s), lie down with your head slightly tilted so that your face is facing upward. If you wear glasses, you may opt for contact lenses from the second day of surgery or place the glasses on the splint. After the dressings have been removed, you can wear them normally. It is possible that in the first month you may experience discomfort on the sides of your nose after wearing the glasses.
Depending on the extent of the surgery, we release you in 1 to 2 weeks to return to normal activities, provided you do not exert any physical effort. More intense physical activities will be allowed after evaluation. Use sunscreen daily with a minimum of 30 SPF (sun protection factor) on the face for at least 2 months and avoid sun exposure while the skin is purple.
It may take several months for the swelling to completely disappear and up to a year for the new nasal contour to be completely redefined. The swelling may appear and disappear during the first year, a little worse in the morning as soon as you wake up. Although the results of Rhinoplasty are usually permanent, the cartilage may continue to move and reshape the tissue, changing the outcome over time.