Cosmetic Surgery & Beauty #72

feature
What
happens
during
nose
surgery?
During rhinoplasty, incisions are usually made inside the
nose or between the nostrils. To reduce nose size, some
cartilage in the middle of the nose (septum) is removed
until the desired size is achieved. To build up the nose,
cartilage and bone may be added to increase its size.
Changing the tip or bridge and the nose angle
is achieved by reshaping the cartilage and soft tissue.
Nostril span is narrowed via small incisions at the base of
each nostril.
Generally, after anaesthesia is administered, incisions
are made inside the nasal cavity and often at the base of
the nose. The skin of the nose is then separated from its
framework of cartilage and bone. The surgeon will sculpt
the cartilage and bone into the desired shape and replace
the skin. The incisions are sutured closed and a splint or
cast is applied to help the nose maintain its shape and
expedite healing. The procedure normally takes around
two hours.
Rhinoplasty is usually performed under general
anaesthesia. However, depending on the preference of the
surgeon and/or the patient, it can also be performed under
local anaesthesia.
Nasal packing, in which gauze or cotton packs are
applied to the nasal chambers, is used to support the new
structure and prevent bleeding. The packing is typically
removed within 24 to 48 hours after surgery.
Most patients experience some mild to moderate
discomfort after rhinoplasty for a few days. Any pain can
generally be controlled through medication prescribed by
the surgeon. About 80 percent of the swelling is usually
gone within a week or two. Swelling starts to resolve
more slowly after that. The majority of swelling disappears
after around two months and the rest slowly disappears
over the next year, when final results become apparent.
Different
types of
rhinoplasty
procedures
Open rhinoplasty and closed rhinoplasty are generally
the two types of rhinoplasty procedures available.
Closed rhinoplasty involves incisions on the inside of
the nose. Although this results in no visible scarring, the
procedure offers less visibility of the inside of the nose and
is typically not possible for more complex cases.
During open rhinoplasty, a small incision is made on the
columella (the strip between the nostrils). This results in a
fine, well-concealed scar that usually fades over time. The
surgeon will help the patient decide which is most suitable.
Nonsurgical
options
Non-surgical rhinoplasty uses fillers to correct minor
external nasal deformities, depressions, asymmetries,
collapsed nasal bridges and saddle noses. It can also
be an effective technique for making corrections post
surgery where the results of earlier rhinoplasty have
been unsatisfactory.
A relatively quick procedure, non-surgical
rhinoplasty requires no anaesthesia and involves no
downtime. Most fillers will leave a residual redness and
slight tenderness for up to a few days and patients
can expect slight swelling and bruising. The results
are immediately evident and can last up to a year in
some patients.
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