RHINOPLASTY
DESERT BLOOM PLASTIC SURGERY
WHAT IS RHINOPLASTY?
Rhinoplasty surgery repairs structural defects or abnormalities in the nose. It is often performed after an injury that has altered nasal shape or to correct a mismatch in proportions that impact patients’ appearances. The procedure can be performed with either an open or closed surgical technique to correct issues that include:
- Bumps
- Long or drooping tip
- Length or width of the nose
- Uneven nostrils
- Nasal asymmetry
For those with a deviated septum, rhinoplasty can improve an obstructed airway and can increase airflow, so patients can breathe freely. This can have positive effects ranging from better sleep and sports performance to decreased nasal stuffiness and more energy. While some patients seek rhinoplasty strictly for functional reasons, they often find that the results create aesthetic benefits as well.
Dr. Wallin is a surgeon who is subspecialized in facial plastic surgery with extensive training in nasal surgery making him an excellent choice for rhinoplasty in St. George. His expertise in the intricate structures of facial anatomy allow him to provide the best possible results for your cosmetic or functional nasal surgery.
WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE?
Patients whose self-esteem has been negatively impacted by the size or shape of their nose, as well as those who have breathing problems or structural impairment of the nose, are good candidates for rhinoplasty. You are likely a candidate for rhinoplasty if you have finished growing (most males and females do not experience any more growth in the nasal area after their late teens), are in good general health, and have specific goals that can be met with cosmetic surgery, When Dr. Wallin consults with a potential rhinoplasty patient, he first determines their motivation for seeking treatment to ensure their expectations can be met. This ensures patients are satisfied with their treatment plan and results.
In some cases, Dr. Wallin may suggest a non-surgical rhinoplasty using fillers instead of a surgical procedure. Non-surgical rhinoplasties can lift the angle or tip of the nose, smooth bumps, and fill in areas that are depressed. This procedure is best reserved for those who desire small changes in their nasal appearance and do not need improvement in the functionality of the nasal airway.
The best way to discover which cosmetic nasal procedure is best for you is to schedule a consultation at Desert Bloom Plastic Surgery.
YOUR RHINOPLASTY PROCEDURE
Dr. Wallin has performed hundreds of rhinoplasties in his career. From this depth of experience, he can decide whether open or closed surgery is best to address your unique concerns. In a closed approach, all the incisions are made inside the nose, and no visible external scars remain when surgery is complete. Depending on your anatomy, Dr. Wallin will let you know if a closed or open approach will be used. In open approaches, only one external incision is made under the nose at the midline. This scar heals very well, and it is highly unusual for patients to have concerns about this incision due to excellent healing.
The first step of the procedure is to administer general anesthesia to keep patients comfortable throughout the surgery. Incisions are then made either inside or around the nose, so the necessary amount of re-shaping can be completed. Depending on the patient, tissue may be added or removed to achieve the desired results. After the changes are made, the incisions are closed with dissolving stitches. You will be monitored until you have recovered from the anesthesia before being sent home with a friend or family member.
RECOVERING FROM RHINOPLASTY
Dr. Wallin’s goal is to keep each patient as comfortable as possible during their rhinoplasty recovery. He uses specialized absorbable mattress sutures inside your nose to avoid packing the nose with long strips of gauze. This is done to improve comfort and allow for the best nasal breathing possible during your recovery.
You will likely feel congested and experience some swelling, bruising, and discomfort for a few days after your procedure. Dr. Wallin recommends frequent use of nasal saline after your surgery to prevent the soft tissues from becoming dry and to improve nasal congestion. Patients should sleep with their head elevated during recovery and avoid blowing their noses for first couple of weeks after surgery. Following these instructions allows for the best possible healing and result. Dr. Wallin’s patients find they can resume their normal schedules about a week after surgery and that any remaining bruising, if any, can be covered with makeup. However, he does suggest patients avoid vigorous activity for two weeks following surgery to ensure complete healing and to avoid nose bleeds. He reminds patients that the shape will continue to change for many weeks after surgery; results are typically mature after a year post-op.
Rhinoplasty FAQs
Rhinoplasties often refine the nose rather than change it completely. Most people seek more subtle changes, such as a hump reduction, tip adjustment, etc, and these slight adjustments provide a more appealing and attractive look, without an extreme change to your natural face. Most of your friends will notice you look great but won’t know why or what changed.
No! Studies show that most patients need very little pain medicine after surgery, however, it’s very common for patients to worry about this. I find that my patients complain more about nasal congestion, but rarely about pain. Congestion is a normal part of the healing process and is the body’s natural response after having the procedure.
Rhinoplasty is challenging as there needs to be a balance between an aesthetically pleasing nose and one that works well, not only now, but 20 years from now. Many patients have asymmetrical noses, whether on the inside or outside, that can lead to nasal obstruction. The rhinoplasty procedure will help to make the nose more symmetrical and enable it to function properly for years to come.
Usually patients will notice that when breathing, they consistently have one side of the nose that is worse than the other. In the clinic, I am able to evaluate each case to see if the obstruction is due to the septum or small bags of tissue called turbinates that help warm and humidify air, which can sometimes become swollen and cause breathing issues.
Dr. Wallin normally performs Rhinoplasties under general anesthesia, but it can also perform them under twilight anesthesia for more minor adjustments.
You should expect to experience limited nasal air flow and will need to wear a bandage taped to your nose for the first 5-6 days. When you return for removal of the bandage, you will able to breathe much better.
It’s important to remember to follow the dietary restrictions on the day of your surgery so it doesn’t have to be postponed. You should try to eat a high protein meal later in the evening the night before surgery. Make sure you wash your skin thoroughly prior to surgery. To help alleviate stress, we recommend that you make sure we have answered all of your questions at least a week before your surgery.
Most patients experience a short amount of bleeding from the nose, but this is normal. Infection is possible, but rare. The risks are often correlated to the reason a person is coming-in for a rhinoplasty in the first place. Severely fractured noses or noses that have healed with a deviated septum can be more challenging. People that have had previous rhinoplasties done may also need more revisions. The less risky procedures tend to be those that require subtle adjustments to the bridge of the nose or small changes to the tip.
In order to ensure optimal healing, Dr. Wallin encourages all patients to stop smoking before surgery. Infection rates are always higher, and the healing time is slower when people smoke.
Closed rhinoplasties are done without making an external incision between the nostrils. This technique is utilized for noses that have severe deviations or need more work along the tip.
Open rhinoplasties have similar internal incisions as used with the closed technique, but add the incision between the nostrils for the best results. Patients are rarely concerned about this incision after it has healed.
Rhinoplasties are usually done after the age of 15 for young women and after age 16 or 17 for young men. The reason for this is that it’s preferable to allow the nose to fully grow before doing a procedure. Exceptions to this are if there is a severe deformity or obstruction.
Dr. Wallin doesn’t pack noses after surgery, but instead use a newer technique that utilizes an absorb-able stitch in the septum.
Revisions can be more challenging due to your anatomy and how your nose has healed in the past. Decisions made by previous surgeons can sometimes limit the amount of available material Dr. Wallin may have to work with to make your nose look it’s best the second time around. Additional grafts are sometimes needed to gain this building material.
To ensure your safety, Dr. Wallin only perform surgeries at accredited surgery centers.
Prices can vary from $5K to $12K.
Usually patents like to take at least 7 days off work to allow the swelling to go down after surgery. Nearly 80% of the swelling will resolve itself after two weeks.
You may resume workouts after two weeks, but we recommend starting slowly.
Rhinoplasties often refine the nose rather than change it completely. Most people seek more subtle changes, such as a hump reduction, tip adjustment, etc, and these slight adjustments provide a more appealing and attractive look, without an extreme change to your natural face. Most of your friends will notice you look great but won’t know why or what changed.
No! Studies show that most patients need very little pain medicine after surgery, however, it’s very common for patients to worry about this. I find that my patients complain more about nasal congestion, but rarely about pain. Congestion is a normal part of the healing process and is the body’s natural response after having the procedure.
Rhinoplasty is challenging as there needs to be a balance between an aesthetically pleasing nose and one that works well, not only now, but 20 years from now. Many patients have asymmetrical noses, whether on the inside or outside, that can lead to nasal obstruction. The rhinoplasty procedure will help to make the nose more symmetrical and enable it to function properly for years to come.
Usually patients will notice that when breathing, they consistently have one side of the nose that is worse than the other. In the clinic, I am able to evaluate each case to see if the obstruction is due to the septum or small bags of tissue called turbinates that help warm and humidify air, which can sometimes become swollen and cause breathing issues.
Dr. Wallin normally performs Rhinoplasties under general anesthesia, but it can also perform them under twilight anesthesia for more minor adjustments.
You should expect to experience limited nasal air flow and will need to wear a bandage taped to your nose for the first 5-6 days. When you return for removal of the bandage, you will able to breathe much better.
It’s important to remember to follow the dietary restrictions on the day of your surgery so it doesn’t have to be postponed. You should try to eat a high protein meal later in the evening the night before surgery. Make sure you wash your skin thoroughly prior to surgery. To help alleviate stress, we recommend that you make sure we have answered all of your questions at least a week before your surgery.
Most patients experience a short amount of bleeding from the nose, but this is normal. Infection is possible, but rare. The risks are often correlated to the reason a person is coming-in for a rhinoplasty in the first place. Severely fractured noses or noses that have healed with a deviated septum can be more challenging. People that have had previous rhinoplasties done may also need more revisions. The less risky procedures tend to be those that require subtle adjustments to the bridge of the nose or small changes to the tip.
In order to ensure optimal healing, Dr. Wallin encourages all patients to stop smoking before surgery. Infection rates are always higher, and the healing time is slower when people smoke.
Closed rhinoplasties are done without making an external incision between the nostrils. This technique is utilized for noses that have severe deviations or need more work along the tip.
Open rhinoplasties have similar internal incisions as used with the closed technique, but add the incision between the nostrils for the best results. Patients are rarely concerned about this incision after it has healed.
Rhinoplasties are usually done after the age of 15 for young women and after age 16 or 17 for young men. The reason for this is that it’s preferable to allow the nose to fully grow before doing a procedure. Exceptions to this are if there is a severe deformity or obstruction.
Dr. Wallin doesn’t pack noses after surgery, but instead use a newer technique that utilizes an absorb-able stitch in the septum.
Revisions can be more challenging due to your anatomy and how your nose has healed in the past. Decisions made by previous surgeons can sometimes limit the amount of available material Dr. Wallin may have to work with to make your nose look it’s best the second time around. Additional grafts are sometimes needed to gain this building material.
To ensure your safety, Dr. Wallin only perform surgeries at accredited surgery centers.
Prices can vary from $5K to $12K.
Usually patents like to take at least 7 days off work to allow the swelling to go down after surgery. Nearly 80% of the swelling will resolve itself after two weeks.
You may resume workouts after two weeks, but we recommend starting slowly.
YOUR RHINOPLASTY CONSULTATION
WITH
DR. WALLIN
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Wallin to find out if cosmetic nose surgery is right for you. During your consultation, Dr. Wallin will review your health history and ask questions about what you’re hoping to achieve with rhinoplasty. Dr. Wallin will help you determine a shape that will complement your other features and together you will decide on the surgical goals. During the consultation, you can also look at before and after pictures of prior patients who have had rhinoplasty and ask Dr. Wallin any questions you have about your procedure. At this time, Dr. Wallin may suggest a non-surgical rhinoplasty if your goals can be achieved without surgery.
If you are experiencing trouble breathing or if you have a lack of self-confidence due to issues related to your nose, you need to schedule a rhinoplasty consultation with Dr. Wallin. He can examine you and suggest the best type of nose surgery to achieve your unique goals and help you enjoy a better quality of life. Schedule your consultation today!