Considering Rhinoplasty Surgery – Where Do I Start?

Q: I have been contemplating rhinoplasty for many years.  Only now that I’m approaching my thirties have I decided it’s time to take that step.  Please provide any information you can at your convenience and hopefully we will be in touch.  Thanks.

A: Considering rhinoplasty is a big step given the very significant changes that it can make on your face. When beginning the initial step in the process, you must first consider what plastic surgeon you are going to see and prepare yourself for the initial consultation.

In choosing a plastic surgeon for rhinoplasty, first use the internet as a resource. Look in your geographic area for those plastic surgeons that offer it and do it with regularity. That can usually be gleaned from their practice website. Look for specific photos of their patients and there should be a good number of them showing different types of noses and results. Also look for any articles (blogs) that they may have written about rhinoplasty. Between photos and writings you can gather how concerned and focused they are on rhinoplasty surgery and patients.

In preparation for the consult, write down exactly what you want to achieve from surgery. Saying that you want a better looking nose is obvious, be more specific. What parts of the nose do you not like and how would you like it changed. A written list is always good to see. You may bring pictures of noses that you like but remember those are just suggestions and ideas and can not be reproduced in surgery.You are not the person in the magazine, your face and nose is different. Anything else you do not like about your face can also be brought up as this is an opportune time for that discussion. Also, do you have any trouble breathing through your nose? Functional (internal) nasal surgery is commonly done with changing the appearance of the outside of the nose.

Expect during the consult to have photos taken for computer imaging. This assessment is critical and a review of the suggested changes and results may require a second consult to be sure everyone is on the same page so to speak.

For more detailed information on rhinoplasty, go to my blog, www.exploreplasticsurgery.com and search under rhinoplasty. You will find dozens of helpful articles there.

Dr. Barry Eppley