Rhinoplasty – Benefits and Risks

A rhinoplasty, or “nose job” as many call them, is a cosmetic surgery procedure designed to change the shape and appearance of the nose to better fit the face. Many individuals turn to this cosmetic surgery to improve their facial appearance. Like all plastic surgery options, a rhinoplasty carries both benefits and risks that patients should understand.

Risks of a Nose Job

First, understand the risks you take on by choosing this cosmetic procedure. Any time you choose surgery, you open your body to the risk of infection, adverse reactions to anesthesia, and loss of blood. While you cannot eliminate these risks completely, choosing a surgeon with a good reputation who has hospital privileges puts you at less risk.

Sometimes patients who have a nose job find that they experience long lasting pain or numbness after the procedure. This is due to nerve damage. Again, choosing a good surgeon limits this risk.

If you have implants as part of your procedure, you run the risk of extrusion of those implants. Asymmetry can also occur, as can a keloid, or heavy, scar. You also have the risk of losing your sense of smell with this cosmetic surgery. Again, these complications are quite rare if you choose a quality doctor.

Benefits of a Nose Job

The benefits of rhinoplasty are both cosmetic and functional. Most patients turn to plastic surgery for its cosmetic benefit. Facial symmetry is one of the most foundational aspects of deciding attractiveness of another person. If you have a nose that is not symmetrical with your face, it severely impacts the way you look. Restoring or creating symmetry through cosmetic surgery on the nose greatly improves your overall appearance by creating balanced lines of symmetry.

Sometimes it’s the shape of the nose that is no unattractive. A nose with too much or too little of an arch in the bridge or an oddly shaped tip can be fixed through cosmetic surgery. Sometimes this is as simple as altering the look with injectable fillers, or as complex as a full rhinoplasty.

Finally, you can add to or decrease the size of your nose through cosmetic surgery. This usually creates dramatic results with a very minimal change.

Patients with breathing difficulties or birth defects like a deviated septum can benefit from rhinoplasty as well. Often a simple procedure makes breathing much easier and improves the overall functionality of the nasal passages.