If we don’t like something about our body, we can often cover it up. A pooch in our stomach? Wear a free-flowing dress. Spider veins on our legs? Wear long pants. With our Calgary winters, covering up isn’t usually much of a problem.
But our nose is always right there, and if we don’t like it we can’t hide it. Maybe that’s why nose surgery, clinically known as rhinoplasty, has always been a mainstay of cosmetic plastic surgery.
You don’t have to live with a nose you don’t like. Dr. Frank has been giving Calgary residents noses they love with nose surgery. Whether the changes are subtle or more extensive, nose surgery can reshape, reduce, or otherwise change your nose to make it more proportional with the rest of your face. It can really give your self-esteem a boost, too!
Dr. Frank’s goal is to give you a beautiful, natural looking nose, that compliments your facial features. We want to help boost your confidence, so that you can put your best self forward! Dial (403) 245-1228 today to schedule your nose surgery consultation in Calgary, AB.
What is Rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty, more commonly known as a “Nose Job”, is one of the most popular facial plastic surgery procedures that Dr. Frank performs. It can be used to correct bumps & indentations, straighten deviations and to decrease or increase the overall size of your nose, restoring balance to your face.
Rhinoplasty Procedure
Rhinoplasty is an outpatient procedure performed under a general anesthesia.
Surgeons use one of two techniques when performing nose surgery. In a closed rhinoplasty, incisions are made within the nostrils. In an open rhinoplasty, the incision is made across the columella, the tissue between the nostrils. With both methods, the surgeon gently lifts the soft tissues covering the nose. He or she sculpts the bone and cartilage to the desired shape.
If the patient has a deviated septum, the surgeon will adjust the septum and the inner structures of the nose to improve breathing. Then the tissues are re-draped and stitched closed.
The entire procedure generally lasts two hours.
Recovery After a Nose Job
For a short time after surgery, patients may experience puffiness, nose ache or a dull headache, some swelling and bruising, bleeding or stuffiness. Most patients feel like themselves within two days and return to work in about a week. Contact lenses can be worn immediately, but glasses may need to be taped to your forehead or propped on your cheeks for up to seven weeks.
Results Of Rhinoplasty
The results of rhinoplasty become gradually apparent as the days pass after surgery and swelling recedes. Swelling may reappear from time to time in the first year after the procedure. It is typically more noticeable in the morning and fades during the day.
Patients with realistic goals for rhinoplasty are generally very happy with the new shape of their nose. The exact results depend on the patient’s nasal bone and cartilage structure, facial shape, skin thickness and age.
Rhinoplasty Patient Testimonial
"I had rhinoplasty surgery with Dr. Frank in August of 2017 and he and his staff were incredible from the consultation to the surgery and follow up appointments. I am so happy with the result! Dr. Frank listened to exactly what I wanted, providing me with such a natural result but giving me a nose I feel so much more confident with. I liked that he did not suggest and unnecessary surgeries as I had even asked in my consultation whether he thought I should do a chin implant as well – as I had read that this was suggested by many surgeons when performing rhinoplasty. He advised against this and provided me great results. I am a little over 2 years post op and so happy with my decision and the healing process was so easy! I would recommend choosing Dr.Frank for anyone looking to get rhinoplasty!"
Rhinoplasty FAQs
The best candidates for rhinoplasty:
- Are at least 18 years old;
- Have finished facial growth;
- Are generally healthy;
- Do not smoke;
- Are seeking rhinoplasty for personal reasons, not pressure from
- others; and
- Have realistic goals for the procedure.
Although most rhinoplasty procedures performed by Dr. Frank are cosmetic, patients also come in to correct a former injury or improve their breathing. Cosmetic Reasons — While there isn’t an agreed-upon “perfect” nose, most of us know when there are features to our nose that we don’t like. These are common reasons for cosmetic nose surgery:
- Your nose has a bulbous tip.
- Your nose droops downward.
- Your nose has a prominent bump on the bridge.
- Your nose seems wider than is proportional.
- Your nose is not symmetrical.
- Your nose is crooked from being broken.
- Your nose is too big, dominating your face.
Injury — Maybe you were playing pond hockey and caught a deflected puck on your nose. Maybe you were in a car wreck or a just suffered a freak injury. Whatever the reason, if you didn’t opt to have your nose fixed then, it could be crooked now. Dr. Frank can fix that.
Breathing Issues — Congenital breathing problems are not all that rare. Rhinoplasty can improve your breathing.
Dr. Frank will address everything you need to do before coming to the surgery center. This is not a “set” procedure, meaning there are many variables based on the patient’s individual needs. The two of you will decide whether local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia is the way to go. As discussed in the procedure section, this surgery may be performed using the open method through an incision at the columella between your nostrils, or closed with all the incisions made inside the nose. If you are augmenting your nose size, Dr. Frank will likely take cartilage or bone from your rib or possibly the hips, or he may use implant material. This can create another, albeit minor, recovery site.
After your rhinoplasty surgery, you’ll be in bed with your head raised to reduce bleeding and swelling. There will likely be internal dressings that will stay in your nose for one to seven days. Dr. Frank will also tape a splint to your nose for protection and support. Slight bleeding and drainage of mucus and old blood are common for a few days after the surgery.
You’ll need to avoid any strenuous activity for several weeks, so as not to raise the blood pressure to your face. You can’t blow your nose, and it’s best to take baths rather than showers while you still have bandages on your nose. Wear only clothes that button to avoid pulling clothes over your head and hitting your nose.
After your swelling resolves, which can take up to 12 months to completely clear, you’ll be able to fully see your rhinoplasty results. Dr. Frank has extensive experience with rhinoplasty and patients are typically very satisfied with their results. Of course, expectations need to be realistic, and Dr. Frank will discuss these during your consultation. If, after you’ve fully healed, you feel you’d like to make larger changes, a second surgery can make some refinements. If this is the case, you’ll need to wait at least one year to make sure your nose is finished adjusting. Very small changes/alterations to the structure of your nose can make a big difference in how you see yourself and how others view your nose.
Scarring is not an issue with rhinoplasty. Even when Dr. Frank uses the open method, the only incision is made on the columella on the bottom of the nose between your nostrils. This small incision is barely noticeable and it fades dramatically with time. In the closed method, all incisions are made within the nose and there isn’t any scarring.
The problem with exercise after rhinoplasty is blood flow to the face. Working out too strenuously too soon after your surgery can lead to bleeding. In most cases, light walking is all that should be done. Dr. Frank allows patients to begin gentle, not-impact exercise, such as swimming or bicycling, four weeks after rhinoplasty surgery. Running and impact exercise needs to wait. After about six weeks, your nose structures should be healed and you can return to most exercise routines. Contact sports may need to wait even a couple weeks more. Ask Dr. Frank about this if you participate in sports such as hockey or basketball.
Complications associated with rhinoplasty are rare and, when they occur, minor. These may include infection, nosebleed, or a reaction to the anesthesia.
You’ll see the majority of your rhinoplasty results immediately. The majority of your swelling should resolve within three weeks. At that point, although quantifying is difficult, you’ll probably be able to see about 80 percent of your final results. The problem is residual swelling, particularly at the nasal tip. This can take a full year to completely resolve. It can resolve earlier in some patients. Still, you’ll love most of the changes within that first month after your rhinoplasty surgery.
Schedule Your Rhinoplasty Consultation In Calgary!
If you are considering cosmetic surgery to change your nose, schedule a rhinoplasty consultation today by calling Dr. Frank at (403) 245-1228 or click here to submit an email contact form to our staff. Our office is in Calgary, AB, CA, and we look forward to serving you!