Every third person on the planet has thought about nose correction at least once. 70% of patients choose rhinoplasty because they are 100% dissatisfied with their appearance and want to solve aesthetic problems: remove the hump, make the nose thinner, smaller, smoother. 30% of patients opt for rhinoplasty for medical reasons - nasal injuries, shortness of breath, deviation of the nasal septum or frequent sinusitis.
Problems with the shape of the tip of the nose are not uncommon. But don’t be shy, everything can be fixed. If the imperfections in the figure can be corrected by clothing, diet or sports, you should contact a plastic surgeon to repair your nose or lips.
We will discuss all the features of the procedure, preparation for plastic surgery and other important stages in this article.
Indications and contraindications: medical, aesthetic, indirect, absolute
Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that lasts 1-2 hours. As a result, the patient's appearance changes and the face becomes more attractive. Before performing plastic surgery, it is necessary to agree all points with the doctor and thoroughly prepare for its implementation: pass tests, follow a diet, give up cigarettes and alcohol at least a week before surgery.
Indications for surgery
Indications for the procedure are innate and acquired.
Congenital indications for plastic surgery are various aesthetic and physiological defects: hooked, forked, thick or lowered tip, its displacement to the side, too wide or narrow nostrils.
Surgery may be needed after injuries or illnesses that cause a curved nose, as well as in case of difficulty breathing due to organ structure or age-related changes (skin aging). The above indications are considered acquired.
To restore or correct the tip of the nose, you should consult a surgeon, if surgery is needed, cartilage density, skin and tissue thickness, length, nose width, and other factors will be considered. The patient's wishes are always taken into account, and they are also realized as much as possible, but the final decision is made together with the doctor, because excessive cartilage removal can lead to poor health.
Before surgery, you should examine the nasal cartilage, and also make sure that the skin in the area of the respiratory organ is healthy - there is no inflammation or signs of infection.
Contraindications to surgery
Correction of the tip of the nose is a serious procedure, it must be approached consciously. What are the contraindications for the procedure?
- Age.The operation has been performed since the age of 18. By this time, tissue formation is fully occurring. However, surgeons recommend correcting the tip of the nose between the ages of 20 and 35. Then the formation of bones and cartilage is completed, the skin is elastic and regeneration after the procedure is active.
- Blood clotting problems.When a patient coagulates poorly, the risk of surgery is higher than usual, so it is better to refuse to report it.
- Worsening of chronic diseases.Surgeons do not recommend performing surgery during the worsening of the disease. It is better to wait until the health condition normalizes and undergo an examination. Only in case of positive test results can rhinoplasty be decided.
- Viral diseases, infections, inflammation.It must be borne in mind that, if there are at least minimal health problems, it is better to postpone the operation until complete recovery.
- Oncology.Rhinoplasty is contraindicated in patients with oncology.
- Menstruation.Surgery is contraindicated during menstruation. It is desirable to make the correction within two weeks after the end of menstruation.
It is also contraindicated to perform plastic surgery during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Prior to surgery, the patient must be examined and tested to ensure the necessary preparation for rhinoplasty.
Other ways of correction. Why rhinoplasty is the safest method
To correct the nose, surgeons use different surgical techniques, depending on the client’s wishes and the result the patient expects. However, you can find other methods to correct the tip of the nose online.
Clamps
You can find so-called "nose correction clamps" in online stores. The manufacturers ensure that wearing a concealer will be noticed 2-3 times a day, comparable to performing surgery. But, of course, this is far from the truth. Nose pliers or other pseudo-expert devices will not work for nose correction. If there is any effect, it will be short-term - 2-3 weeks, and the correction is insignificant.
Exercises
There is a set of facial exercises that allows you to correct its shape. These exercises are useful for maintaining muscle tone, cheekbones and double chin, but will fail to correct cartilage shape. The effect after systemic exercise lasts for 2 weeks.
Thread correction
The thread cutting technique is performed by a specialist using a special needle through micro punctures. Specially designed serrated threads that form the frame are inserted into the skin of the nose. The threads are inserted through small holes and the frame holds it in position. After two days the doctor removes the ends of the sutures and the patient sees the final result which lasts for about 3 years.
Use of hormonal drugs
To correct the tip of the nose, you can also take a course of hormonal medications. First of all, you need to consult an endocrinologist. If there are no contraindications, hormonal medication may be used. This procedure is performed to remove excess soft tissue and lift the tip. For correction, you must go through a course of procedures that will last from 2 to 3 weeks. It is worth noting that the drugs give a temporary effect - from 3 months to 2 years, depending on the selected drug.
Surgical correction
According to experts, rhinoplasty is the most reliable and effective way of correction. Unlike previous methods, rhinoplasty gives a lifelong result. The procedure lasts 1-2 hours under local or general anesthesia. The main advantages of the operation:
- all possible correction options (lower or raise the tip, reduce, straighten or narrow the tip of the nose);
- elimination of breathing problems;
- lifelong result;
- correction of injuries, congenital defects.
3 Techniques of performing the operation. What's the difference
There are several types of rhinoplasty: classic closed, open and hybrid methods. Surgeons resort to different types of plastic surgery, depending on the result to be achieved, the shape of the nose, the position of the bone and cartilage tissue and other factors.
A feature of classic closed plastic surgery is that it can correct the nasal dorsum, but correcting the tip will be more difficult than using an open one. In the case of this method, incisions are made inside the nasal passages and access to the tip is possible only when the cartilage is removed in the incision. But there are also pluses - no scars remain visible after the operation. Closed plastic is suitable for removing the hump or straightening the bone tissue in case of its curvature.
In case of open surgery, the surgeon makes an additional incision between the nostrils. This contributes to better access to the structures of the nose, wide possibilities for changing its size and shape. The scar after the procedure will be almost invisible and small. With this method, you can reshape the tip of the nose more effectively (compared to the closed method). Its disadvantage is the possible formation of a small scar on the outside of the nose and a longer recovery period. The scar is reduced after a few months after the operation, and can be removed with the use of additional medications and creams, which will be recommended by a surgeon if necessary.
Because the above methods have their drawbacks, surgeons have developed a combined plastic technique. When used, incisions are made on the nose, which is characteristic of both methods, but, unlike the open method, there is no external incision on the skin.
The combined (also known as "hybrid") method was developed taking into account all the advantages and disadvantages of the closed and open methods.
The main advantages are the ability to change the structure of the nose as much as possible and do not leave visible scars. Recovery after the combined method occurs within 2 weeks and there are no visible scars on the skin.
When using the hybrid method, the surgeon has the opportunity to make corrections during the operation, as well as to control the desired result, avoiding the possibility of excessive or insufficient correction. The combined method has only one drawback - it is more complex from a technical point of view.
A few words about something important. Preparing for surgery
Before performing a rhinoplasty, you must undergo training. You will need to contact a plastic surgeon to discuss the desired changes. The surgeon examines the nose and explains the reality of achieving the desired result. During the consultations, the issues of limitations, surgery, peculiarities of preparation, rehabilitation after it, as well as possible complications are discussed.
Prior to surgery, the patient should be examined to ensure that there are no contraindications and undergo the following tests:
- blood for HIV infection and hepatitis C and B;
- clinical blood test;
- blood biochemistry;
- laboratory analysis of urine;
- prothrombin index analysis;
- fluorography;
- electrocardiography;
- test for tumor markers;
- roentgenogram.
Also, the patient should listen to the doctor's recommendations and follow them. Avoid drinking alcohol for a week before surgery, stop smoking, do not use blood thinners, do not drink water or eat food for five hours before the procedure. It is important to refrain from active entertainment and walking under the scorching sun for a few days before rhinoplasty.
About the course of the operation and its main phases
Rhinoplasty is performed under general or local anesthesia. The choice of the type of anesthesia depends on the client's wishes and the specifics of the operation, as well as on the method that the plastic surgeon will use when performing it. The patient can always share their wishes regarding anesthesia, but the final decision is made by the doctor. The process and quality of rehabilitation after rhinoplasty also depends on the choice of type of anesthesia.
Local anesthesia is used in case of minor correction of the nose with hormonal injections, fillers or threads. These methods of correction do not cause severe pain, so general anesthesia is not required in most cases. But this type of anesthesia is practically not used in rhinoplasty, when the surgeon needs to touch the bones of the nose or cartilage.
General anesthesia is used in most cases by a surgeon. This type of anesthesia allows you to completely avoid pain during surgery and the patient will have no memories of surgery.
The operation lasts 1-2 hours. After anesthesia, the surgeon makes an incision in the skin or mucous membranes. Depending on the patient's wishes and the specific case, the doctor chooses an open or closed method for surgery.
During rhinoplasty, the doctor separates the soft tissues of the nose from the bones and cartilage in the nasal cavity. He then performs the movement of cartilage and bone fragments, models a new shape of the nose. After the manipulations, the plastic surgeon pulls absorbent sutures onto the skin or mucosa, depending on where the incision was made. The next step is to tampon the nasal passages with large gauze tampons. The final phase of the operation is the imposition of gypsum plaster.
The type of incision is chosen by the surgeon depending on the structure of the nose, the complexity of the procedure and the surgical preferences in the work. The cut can be axial, vertical, oval or angular.
Rhinoplasty itself is performed by three main methods: open, closed and combined. The characteristics of each of the methods are described in the paragraph "types of operations"
The choice of plastic surgery method is presented to the patient directly, but doctors recommend choosing the method with the lowest degree of trauma. Surgeons say that the least traumatic methods are closed and combined, because in the case of their incision, it is small, and recovery after the operation is faster.
Surgeon's recommendations in the postoperative period. How to avoid complications
Rehabilitation after surgery is on average 20 to 25 days. If the rhinoplasty was performed under general anesthesia, the patient must be hospitalized 24 hours after the operation.
Three days after surgery, gauze or cotton swabs should be in the nasal cavity to ensure immobility of the new shapes and prevent swelling. 5-8. Days (depending on the healing rate) after the plastic, the suture material is removed. After a week or 10 days, the patient is removed from the cast, the hematomas and swellings begin to gradually disappear.
Doctor's recommendations in the postoperative period:
- Sleep on your back, be sure to use a high pillow.
- To reduce the level of discomfort associated with dry mouth (as one of the possible consequences of the procedure), use special solutions or softening pastes.
- Do not abuse alcohol and smoking.
- Refuse trips to baths, solariums, saunas.
- Do not wear glasses.
- Exercise is prohibited.
- Temporarily stop eating hot foods and drinks.
- Do not touch, crush or touch your nose.
Possible complications
Complications after rhinoplasty are rare. Some of them appear immediately after the correction, while others appear in the later stages of healing. Natural complications include edema and bruising. External signs of swelling disappear within a week after plastic surgery, deep swelling disappears after six months. Breathing difficulties disappear on their own 10 days after the operation.
In order to protect yourself as much as possible from possible complications, it is important to carefully choose a specialist, clinic and provide complete information about your health condition, injuries or diseases, if any. The final result of the performed operation also depends on strict adherence to the doctor's recommendations during the rehabilitation period.
Conclusion
Rhinoplasty is used by both women and men of any age. Surgeons advise that surgery be performed at a young age to straighten the tip of the nose and not delay it. It is important to go through a full course of examinations to make sure that there are no contraindications for plastic surgery. The most popular indications for rhinoplasty are:
- nose tip correction (large, sharp or round);
- long nose;
- wide nasal bridge;
- raising the tip of the nose or narrowing;
- removal of asymmetry;
- difficulty breathing;
- removal of the consequences of injuries or poor quality rhinoplasty;
- correction of split nose tip.
If the patient has a small defect, the operation is performed under local anesthesia. In 90% of other cases, rhinoplasty is performed under general anesthesia. The procedure itself takes from one to two hours. The method of conducting the procedure (open or closed) is based on many factors. These include the complexity of the nasal defect and the client's wishes. But the final decision rests with the plastic surgeon.
The quality of rhinoplasty and the final result directly depend on the choice of specialist and clinic, so this must be approached thoroughly.