What is Rhinoplasty

What is Rhinoplasty?

The nose is a prominent facial feature, nestled at the center of the face. It’s easily seen and can greatly influence other facial features, which means it’s a huge contributor to overall facial attractiveness. A disproportioned or disfigured nose, from any angle, can grab anyone’s attention — in a bad way.

Rhinoplasty is a procedure of both surgical and non-surgical principles that is designed to reshape the nose to better balance the face and complement other facial features. The gist of the surgical procedure involves removing, rearranging, and/or reshaping nasal bone and cartilage. Rhinoplasty has reconstructive benefits as well. In fact, it’s usually more of a reconstructive procedure than a cosmetic one, since it’s often performed to improve breathing passages that will decrease episodes of nasal stuffiness and sinus headaches.

How is Rhinoplasty Performed?

Depending on condition of the nose, there can be two ways to perform Rhinoplasty:

Surgical

The surgical approach corrects both congenital and acquired abnormalities of the nose to restore both function and normal appearance through manipulation of the nasal skin, the underlying bone and cartilage, and the mucous membrane lining. Surgery can be classified as an Open Rhinoplasty or a Closed Rhinoplasty. In the open type, the surgeon creates a small, irregular incision to the fleshy part that separates the nostrils (columella), in addition to the typical incisions made for nasal correction. In the closed type, incisions are made within the nose only, leaving the columella untouched.

Closed Rhinoplasty also has decreased potential for the cutting of the nasal tip support, lower post-operative edema, fewer visible scarring, decreased possibility of a damaged nose, reduced possibility of surgical errors, shorter operating room time, faster recovery following surgery, among others.

Non-Surgical

This technique is performed under local anesthesia. With a syringe and a hypodermic needle, the surgeon injects soft-tissue filler under the nasal skin (often in the deep underlying tissues) to correct nasal defects. It’s possible to have a flat nasal bridge, added projection of the nasal tip, camouflage the prominence of a nasal hump, and improve a degree of traumatic injury, to name a few.

Injection of soft-tissue fillers last about an hour. After the procedure, the patient can go home or resume normal activities.

Risks of Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is safe, but complications may still arise. Some include post-operative bleeding, infection, scarring, deformation caused by surgery, breathing difficulties, and adverse reaction to the anesthesia.

Who Can be Considered for Rhinoplasty?

Individuals who have a deformed nose or want their nose corrected. They should also be capable of drawing realistic expectations from the procedure and aware of its limitations. Medical conditions and intake of certain medication/supplements should be disclosed to the doctor before going through surgery.

Facts on Rhinoplasty

Closed Rhinoplasty is the standard in the procedure and gives about the same results as an Open Rhinoplasty; EENTs specialize in Open Rhinoplasty than plastic surgeons.

What is Face Lift

What is Face Lift?

Face Lift, technically known as Rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic surgery procedure aimed to remove aging signs on the face and neck. Starting at the age of 40, wrinkles, sagging skin, and collections of fat are noticeable than before. At that age, the body has spent a lot of time under the effects of gravity, the sun, and stress — leaving signs of wear behind. The facial skin gets more relaxed, loosens up, and slowly drapes below the jaw line. Neck skin, in addition, becomes loose and wrinkles begin to surface.

While nothing can really stop the aging process, a Face Lift can at least take some traces of it off. This is basically possible by having excess skin and fat removed, as well as tightening the underlying tissues around supporting structures.

How is Face Lift Performed?

Traditionally, a Face Lift is done by making an incision from the front of the ear, going up into the hairline. The incision makes its way around the bottom of the ear and behind it, often stopping close to the hairline at the back of the neck. Here, the deeper tissues can be tightened using sutures, plus the option to remove or leave a few excess deeper tissues. The skin is redraped after, then the amount of excess skin that will be removed will depend on the surgeon’s decision. When the excess skin is removed, the incisions are closed with sutures and staples.

A Face Lift is typically performed under general anesthesia and combined with other facial procedures, like Blepharoplasty and Rhinoplasty.

Risks of Face Lift

A Face Lift is a major surgery that carries its share of risks. Complications can be any of the following: excessive scarring, bleeding, hematoma, infection, poor wound healing, skin necrosis, adverse effects from anesthesia, facial nerve injury, asymmetry, skin loss, numbness, burning or cold sensations, and facial pain, to cite examples. These risks, however, can be rare, especially if the doctor who works on the patient has years of experience and is a board-certified plastic surgeon.

Who Can be Considered for Face Lift?

Individuals who wish to have a younger-looking face and do not have notable medical problems. They should also be capable of drawing realistic expectations from the procedure and aware of its limitations. Smokers and people with hypertension and diabetes have greater risk in developing complications after the procedure. Intake of aspirin or blood thinners, if any, should be stopped at least a week before surgery.

Facts on Face Lift

To enhance the results of a Face Lift, Botox can be included to address laugh lines and liposculpture to address marionette lines.