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Rhinoplasty

Surgery on the nose has important consequences, both physical and psychological, both functional and aesthetic. This is a complex operation in which the technical details vary considerably according to the nasal anatomy and the expectations of the person who seeks improvement.

The main complaint may be functional, as in obstruction of the airway. It may be purely aesthetic, as for a person who wants the removal of a hump on the nose or a reduction. Often the two are combined, as in a nasal deviation, which may cause both airway obstruction and aesthetic complaints.

All aspects are well considered before planning an operation. An additional examination by an ear, nose and throat specialist may be required, to analyse the nasal function and the impact of a correction on breathing.

Some corrections can be done through an internal incision, leaving no external scars. Others require small external incisions that generally leave inconspicuous scars.

Nasal surgery almost always requires general anaesthesia and a hospital stay of one to three days. A protective cast is worn for a week. Swelling around the eyes disappears after about ten days and bruising takes three weeks to disappear completely.Then the major part of the end result has been obtained and social life can be resumed. Softening of the nasal tip and the last, subtle changes take place over many more months up to more than a year.

Nasal corrections have direct consequences on the position of the upper lip and may change the overall impression of the face dramatically.