Rhinoplasty

What is Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty or nose-job is an operation to cosmetically alter the shape of the nose.

You may be considering having a rhinoplasty for a number of reasons including the anatomy of your nose. Your surgeon will carry out a careful analysis of your nose and consider any health concerns you may have in order to determine the exact surgery and techniques to be used.

A Rhinoplasty can combine the cosmetic re-shaping with corrections to help with medical condi-tions.

What does the process involve?

Your surgeon will examine your nose thoroughly using an endoscope to look inside if necessary and taking accurate photographs to document the anatomy for your nose.

Many of the patients I have helped have had medical problems such as sinusitis or allergies. For these cases imaging studies with CT scans and possibly blood tests are also necessary.

The photographs we take allow us to use morphing software to show you all the possible outcomes. The advantage of using morphing software is that it is a platform for your discussion with the surgeon incorporating your desires and also enabling us to show you the realistic best-expected outcomes for you.

While these images are not a guarantee of the outcome they are the best way of ensuring that you and your surgeon are on the same wavelength.

For more information on what to expect before, during and after the procedure please see our Patient FAQs

Examination of the nose with endoscopy to look inside the nose is mandatory.

What is ethnic rhinoplasty?

A complex and fascinating subject! Although we are told beauty is in the eye of the beholder, some people have spent many years feeling unhappy with their nose.

While there are certain characteristics which seem to feature in attractive noses, this is an immensely personal subject and preferences vary widely.

For example, attractive noses tend to be symmetrical, centred between the eyes and vertically positioned. Without these features, your nose may look out of harmony with the rest of the face irrespective of ethnicity.
For this reason, an assessment of your overall facial proportions is essential to help you make the right decision for you.

Why is it called Ethnic Rhinoplasty?

Ethnic rhinoplasty is a misnomer since all rhinoplasties are essentially ethnic, however this term refers to nose surgery on anyone of non-Anglo-Saxon origin.

Modern rhinoplasty techniques aim to tailor the operation for each individual bearing in mind the patient’s current health, anatomy as well as the desired results the patient hopes to achieve.

Since each person is different with different needs, even within a particular ethnic group, there is no single technique that is appropriate for every patient. This is why we take time to carefully select the techniques for each patient.

A thorough assessment of the individual’s nose combined with appropriate care & surgical planning on our part and a realistic expectation of what can be achieved from the patient’s perspective are essential ingredients for a successful outcome

An assessment of your overall facial proportions is essential to help you make the right decision for you.

What do our patients ask for?

We have treated patients from all ethnic origins including those of Anglo-Saxon, Middle Eastern, Indian Subcontinent, Afro-Caribbean, and Oriental origins.

In broad terms, patients of Southern European, Middle Eastern and Jewish ethnic groups tend to have larger or hooked noses with prominent dorsal humps. In these instances, a nose job to reduce the size of the nose is often requested.

Conversely, in Afro-Caribbean and Oriental patients, an absence of a dorsal bridge gives a slightly flattened appearance and here augmentation using the patient’s own cartilage or alternative graft materials can be used to obtain a more aesthetically pleasing result.

The requirements for ethnic rhinoplasty are determined very much by setting appropriate goals to achieve facial harmony staying true to the patient’s own ethnic origin as much as possible.