Indications and Contraindications
Rhinoplasty may be recommended for patients seeking either aesthetic enhancement or functional correction.
Indications include:
- Dorsal hump
- Deviated nasal septum
- Nasal deformities following injury
- Nasal asymmetry
- Wide or narrow nasal tip
- Disproportionately large or small nose
- Difficulty breathing through the nose
Although rhinoplasty is considered a safe procedure, certain medical conditions may prevent surgery.
Contraindications include:
- Acute infectious diseases
- Bleeding disorders
- Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
- Severe cardiovascular disease
- Active malignancy
- Pregnancy
- Breastfeeding
The decision to proceed with surgery is made only after a thorough medical examination and consultation with a plastic surgeon.
What rhinoplasty addresses
The operation changes the shape of the external nose: removing a hump, refining the tip, narrowing the bridge and nostrils, correcting post-traumatic deviation and asymmetry. Nasal reduction is a common request, but the surgeon's aim is proportion with the face rather than the smallest possible nose.
If nasal breathing is impaired as well as the shape, aesthetic correction alone is not enough — septorhinoplasty, which also straightens the septum, is discussed instead.
Open and closed techniques
Closed rhinoplasty is performed through incisions inside the nose: there are no external scars and swelling settles faster, but the surgeon's view is limited. The open technique adds a small incision on the columella, gives full control over the tip structures and is used in complex and revision cases; the scar is practically invisible after a few months.
Surgery is under general anaesthesia and takes 1.5–3 hours. The price depends on technique and extent and is set after examination and assessment of breathing — see the prices below.
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How is the consultation going?
The plaster or thermoplastic splint comes off on day 7–10 and the main bruising resolves within 2 weeks. By then the nose looks socially presentable, but it is still swollen.
The final result takes a long time to emerge: 80% of the swelling goes within 2–3 months, the rest over 12 months, and up to 18 months with thick skin or after the open technique. The tip is the slowest area to settle.
For the first month avoid glasses that rest on the bridge, sleeping on your side or front, blowing your nose, and saunas or steam rooms. Sport resumes after 4–6 weeks, contact sports no earlier than 3 months.
Sun protection is essential: ultraviolet light on swollen skin increases pigmentation. Smoking significantly impairs healing, so you are asked to stop before and after surgery.
