Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty, more commonly known as a “nose job”, is one of the most common yet challenging cosmetic procedures. Dr. Courtney is a plastic surgeon who performs personalized rhinoplasties with the goal of achieving facial harmony.

Real Patient

What is rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty is a surgery that modifies the bone and cartilage in your nose to change its shape, angularity, position, or other features for cosmetic or functional reasons. You can opt for a rhinoplasty to change your nose’s shape, size, angle, tip, nostrils, or overall appearance. Alternatively, you can get a rhinoplasty to improve your breathing or repair the nose tissues after trauma or accidents.

Types of rhinoplasty

Cosmetic Rhinoplasty: Performed purely for aesthetic reasons to improve how your nose looks
Functional Rhinoplasty: Performed purely for functional reasons (deviated septum or damaged nose tissues due to injury, trauma, or accidents)
Ethnic Rhinoplasty: A specific form of rhinoplasty that modifies your nose while preserving the unique markers of your ethnic identity
Revision Rhinoplasty: A specific form of rhinoplasty performed to reverse, fix, or improve the results of a previously botched rhinoplasty

Benefits of rhinoplasty

Improves how your nose looks
Improves breathing
Ensures overall facial harmony
Corrects functional problems
Can be combined with other facial procedures

Candidates for rhinoplasty

Are unhappy with the current appearance of their nose
Have trouble breathing because of a deviated septum
Have damaged nose tissues due to external trauma
Have fully developed nasal bone
Are in generally good mental and physical health
Have realistic expectations from the procedure
Don’t have underlying conditions that preclude you from surgery
Are a non-smoker or willing to stop smoking

Your consultation with Dr. Courtney

Your rhinoplasty starts with a consultation with Dr. Courtney, wherein he carefully assesses your nose, reviews your medical history, and discusses your cosmetic goals. He might also take photographs of your nose from various angles. Based on the evaluation, he curates a treatment plan and discusses the details of your procedure. Feel free to ask him any questions and clarify all your concerns regarding the procedure, preparation, recovery, etc.

Rhinoplasty: The procedure

Rhinoplasty is performed as an outpatient procedure in Dr. Courtney’s surgical center in Houston. The entire procedure concludes within 2-3 hours, depending on the complexity of your specific situation. Revision rhinoplasties generally take longer than primary rhinoplasty because they involve grafting.

While each rhinoplasty is unique, the following is a broad overview of the steps involved in the procedure.

Anesthesia: Our anesthesiologist will deliver local anesthesia with IV sedation to ensure you’re physically and mentally comfortable and relaxed. In rare cases, general anesthesia might be necessary, putting you to sleep.
Incisions: Dr. Courtney makes small incisions on the inside of your nose (closed rhinoplasty) or on the column of skin separating the nostrils (open rhinoplasty). He’ll choose the incision style and technique based on your specific cosmetic concerns.
Repositioning: Dr. Courtney will separate the skin from your bone and cartilage to make the necessary modification to your nasal bone. In some cases, he may use a small cartilage graft from your ear or from deep within your nose for augmentation.
Closing: After the necessary modifications are made, he’ll close the incisions to ensure optimal recovery with minimal scarring. He might also place a metal or plastic splint on your nose to aid the recovery process.

Rhinoplasty recovery

After a brief monitoring period in the recovery room, you can have someone drive you home the same day. During the first few days, you’ll experience some swelling, bruising around the eyes, tenderness, puffiness, and congestion in your nose. The nose splints will be taken off after one week. Most patients can resume work and normal activities in a week or two, but you should avoid strenuous workouts for 3-4 weeks. The results will become apparent as the bruising and swelling dissipate over the weeks, but it may take several months to appreciate the complete results.