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Your nose is perhaps the most important feature on your face, so you want to make sure it looks great! Anything less can leave you feeling self-conscious, and detract attention from your beautiful eyes and charming smile. Richmond Plastic Surgeons offers rhinoplasty for men and women in Richmond, Midlothian and surrounding areas of Virginia.

What Exactly Is Rhinoplasty?

Our Richmond nose jobs can be performed for either cosmetic or reconstructive reasons. Cosmetic reasons for rhinoplasty typically involve reshaping the nose, eliminating bumps, increasing or decreasing the size of the nose and nostrils, or correcting a crooked nose. 

Whatever your reason for nose shaping surgery may be, the board-certified surgeons at Richmond Plastic Surgeons are here to help you find the look you want.

Rhinoplasty Richmond

What Are the Benefits of a Rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty helps with issues that might make you feel uncomfortable with your nose:

  • Downturned, bulbous, or upturned tip
  • An overly large or small nose
  • Overly large or small nostrils
  • Bumps or depressions
  • Trauma-related deformities
  • Overly narrow or wide nose

Dr. Wornom – Rhinoplasty

Dr. Wornom - Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty Help Correct Flaws & Reshapes Your Nose

Deformities of the nose sometimes come from injury, but genetics can be responsible, as well. Rhinoplasty (or nose shaping surgery) surgically corrects the shape of your nose, while also addressing breathing issues resulting from structural defects as well.

Every nose is unique, so we offer a personalized approach to each patient at Richmond Plastic Surgeons, to restore your overall facial harmony.

Nose shaping surgery is done as an outpatient at our certified surgery center in West Creek. Incisions are typically hidden inside the nose, or might placed across the columella (the soft tissue separating the nostrils).

During your recovery period, you can expect to wear a postoperative splint across the bridge of your nose (and an internal nasal splint, in some cases), for the first several days.

Rhinoplasty Help Correct Flaws & Reshapes Your Nose

Deformities of the nose sometimes come from injury, but genetics can be responsible, as well. Rhinoplasty (or nose shaping surgery) surgically corrects the shape of your nose, while also addressing breathing issues resulting from structural defects as well. 

Every nose is unique, so we offer a personalized approach to each patient at Richmond Plastic Surgeons, to restore your overall facial harmony.

Nose shaping surgery is done as an outpatient at our certified surgery center, the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery. You can rest assured that some of the best nose surgery Richmond has to offer is done right here. 

Incisions are typically hidden inside the nose, or might be placed across the columella (the soft tissue separating the nostrils). During your recovery period, you can expect to wear a postoperative splint across the bridge of your nose (and an internal nasal splint, in some cases), for the first several days. 

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Who is the Ideal Candidate for Rhinoplasty?

You’re a great candidate for rhinoplasty to improve an aspect of your nose or nostrils If:

  • You’ve reached what we call “facial skeletal maturity” (typically occurring during adolescence)
  • Have a positive outlook
  • Carry realistic expectations
  • Are in good health and don’t smoke

Many teenagers want to change their noses early in life. Our board-certified plastic surgeons prefer to wait until girls are at least 14 or 15 years old. Boys should be slightly older. 

This helps us ensure that the nose and face are completely developed, and avoiding the need for a revision nose job in the future.

The Best Candidates for Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won’t necessarily change your looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to treat you differently.

Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and talk them over with your surgeon.

The best candidates for rhinoplasty are those looking for improvement in the way they look, but realize we can’t manufacture perfection. If you’re physically healthy, psychologically stable, and realistic in your expectations, you may be a good candidate.

Rhinoplasty can be performed to meet your aesthetic goals, or for reconstructive purposes, which might correct birth defects or breathing problems.

What Do I Need to Do Before Having a Rhinoplasty?

Planning Your Surgery

Your first step should always involve setting up a consultation at Richmond Plastic Surgeons, so one of our board-certified surgeons can walk you through the process and help you understand everything you need to know. Good communication between you and your physician is essential.

In your initial consultation, your surgeon will ask what you’d like your nose to look like, evaluate the structure of your nose and face, and discuss the possibilities with you.

They’ll explain the factors that can influence the procedure and your results, such as:

  • The structure of your nasal bones and cartilage
  • The shape of your face
  • The thickness of your skin
  • Your age
  • Your expectations.
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Your surgeon will also explain the techniques and anesthesia they’ll be using, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, the risks and costs involved, and any options you may have.

Most insurance policies won’t cover a purely cosmetic procedure. If your procedure is reconstructive in nature — to correct a breathing problem or a marked deformity — it may be covered. Check with your insurer, and be sure to obtain pre-authorization. Let your surgeon know if you’ve had any previous nose surgery or an injury to your nose, even if it was many years ago.

You should also inform your surgeon:

  • If you have any allergies or breathing difficulties
  • If you’re taking any medications, vitamins, or recreational drugs
  • If you smoke

Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor any questions you may have, especially with regards to your expectations and concerns about the results.

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What Should I Expect on The Day of My Rhinoplasty?

Nose shaping is performed in our surgical facility. You will be given a sedative to relax, and we may administer general anesthesia depending on the extent of your nose job.

Preparing For Your Surgery

Your surgeon will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on:

  • eating and drinking
  • smoking
  • taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications
  • washing your face

Carefully following these instructions will help your surgery go more smoothly. While you’re making preparations, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you home after your surgery and to help you out for a few days if needed.

Where Your Surgery Will Be Performed

Rhinoplasty may be performed in a surgeon’s office-based facility, an outpatient surgery center, or a hospital. It’s usually done on an outpatient basis, for cost containment and convenience. Complex procedures may require a short inpatient stay.

Types of Anesthesia

Rhinoplasty can be performed under local or general anesthesia, depending on the extent of the procedure and on what you and your surgeon prefer. With local anesthesia, you’ll usually be lightly sedated, and your nose and the surrounding area will be numbed; you’ll be awake during the surgery, but relaxed and insensitive to pain. With general anesthesia, you’ll sleep through the operation.

How Long Does Rhinoplasty Take?

Rhinoplasty takes one to two hours. Your surgeon will make incisions in the tissue between your nostrils (open rhinoplasty) or inside the nostrils (closed rhinoplasty), before separating the skin from the cartilage and bone. Your surgeon will then work to sculpt the bone and cartilage, grafting pieces to areas that need more shape. The skin will then be draped over your nose, and the incisions will be closed with sutures. 

Many surgeons perform rhinoplasty from within the nose, making their incision inside the nostrils. Others prefer an open procedure, especially in more complicated cases; they make a small incision across the columella, the vertical strip of tissue separating the nostrils.

A splint will be placed on your nose to hold the bone in place, but it doesn’t protect your nose from injury, so you take care to protect your nose at all times. Nasal packs or soft plastic splints also may be placed in your nostrils to stabilize your septum, the dividing wall between the air passages.

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What to Expect After Rhinoplasty

Your face will feel swollen for about 24 hours, and you may also have a headache, along with an aching nose. Bleeding is normal, and we may pack your nose with gauze to control it. We’ll be sure to provide medication to help with the discomfort, and you will need to stay in bed with your head elevated for the first day. After two days, you can begin to move around and resume very light activities. You can return to work after one week.

The bruising and swelling around your eyes and nose may increase for the first three days, so a cold compress can help you manage the swelling and discomfort. Bruising can develop around your eyes and nose, but it will significantly subside after about two weeks.

Your nose may feel stuffy for a few weeks, and you’ll want to refrain from blowing your nose until you’re fully healed.

Avoid strenuous activities for three weeks. Full healing from nose shaping surgery takes about eight weeks. Prior to that, your nose is susceptible to injury with even minor impacts.

Getting Back to Normal

Your surgeon will give you specific guidelines for gradually resuming your normal activities, including:

  • Avoid strenuous activity (jogging, swimming, bending, sexual relations, or any activity that increases your blood pressure) for two to three weeks.
  • Avoid hitting or rubbing your nose, or getting it sunburned for eight weeks.
  • Be gentle when washing your face and hair or using cosmetics.

You can wear contact lenses as soon as you feel like it, but glasses are another story. Once the splint is off, they’ll have to be taped to your forehead or propped on your cheeks for another six to seven weeks, until your nose is completely healed. Your surgeon will schedule frequent follow-up visits in the months after surgery, to monitor your healing progress. If you have any unusual symptoms between visits, or any questions about what you can and can’t do, don’t hesitate to call us.

Keep in mind, you might experience some unexpected reactions from family and friends. They may say they don’t see a major difference in your nose, or even act resentful, especially if you’ve changed something they view as a family or ethnic trait. If that happens, try to keep in mind why you decided to have this surgery in the first place. If you’ve met your goals, then your surgery is a success!

FAQ

Will I Have Scars After My Rhinoplasty?

If you have incisions on the outside of your nose, the scars will be very inconspicuous.

When Will I See the Results?

You can see the real improvements of your nose job after about two weeks, when the swelling is mostly gone.

What Are Possible Complications of Rhinoplasty?

Our board-certified surgeons, utilize a wide range of experience and the most advanced procedures to avoid complications like: Infection, Nosebleeds, Red spots on the skin caused by damaged blood vessels,and other Imperfections caused by the technique used during the procedure. After surgery, small burst blood vessels may appear as tiny red spots on your skin; these are usually minor but may be permanent. In very rare cases, a second procedure may be required to correct something like a minor deformity. Such cases are unpredictable, and happen even to patients of the most skilled surgeons. The corrective surgery is usually minor.

How Long Will the Results of a Nose Job Last?

The results of your nose job are permanent, as long as you don’t suffer an injury to your nose.

How Much Does Rhinoplasty Cost in Richmond?

Medical insurance considers cosmetic rhinoplasty as elective, so they likely won’t cover the cost. After your consultation, we’ll provide you with an accurate and comprehensive cost breakdown for your nose job. Richmond Plastic Surgeons accepts several forms of payment, including CareCredit® financing.

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If you would like more information regarding a specific procedure, or wish to have a member of our staff contact you, please fill out this contact form and let us know how we can best serve you!

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