Good communication between you and your surgeon is essential. During your initial consultation, one of our board-certified plastic surgeons will ask you to explain what you expect from your nose. Evaluate the relationship of structures between your nose and face, and discuss the possibilities with you. He will also explain the factors that can influence the procedure and the results. These factors include the structure of your cartilage and nasal bones, the shape of your face, the thickness of your skin, your age, and your expectations. Your surgeon will also explain the technique and type of anesthesia you will use, the place where your surgery will be performed, the risks and costs involved, and any options you may have. Be sure to tell your surgeon if you have had any prior nasal surgery or previous damage to your nose, even when it has been many years. You should inform me if you have any allergies or breathing difficulties; if you take any medication, vitamins, or drugs and if you smoke. During your plastic surgery consultation, we use the VECTRA 3D imaging system to aid our surgical planning. Most insurance policies don’t cover cosmetic surgery. If the procedure is performed for reconstructive purposes, to correct a breathing problem or a marked deformity following injury, the procedure may be covered. Usually several prerequisites must be met prior to becoming eligible. In an effort to expedite your insurance prior authorization, we recommend you contact your insurance carrier to find out these prerequisites. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor any questions or doubts you may have, especially if you have to do with your expectations and interests about the results.

The VECTRA 3D technology has three arms that make body photographs in three dimensions of the patient and a software is used from which it is possible to know the dimensions, shape, contour, volume and color of the structures. Subsequently, this advanced medical photography device is capable of simulating the results in a plastic surgery. The patient is shown how it could be seen after the surgery, valuable and useful information for both the patient and the surgeon, since it is known with greater precision the results that are expected to be obtained. The process of VECTRA 3D includes 3crucial steps and stages:

• 1. Photo session. We capture a three dimensional photo of your treatment area (in case of Rhinoplasty, the area is nose). The VECTRA 3D camera takes multiple photos simultaneously from different angles. These images will be used to build a 3D model of you in our system.
• 2. Software simulation. In consultation with one of our doctors, you will be able to manipulate your 3D image to see how each surgical procedure may affect your overall appearance and what can be the end result of your surgery. This is the time to experiment, such as with different breast implant sizes for your breast augmentation, and see how your choices will affect your results.
• 3. Surgical plan. From the results of previous step, our surgeon will finalize your desired shaped of the nose and after after confirming what your desired results are, our doctors will use the 3D image as the basis for your surgical plan.

Using this advanced technology, our doctors and patients can have an honest discussion about what results each patient can expect by looking at images of their own body.

Our surgeon will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, include guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, taking or avoiding safe medications, and washing your face. Follow these instructions carefully and help your surgery evolve more quickly. While you are making preparations, be sure to meet someone for the return home after your surgery and help for a few days if you need it.

Rhinoplasty can be performed in our office-based surgical suite, for convenience and cost containment. Complex procedures may require a short stay of the inpatient.

Rhinoplasty can be done under local or general anesthesia, with local anesthesia, you will commonly be lightly sedated, and your nose and the nearby area will fall asleep; you will be awake during surgery, but relaxed and insensitive to pain. With general anesthesia, you will sleep during the operation depending on the scope of the procedure and the preferences of you and our surgeon.

Rhinoplasty is commonly performed in 45 minutes, although complication of the procedures may take a little longer. During the surgery the skin of the nose is separated from its supplementary structure of bone and cartilage, it is then heard the desired shape. The nature of the carving depends on your problem and the technique preferred by your surgeon. Finally, the skin is replaced on the new structure.
Many plastic surgeons perform rhinoplasty from inside the nose, make their incision inside the nostrils. Others prefer an open procedure, especially in more complicated cases, they make a small incision through the columella, is the vertical column of tissue that separates the nostrils. When the surgery is complete, a cast is applied to help maintain the new shape of your nose.
The surgeon removes the nasal hump, using a chisel or a file, then join the nasal walls to make them narrower. The cartilage is trimmed to give a new shape to the nasal tip.

Particularly during the first 24 hours your face will be a little inflamed and your nose will be as normal as it does not hurt. You can control any discomfort with the analgesic medication prescribed by our surgeon. He will sleep on the first day with his head elevated.
You will notice that the swelling and bruising around your eyes will increase this first day, reaching a peak to the third. Applying cold compresses will reduce this swelling and make you feel better. Anyway, you will feel better than what you see. Most swelling and bruising should disappear in two weeks. A little bit of nosebleed is common during the first few days after surgery, and you may continue to feel some sensations for several weeks. Your surgeon will probably ask you not to blow your nose for a week or more, while the tissues heal.
If you have nasal obstruction, it will be removed after a few days and you will feel much more comfortable. After a week the plaster will be removed.

When rhinoplasty is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, the complications are infrequent and commonly minor. However, there is always a possibility of complications, including infection, nosebleeds, or a reaction to anesthesia. You can reduce your risks by closely following the instructions of our surgeon before and after surgery.
After surgery, small broken blood vessels can make tiny red spots appear on the surface of the skin; This is commonly rare but can be permanent. As far as scarring is concerned, when rhinoplasty is performed from inside the nose, there are no scars visible to others, when an open technique is performed or when the procedure requires narrowing the wide nostrils, the small incisions on the base of the nose are commonly not visible. One in ten patients may require a second procedure, for example, to correct a minor deformity. These cases appear capriciously. Corrective surgery is commonly minor.

Patients who undergo rhinoplasty are more or less well in a couple of days, are able to return to school or sedentary work after a week. However, before you are completely well spent several weeks resting. We will give you the most specific guidelines to gradually resume your normal activities. It will probably include these suggestions: avoid vigorous activity (running, swimming, having sex, or any activity that increases blood pressure) for two or three weeks. Avoid hitting or rubbing your nose, do not expose it to the sun for eight weeks. Try to gently wash your face and hair using soft cosmetics.
You can wear contact lenses as soon as you feel like it, but glasses are another story. Once the cast is removed, the glasses will leave marks on your forehead or on the back of your nose for another six or seven weeks, until your nose is completely deflated. We will schedule follow-up visits after surgery to check on progress made. If you have any unusual symptoms between visits, or you have any questions about what you can and can not do, do not hesitate to call us.