Nose Surgery in Liverpool (Rhinoplasty)

Nose Surgery Procedure

Rhinoplasty or nose surgery is a type of surgical procedure that can change the shape and profile of your nose. This cosmetic procedure can involve nose reduction, nose augmentation, or other modifications to achieve your aesthetic goals.

Nose Surgery Initial Consultation

All our processes start with an initial consultation with our surgeon as he will assess the nasal structure, facial proportion and cosmetic goals to be achieved.

A patient may want rhinoplasty for various reasons:

Cosmetic or aesthetic reasons: 

In this case, the patient may not be very happy with the way their nose looks and want to enhance it. This could include, reducing the nasal tip, dorsal hump (bump on the bridge of nose), reduce the flatness, reduce or enlarge nostrils.

Functional or medical reasons: 

In this case, the patient wants rhinoplasty because of breathing or any other medical issues. Common medical reasons are, disfiguring from injury, nasal congestion, loud snoring due to small nostrils, improved weak cartilage, misaligned septum (one air passage bigger than other).

Once all the cosmetic/medical goals are discussed, the surgeon will understand if rhinoplasty is the best procedure and if yes, brief you about the whole procedure and aftercare.

If you smoke, our surgeon may advise you to stop doing it for a few weeks before the surgery, as smoking thins the blood and may result in excess bleeding during the surgery.

You may also need to consult your ENT doctor to know if there are any medical concerns that you need to consider before undergoing the surgery.

During Nose Surgery

The surgery will be performed under local anaesthetic or general anaesthesia, followed by making incisions based on the concerned nasal areas.

The surgery may also involve removing the nasal bone or cartilage to reduce the size of the nose. If the concern is to increase the size, the surgeon uses the grafts (from the patient’s own cartilage) to build up the area.

Once the surgery is completed, the doctor will close the incisions, and the nose will be supported with a splint.

The nostrils may be stuffed with soft packaging to control any bleeding.

Types of Nose Surgery

Reduction Rhinoplasty/Closed Rhinoplasty

The surgeon will make cuts inside your nostrils to reshape the bridge and tip of your nose. Some nasal bone and cartilage may also be removed to reduce its size.

Your remaining skin will then shrink over your new nose. This procedure is also known as a ‘closed rhinoplasty’, meaning scars will not be visible.

Rhinotip/Open Rhinoplasty

The surgeon may cut along the skin between your nostrils (the columella), allowing them to modify the cartilage and bone underneath and take out excess skin from the tip. This ‘open rhinoplasty’ can, however, leave small scars.

Septorhinoplasty

The surgeon will cut the mucosa and remove it from the cartilage and bone. The bent cartilage and bone will be removed, and the rest will be straightened out, fixing your internal septum and your nose’s appearance.

Alarplasty and Tip Plasty

Alarplasty focuses on reshaping the nostrils, while tip plasty addresses the nasal tip. These procedures can be performed alone or as part of a more comprehensive rhinoplasty.

Nasal Reconstruction

For patients who have experienced trauma or have congenital nasal deformities, nasal reconstruction can help restore both function and appearance. Nasal surgery often goes hand in hand with chin implants in case of reconstruction.

Expectations of Rhinoplasty

A patient must be completely clear on exactly what it is that concerns them about their nose (the initial consultation can be very helpful in defining this). The patient must inform the surgeon clearly of these concerns. Good Rhinoplasty surgeons are as much artists as they are expert technical surgeons.

Nose Surgery Aftercare

Take Adequate Rest

It is important to take a good amount of rest after the surgery. Keep your head elevated on 2-3 pillows as this can help relieve swelling.

Use Cold Compress

Using a cold compress can help reduce swelling and bruising. Use it around the eyes and cheeks and not directly on the nose.

Take Painkillers

Take prescribed medicines and painkillers to get temporary relief from the pain. Avoid medicines like aspirin and ibuprofen as they thin the blood and may result in nasal bleeding.

Avoid Blowing the Nose

Avoid blowing the nose hard as this can cause bleeding or cause more pain. If you sneeze, try to open your mouth wide open so the pressure reduces around the nose area.

Eat Soft Food

Eat food that doesn’t need a lot of chewing. Increased movement in facial muscles may elevate the pain.

Use Gentle Products

Use gentle facewash and moisturizer. Discuss your skincare with a doctor to know which products can cause allergic reactions. Avoid activities in skincare like, AHAs, BHAs, retinol.

Avoid Smoking and Alcohol

Smoking and alcohol may slow down the healing process and increase the risk of bleeding.

Recovery Time and Hospital Stay

The initial recovery time for nose surgery is typically about 1-2 weeks. Your hospital stay will usually be short, often just a day, but this can vary depending on the complexity of the procedure and your individual needs.