Beginning your rhinoplasty journey

You have decided to undergo rhinoplasty surgery to address concerns about your nose, and the next step is arranging a consultation. In this blog post, we’ve highlighted what you need to think about at this stage, some research advice and what to look for in a rhinoplasty surgeon.

What do you want to change?

Various concerns of the nose can be addressed through rhinoplasty. If your nasal bridge is the issue in question, rhinoplasty is able to reshape a wide, crooked, humped or depressed bridge. The procedure can also modify a bulbous, irregular or too far projected nasal tip, or resolve wide nostrils appearing out of proportion.

If suitable, and to achieve facial harmony, your surgeon may advise that you have a full nose correction including the nasal bridge as well as nostrils and or tip. If you are unhappy with the overall size of your nose compared to other facial features, cartilage and bone removal can also be used.

Septo-rhinoplasty, on the other hand, can be used to address breathing difficulties, including resolve a deviated septum. Patients undergoing rhinoplasty for aesthetic reasons could also be advised this.

At The Private Clinic, we offer three main rhinoplasty  types, addressing these various issue: standard rhinoplasty offering full nose correction, rhino-tip surgery resolving issues with the nostril and tip, and finally septo-rhinoplasty.

Realistic expectations

It is important to have an idea of what you are looking to achieve with rhinoplasty, so your surgeon can help achieve your desired outcome. However, it is vital to be realistic with your expectations.

When discussing their desired look in consultations, some patients refer to celebrity noses, before and after photos or tweaked photos from a rhinoplasty app.

Although these can be used as a reference point, it is important to realise rhinoplasty is not about achieving a new nose but enhancing your nose with subtle,  natural-looking changes. In addition to limitations for this reason, your nasal structure also determines what is possible to change.

Your nasal bone structure, flexibility, cartilage thickness, how oily or dry your skin is and your facial skeleton set boundaries on what can be achieved.

At your consultation, your surgeon will evaluate your concerns, desired outcome, and nasal structure, and recommend what is possible for you to achieve with rhinoplasty.

Do your homework

When making an important decision such as rhinoplasty, educating yourself on the procedure is important to make more informed decisions, and be prepared for your consultation and operation. To name a few areas to look into, it can be helpful to learn the rhinoplasty techniques available, rhinoplasty risks and pre and post op requirements including necessary downtime.

To look into rhinoplasty techniques, open and closed rhinoplasties are the two most commonly used. The difference between the two is that open rhinoplasty involves a small incision between the columella (the cartilage bridge and skin between the nostrils), allowing the surgeon to lift the nasal skin and gain a direct view for correcting the nasal tissues. With closed rhinoplasty, only small internal incisions are used and the surgeon will usually use a nasal speculum (an instrument for widening the nostril opening) in order to view the nasal structures. Your surgeon will discuss the pros and cons of both during your consultation and recommend the method appropriate for you.

To be clued up on other ‘need-to-knows’ about the procedure, we recommend reading advice and information on clinic websites. Websites offering cosmetic and plastic surgery advice, such as RealSelf and Private Healthcare UK, can also be useful.

Choosing a rhinoplasty surgeon

Rhinoplasty is one of the most technically challenging of cosmetic procedures, so to be sure and safe, careful research to find an expert surgeon is very important. Find out how many years have they been performing the procedure and how often they perform it. With rhinoplasty revisions unfortunately not being uncommon, finding out the surgeon’s personal revision rate is also useful.

Verify that the surgeon is board certified. Board certified plastic surgeons and facial plastic surgeons are both qualified for performing rhinoplasty. Reputable British and European boards include the BAAPS, the BAPRAS, the EAFPS and ENT UK. Find out how specialised the surgeon is in the procedure. An expert plastic surgeon does not necessarily equate to an expert rhinoplasty surgeon.

Reading patient reviews and seeing before and after photos is very important. This can help you achieve an idea of the results and experience you could achieve with that surgeon. Check the clinics website as well as patient review and ranking websites for these.

We also advise not weighing too heavily on price in your decision. An experienced, specialised surgeon is likely to come at a higher price. However, with the nose being a prominent facial feature and rhinoplasty being a complex procedure, having confidence that you will achieve effective results should be made priority.

The Private Clinic

The Private Clinic offer only the most experienced, reputable surgeons for our rhinoplasty procedures, focused on achieving the best possible results for you. Our surgeons have sharpened their techniques in rhinoplasty to perfection, with the procedure being one of the oldest treatments in cosmetic surgery.
Our team of some of the UK’s most experienced and esteemed surgeons includes:

• Mr Navid Jallali in London
• Mr Davood Fallahdar in London
• Mr Adel Fattah in Manchester
• Mr Mrinal Supriya in Northampton and Birmingham
• Ms Helena Antoniadou in Manchester and Leeds

Read about our other expert rhinoplasty surgeons on our website.

Rhinoplasty consultations are available at our clinics in London Harley Street, Birmingham, Leeds, Northampton and Manchester. To receive information and advice before seeing a surgeon, we can also schedule a consultation with one of our patient advisors.

For more information about our rhinoplasty procedures, or to book a consultation with one of our reputable surgeons or patient advisors, call us on 03339209135 or use our rhinoplasty online contact form.