Nose Jobs: Commonly Asked Questions

Rhinoplasty tops the list of invasive surgeries among U.S. men, with 63,240 nose shaping procedures for guys in 2010 and 62,000 procedures in 2011, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) yearly statistics.

Nasal flaws commonly repaired in surgery include:

• Noses that are just too large or small
• Crooked
• Badly shaped nasal tips
• Nasal humps

The most common reason for asking a cosmetic plastic surgery about rhinoplasty is to have a more pleasing nose that fits the face and makes the profile look natural.

But many consultations reveal more about the way a patient’s nose works and passes air to the lungs. Some aspects inside the nose can affect your lifestyle as well as your appearance.

In more than a few patients, the nasal surgeon finds a bent or deviated septum, a paper-thin, vertical wall of cartilage separating the two nostrils.

Structures farther up in the nose known as turbinates are frequently affected by allergies and other conditions, causing them to swell. In either case, breathing is blocked.

Fortunately, nasal surgeons can attend to both the septum and turbinates during cosmetic rhinoplasty. You will end up with a nose that looks attractive and works well.

Teen rhinoplasty is also popular so many youngsters want to know if they are old enough for a nose job. Girls are advised to hold off until age 14 or 15 when the nose is fully grown. Guys usually must wait until age 15 to 17.

Many ask about medical insurance. If a problem with breathing exists, most patients usually receive coverage for the functional part of the procedure but not for the cosmetic surgery.

Potential rhinoplasty patients often ask if a chin implant is required. A small or receding chin actually makes the nose look bigger so, if appropriate, a nasal surgeon may suggest chin augmentation.

Recovery? Surgeon skill determines everything — a master surgeon who has done thousands of nose jobs disturbs fewer tissues. That translates into less swelling, bruising and bleeding. In the best of hands, any rhinoplasty patient should be able to go back to work in about seven days.

Costs vary widely, depending on the amount of work done and the location of the practice.

According to 1,006 RealSelf.com patient reviews – 80 percent of whom said the procedure was worth the average cost of U.S. rhinoplasty is $5,975.