Nose Aesthetics (Rhinoplasty)

Rhinoplasty or rhinoplasty is an operation performed to make the external appearance of the nose conform to aesthetic standards. Patients present with disorders such as high nasal dorsum, low nasal tip, curvature of the nasal axis or combinations thereof. If complaints such as difficulty in breathing are accompanied, it may be necessary to simultaneously intervene in the structures that prevent breathing in the nose.

Which surgical technique?

Although there are many techniques defined for rhinoplasty, there are roughly two basic approaches: open and closed rhinoplasty. Although many items can be listed about the advantages and disadvantages of open and closed rhinoplasty, basically the two approaches are not superior to each other and do not determine the probability of success of the operation. The important point is related to which approach the surgeon considers himself/herself suitable and in which approach he/she can perform surgical maneuvers more comfortably, taking into account the expectations of the patient.

Recovery process?

There are some common basic points that patients are often asked to follow after rhinoplasty. The most important of these is the time the patient spends with a 1-week nasal splint and nasal tampons. A rhinoplasty patient who spends 1 day in the hospital after the operation and is discharged the next day may have increased bruising and swelling on the first day after the operation. In the following days, bruises and swelling gradually decrease and disappear. For 1 week after the surgery, patients cannot breathe due to the silicone tampons placed in the nose and have to sleep with their mouth open at night. After overcoming this process, the splint is removed and the patients are followed up with nasal tapes for another 1 week and they can easily return to their normal lives.

What should be considered after rhinoplasty?

The post-operative period is about protecting the nose almost at the highest level. The most important restriction for patients is not to wear optical or sunglasses for about 5-6 months. Patients who use optical glasses should have obtained the appropriate lenses before surgery and adapted to the use of lenses. In addition, families with young children and infants at home should avoid sudden blows from children at close range. It is important for patients to limit themselves from dual combat sports, astroturf football, basketball, volleyball, etc., where the nose is likely to be exposed to sudden impacts. In addition, in patients with nasal axis curvatures, massage applications may be recommended to prevent recurrence in the early postoperative period.

If breathing relaxing interventions are added during the rhinoplasty operation, silicone tampons are placed in the patient’s nose to be removed after 1 week. Although patients are very satisfied with breathing in the early period after the removal of these tampons, patients may experience airway obstructions at varying intervals during the day for the next 1.5-2 months. The main reason for this is the presence of accompanying edema inside as well as outside the nose due to the previous surgery. In addition, the bloody mucus accumulated in the nose blocks the airway over time. Therefore, saline nasal wash solutions are recommended to be used 2-3 times a day for a period of 1.5 months. Breathing problems that do not cause breathing problems at the beginning but occur in the following months are largely due to allergic hypertrophy of the turbinates, also known as nasal meatus. In this case, it is recommended that patients receive supportive treatments by consulting with physicians specializing in allergies.

What is Revision Rhinoplasty and when should it be performed?

Not every patient may be satisfied with the result after rhinoplasty. There are many reasons for this and the most important one is that the patient’s expectations are not fully adopted before the operation. This is sometimes due to the patient’s inadequate self-expression and sometimes due to the physician’s inability to distinguish exactly what the patient means. In addition, recurrent curvatures of the nasal cartilages, asymmetries in the nostrils, inability to eliminate breathing problems, etc. reasons. Whatever the reason, the most important point to know is that the probability of success of each subsequent revision surgery is lower than the previous rhinoplasty surgery. Therefore, care should be taken to perform the first rhinoplasty surgery in experienced hands and equipped centers. In order to perform revision surgery, at least 1 year must have passed since the first operation. It is important that the patient has not undergone any surgical or non-surgical procedure during this period.