Is Nose Surgery Right For Me?

The best candidates for rhinoplasty are people who are looking for improvement, not perfection. If you’re physically healthy and realistic in your expectations, you are likely a good candidate for nose surgery in Jacksonville at First Coast Plastic Surgery. Rhinoplasty can be performed for aesthetic reasons and for reconstructive purposes or to correct birth defects. Rhinoplasty can also open nostrils or correct a deviated septum to help improve breathing.

Age must also be considered. Most surgeons prefer not to operate on teenagers until after they’ve completed their growth years; usually around 14 or 15 for girls and a bit later for boys. However, serious conditions that are affecting breathing or reconstruction needs after a serious accident may override this general guideline and should be discussed with Dr. Csikai.

About Nose Surgery in Jacksonville

Your Initial Consultation

If you are interested in nose surgery in Jacksonville at First Coast Plastic Surgery, the first step is an initial consultation with Dr. Csikai. In your initial consultation, Dr. Csikai will ask you what you would like to improve about your nose’s appearance. This can be difficult to describe in some ways so it may be helpful to bring photos of other people’s noses that represent your goals. Dr. Csikai will also evaluate the structure of your nose and face and explain how your facial structure can influence the results of your nose surgery procedure.

If after speaking with Dr. Csikai, you decide that nose surgery is right for you, a surgery coordinator will provide you with detailed information about preparing for the procedure, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins, supplements and medications. If you smoke, it is especially important to stop smoking at least a week or two before your surgery and during your recovery period. Smoking inhibits blood flow to the skin, and can slow your recovery and affect your final results. In preparing for your nose surgery in Jacksonville, you should also arrange for a friend or family member to drive you home after your surgery.

About Nose Surgery

The rhinoplasty procedure is performed at First Coast Plastic Surgery’s on-site state licensed ambulatory surgical center. Patient’s are usually placed under general anesthesia. However, some minor cosmetic procedures for the nose can be performed under sedation and local anesthesia. This is a decision that will have been discussed and made during the initial consultation.

Rhinoplasty is most often performed by separating the skin of the nose from its supporting framework of bone and cartilage. The bone and cartilage is then sculpted as necessary to achieve the desired goals. How Dr. Csikai sculpts and reshapes the underlying framework of your nose will depend on the medical issues your a having with your nose or your cosmetic goals. After all necessary sculpting is complete, skin is repositioned over the new framework.

When possible, Dr. Csikai performs all necessary incisions inside of the nostrils to avoid visible scaring. If your procedure requires what is referred to as an “open” procedure, or is a more complicated case, it may be necessary for Dr. Csikai to make a small incision across the tissue at the bottom of your nose that separates the nostrils, (the columella).

When the surgery is complete, a splint will be applied to help support your nose and maintain its new shape. Nasal packs or soft plastic splints are typically used to stabilize the inside center wall of your nose between your nostrils, (the septum).

Recovery After Nose Surgery

After nose surgery, particularly during the first 24 hours, your face will feel puffy, your nose may ache, and you may have a dull headache. Any discomfort can be mitigated with pain medication Dr. Csikai will prescribe. You should plan on staying in bed with your head elevated for the first day or two.

You should expect the swelling and bruising around your eyes to increase in the first two or three days of your recovery. Applying cold compresses over your eyes will help to reduce this swelling. Most of this swelling and bruising should subside within two to three weeks.

Nose surgery is different than most plastic surgery procedures because rhinoplasty usually involves sculpting bone and cartilage. Most plastic surgery procedures involve tissue, fat and muscle which heals faster than bone and cartilage. For this reason, minor swelling and some soreness will remain for several months. This is a normal part of the recovery process and should be expected.

It is common to experience minor bleeding during the first few days after your surgery, and you may continue to feel some stuffiness for several weeks and possibly months as all swelling subsides. And you should not stress your nostrils by blowing your nose for a couple of weeks. If you have nasal packing, it will be removed after a few days and you’ll feel much more comfortable. By the end of one or two weeks, all dressings, splints, and stitches should be removed.

Most nose surgery patients are up and about within a few days, and are able to return to school or light work within a week. However, strenuous activities will need to be avoided for several weeks. Dr. Csikai advises his nose surgery patients to avoid jogging, swimming, bending down, sexual activities and any other activities that increase blood pressure for two to three weeks. You should also avoid touching or rubbing your nose, or exposure to direct sunlight for eight weeks. During the initial weeks and months following your surgery, focus on being gentle with your new nose, especially when washing your face and hair or using cosmetics.

As we mentioned earlier, the healing process for nose surgery takes longer than other types of plastic surgery. Your nose may not be sore to the touch and you may feel fine after six or eight months. But you should understand that it may take a year or longer to see the true final results of your nose surgery. Dr. Csikai will schedule frequent follow-up visits in the weeks and months after your surgery to monitor the healing progress.

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