• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Cosmetic nose surgery

• Overview
• Recovery
• Risks

Definition:

Rhinoplasty is surgery to repair or reshape the nose. See also septoplasty (nasal septum repair).

Alternative Names:

Rhinoplasty

Description:

Rhinoplasty is one of the most common of all plastic surgery procedures. It can be used to:

• Reduce or increase the size of the nose
• Change the shape of the tip or the nasal bridge
• Narrow the opening of the nostrils
• Change the angle between the nose and the upper lip
• Correct a birth defect or injury
• Help relieve some breathing problems

Rhinoplasty can be performed under local or general anesthesia, depending on the extent of the procedure and the patient's preference. It may be performed in a surgeon's office-based facility, a hospital, or an outpatient surgery center. Complex procedures may require a short inpatient stay. The procedure usually takes an hour or two, but may take longer.

With local anesthesia, the nose and the surrounding area is numbed. The patient will usually be lightly sedated, but awake during the surgery -- relaxed and insensitive to pain. General anesthesia allows the patient to sleep through the operation, and is typically used in children.

The surgery is usually done through the incision inside the nostrils.

Indications:

Nose surgery is considered "elective" when it is done for purely cosmetic purposes. In these cases, the purpose is to change the shape of the nose to one that the patient finds more desirable. Age may be a consideration. Many surgeons prefer not to perform cosmetic nose surgery until the growth of the nasal bone is completed (around 14 or 15 for girls, a bit later for boys).

In other cases, nose surgery may be needed for medical purposes. For example, surgery may be needed to treat a serious breathing problem or an injury. Age may be less of a factor.

• Review Date: 1/18/2007
• Reviewed By: Melvin Sidney Dassinger, III, MD, Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.