Rhinoplasty Surgery – Nose Job in Melbourne and Sydney
A Rhinoplasty or more simply a “nose job”, changes the shape of your nose. As the focal point of the face, your nose plays a key role in creating attractive, balanced features.
Dr Richard Sackelariou is a top Rhinoplasty Surgeon for Nose Reshaping procedures and secondary “re-dos”, offering patients well-balanced, natural-looking and uplifted post-surgery results.
An “out of proportion’ nose can impact your self-esteem and throws off the balance of your face. Rhinoplasty alters the bones and cartilages that make up the skeleton of the nose, the lining of the nasal passageways and even the skin covering. This surgery changes the profile, length and/or width of the nose or changes the shape of your nose tip.
Surgeons also perform the operation closed (with all incisions inside the nostrils) which is popular for Rhinoplasty Surgery. Open Rhinoplasty (with a small incision underneath the nose) is popular for revisional surgery.
Benefits of a Rhinoplasty Procedure
A Rhinoplasty patient may benefit from any of these results
Smaller Nose Size
Patients with large noses or dropping nose tips feel like their faces are unbalanced and unattractive. Rhinoplasty surgery helps correct these issues and gives you back your confidence.
Improved Looks & Appearance
Crooked or misshapen noses, or noses with humps or bumps affects your appearance. Whether they be naturally occurring or due to trauma, Rhinoplasty surgery corrects the shape and appearance of your nose.
Improved Breathing & Airways
Septoplasty is a plastic surgery procedure that helps improve a deviated septum. The septum straightens to restore a natural balance to your nasal passages. Further, this procedure can be performed alone or alongside another Rhinoplasty procedure.
A Natural Appearance
Many patients simply desire a more natural appearance to their nose and face. Rhinoplasty surgery corrects large, crooked, bumpy or drooping noses to give you back your confidence.
Are you a Candidate for a Rhinoplasty?
A Rhinoplasty may be suitable for a patient with any of these concerns
Naturally Disproportionate Noses
Further some patients are unfortunately born with natural nasal deformities including overly large noses and nasal humps or bumps. This issue affects children, teens and adults, leading to ridicule and a severe decline in self-confidence. Rhinoplasty can also be performed on patients with fully developed noses.
Trauma or Accident Induced Deformities
Accidents cause deformities to the nose such humps or bumps, and/or a crooked, misshapen appearance. Some patients wish to correct their noses immediately after their accidents. However, Rhinoplasty surgery can be performed years after your accident.
Breathing and Snoring Issues
Chronic snoring is not only frustrating for your partner or family, it can also be the sign of a more serious condition. A deviated septum is the most common nasal deformity that can cause breathing issues – including the dangerous condition, sleep apnea. Further, deviated septums can occur naturally or due to trauma. As well as these issues, patients often have difficulty breathing in general. Septoplasty or Septo/Rhinoplasty may help correct this issue.
Download our Nose Job Surgery Guide
Real Patient Rhinoplasty Before and After Photos
Rhinoplasty Surgical Procedure
- The operation is performed under general anaesthetic and generally takes about two hours if closed or about 3 hours if an open operation is needed.
- Usually Rhinoplasty involves an overnight stay in hospital. It is possible for the surgery to be done on a day surgery basis if the surgery is minor. In general, this is not a painful operation but may be uncomfortable as you may be blocked for one or more weeks and have to breathe through the mouth as you would if you had a bad cold. You may experience some discomfort over the next 2-3 days. Pain relief will be prescribed for this time.
- Following the operation you will have a small plastic splint over the nose for protection. This should stay in place for about one week. Rarely small packs are placed into the nostrils. These should not cause undue discomfort and will be removed the morning following surgery.
- Your nose will feel strange, somewhat tight and swollen for several days and a degree of swelling and bruising, particularly around the eyes and cheeks, will probably be encountered. Bruising lasts 7 to 10 days but is made much less obvious with ice cold packs in the first 36 hours. Although most of the swelling settles in 4-6 weeks, there may be some swelling that can take six months or longer to subside. Swelling inside the nose can persist for several weeks and cause nasal stuffiness. Spray will be prescribed if this occurs.
Video Animation of the Rhinoplasty Surgery
Recovery After Rhinoplasty Surgery
The length of your recovery period after nose surgery will depend on your anatomy, general health and the specifics of your procedure.
Recovery processes and healing time frames can also vary significantly from person to person. Your lifestyle and choices after surgery can impact your healing and results.
Be sure you get adequate rest, good nutrition and don’t smoke. The general rule, however, is that you should allow at least 4-6 weeks for initial recovery following your surgery.
Scars can take time to fully mature, sometimes up to a year or more. Swelling may take an extended period of time to fully settle. You will need to work with your Surgeon to allow for adequate and proper healing time.
You need to be willing to follow the specific instructions given to you by Dr Sackelariou, and attend all post-operative consultations.
Be sure you wear the surgery tapes and splint as instructed and take advantage of the recommended recovery products to assist you during your healing and recovery.
Healing continues for a while after surgery as the skin shrinks and adjusts to the new framework. The quality of the skin overlying the nasal cartilage is an important factor in the final appearance of the nose. Thick and oily skin doesn’t conform well and may compromise the result. Older skin does not possess the elastic properties of younger skin and may preclude an optimal result.
Remember: there is no guarantee with surgery; the aim of this procedure is improvement not necessarily perfection.
Cost of Rhinoplasty Surgery
Every patient is different, therefore the prices vary. You will be given a price quote after your first consultation. This will include a Surgeon’s fee, Anaesthetist fee, Surgical Assistant fee, and the hospital fees.
You may be eligible for a Medicare Item Number or subsidy from your Private Health Insurance as nose surgery can be a functional surgery which is covered. Ask your surgeon or read the MBS Item Code Guidelines.
Most Popular Item Numbers used for Nose Surgery are
- Item 41671 Septoplasty or Septum surgery
- Item 41672 Nasal septum reconstruction
- Item 45635 Rhinoplasty partial for Bony vault correction – airway obstruction
- Item 45641 Rhinoplasty for airway congestion
- Item 45644 Rhinoplasty for an obstructed airway – using distant donor materials
- Both Items 45641 + 41671 – Septo/Rhinoplasty
You may also be able to get your Super Fund to pay for your surgery.
Additional Questions
What are the risks or complications of nose surgery?
As Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure, there is a small risk of complications. However as the surgery and anaesthesia are safe it is most unlikely you will experience difficulty.
However, there are potential problems you need to understand before proceeding with your surgery, including:
- Bleeding
In about 2-3% of cases bleeding might occur after rhinoplasty. Bleeding often happens immediately after treatment or that same night: this is why we advise our patients to stay in hospital overnight.
Don’t take aspirin or aspirin-like compounds for a week before and after surgery, because aspirin inhibits clotting and will cause bleeding. In order to assist the healing process we recommend you do not smoke for 10 days prior to surgery.
Minor oozing is not uncommon.
We also advise not to sneeze or blow your nose for two to three weeks after your operation as this can cause some bleeding.
- Infection
Infection is very uncommon following rhinoplasty because of the superior healing qualities of the face. You will also take antibiotics routinely. If an infection does occur it will be evident within the first week of surgery and could delay the healing process or result in scar tissue developing. If this does occur it may require further treatment with antibiotics.
In the unlikely event of infection the ultimate result may be adversely affected.
- Scarring
Incisions used to carry out the treatment are hidden: either the incisions are internal or involve a small cut through the base of the nose. The scarring caused can take up to two years to mature and are generally minimal and unnoticeable. And while great care is taken to create the neatest incision, the healing process is unpredictable and it is possible, but unlikely, you may be unhappy with some aspect of either your incision lines or shape of your nose.
- Nasal shape
When it comes to the shape of your nose, swelling can affect nasal contour and during this period of settling improvement in nasal shaping can be expected. Expectations of improvement with change of shape rather than perfection will most likely result in post-operative satisfaction.
- Breathing
You may notice some nasal congestion and restriction to airflow through the nose—particularly in the early post-operative months. As the swelling settles this issue will resolve. It is also important to note that you may experience a diminished sense of smell.
- Sensation
For the first few months the tip of the nose may feel numb, however this is quite normal and usually recovers completely. During the first few weeks post-surgery you might feel a stiffness or numbness in your upper lip; this is due to the swelling in the nose which affects the movement of your lip. As with all swelling this is only temporary.
- Anaesthetic
For this procedure you will be receiving general anaesthesia, and your anaesthetist will discuss possible discomforts following anaesthetic with you.
If you do have any questions about anaesthesia we recommend you ask your anaesthetist as they are best qualified to answer your question.
When can I return to normal activities?
Generally speaking you will be happy to see friends by the second week following surgery. It is important that you don’t over-exert yourself during the healing period or troublesome bleeding may occasionally occur.
Will I need a a "Re-Do" or Revision Rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty is a very complex and difficult procedure, the nose can move as it heals. The medical literature estimates there is a 20 to 30% chance of your needing a further nose job or revision rhinoplasty at some point in the future. Some people have had many nose jobs because they did not choose a good nose surgeon for their primary surgery.
For more information read this blog on avoiding a revision nose surgery
How important are psychological factors in relation to this procedure?
Before any cosmetic or plastic surgery is carried out it is important that you have realistic expectations. This will assist us in providing you with the best treatment to suit your needs. A new nose will not guarantee a new life nor will it put an end to your personal problems.
Please note: This information should not be regarded as a substitute for information and advice provided by your surgeon during consultation. All surgical procedures carry risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.