June 25th, 2010
Nose job recovery requires patience. The face and mainly the nose are initially swollen; there are bruises around your eyes. Some bleeding is also common during the first few days.
The application of cold compresses may lessen swelling and bruising. A slight residual swelling may keep on for several months. Bleeding is ordinary for the first few days of a nose job (rhinoplasty) recovery. You will be told not to blow your nose for about one week. As another part of the rhinoplasty post-operation instructions, patients will also be advised not to bend over with their head below the heart as this may increase swelling and bleeding. The nasal packing will be removed after a few days, and the splint (which covers the nose after surgery) and/or stitches, will be removed one to two weeks later.
Generally, part of the recovery process is staying in bed with the head elevated for the first 24 hours. Your face may feel puffy, your nose may ache, and a dull headache may be present. Pain can be managed with medication prescribed by the rhinoplasty surgeon.
Most of the rhinoplasty side effects, like swelling and bruising, will disappear after two to three weeks. Residual swelling may remain for several months to one year after a nose job, but this is usually not noticeable to anyone but the patient and the surgeon. The final results of surgery may not be visible for up to a year.
To learn all about rhinoplasty recovery, talk with Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon Dr. Vartany in person by requesting a consultation.
Tags: Los Angeles rhinoplasty, Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon, nose job, nose job recovery, Rhinoplasty, rhinoplasty post-operation instructions, Rhinoplasty recovery, rhinoplasty side effects, Rhinoplasty surgeon
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June 23rd, 2010
Many people would be interested in knowing what the best age for a rhinoplasty procedure is. To tell you the truth, a lot of this depends on the basic circumstances surrounding the procedure. Usually you have to wait until your nose has completed finished growing, which happens approximately between the ages of 15 to 17. But this can also differ depending on the gender of the potential rhinoplasty candidate. Females may usually undergo the procedure between fourteen and fifteen years of age, while males may have to wait as late as 20 years of age.
Discuss this with your Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon as he/she may feel that your nose has not completely finished growing and thus will recommend that you not undergo rhinoplasty surgery.
It is absolutely clear that you may not like your nose, even in teenage years, but the fact of it is that until your body has completed grown, it is senseless to undergo any cosmetic surgery. There are many people out there who want rhinoplasty because they do not like the way their nose looks, but in 5 or so years when they stop their development they decide that they are happy with their nose the way it is.
So before deciding that you have no other choice and have to get the procedure done, it is important to make sure that your nose has fully developed.
There are cases when the nose has a malformation that may be causing a medical health issue, in which case all of these things may be set aside. In case of a malformation, the aesthetic and psychological effects of rhinoplasty are set aside to remedy a health problem. Should you have a medical issue like difficulty in breathing which can be remedied by a rhinoplasty procedure, then you will also have to discuss this with a rhinoplasty surgeon to make sure that you can qualify for reconstructive and not a cosmetic rhinoplasty procedure.
Schedule a free consultation with a board-certified Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon Armen Vartany to discuss your individual case.
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June 18th, 2010
Open rhinoplasty is a technique for nasal surgery where the cartilage of the nose is exposed by peeling back the nasal skin. This is done with a small outside incision on the “columella”, the aspect of the nose sandwiched between the two nostrils, and additional incisions placed inside the nose. The incision placed outside usually heals well and rarely causes cosmetic problems. These incisions have the form of a zigzag.
Advantages of Open Rhinoplasty
Grafting is generally performed more extensively in open nasal operations than with endonasal or ‘closed’ rhinoplasty. Unfortunately, this ease of exposure and grafting does not necessarily translate into a better outcome for every patient.
Revision rhinoplasty is still a common procedure sought out even after open nasal reshaping plastic surgery. Some extensive secondary reconstructive rhinoplasties are best approached through the open technique. The closed rhinoplasty operation may truly be inferior for these complicated revision rhinoplasties.
Disadvantages of Open Rhinoplasty
An open rhinoplasty lasts longer. Usually, the additional time necessary for opening and closing the nose easily adds an additional hour or more to the overall surgery time. As a rule open rhinoplasty takes 3 hours.
There may be more scaring after an open nasal reshaping operation. More surgical dissection and separation of tissues are necessary for the open rhinoplasty procedure. These operated nasal tissues have to heal afterwards which means scaring. Scaring may cause thickening of tissues or it may create forces which can pull structures in unwanted directions. Thus, added support with grafting is important. The additional scaring is more important, if revision surgery becomes necessary.
The swelling may last longer. No scientific studies have been performed to prove this notion but rhinoplasty surgeons who perform both, open and closed rhinoplasties, observed this difference. Reasons lie in the additional surgical dissection required for open rhinoplasty and the extra healing necessary afterwards. Though these advantages and disadvantages of open rhinoplasty are real, they do not make this operation better or worse if compared to the closed approach.
Tags: closed rhinoplasty, open rhinoplasty, revision rhinoplasty, Rhinoplasty, rhinoplasty procedure, Rhinoplasty surgeon
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June 17th, 2010
The number of Asian-Americans patients who turn to Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeons to improve their looks is growing continuously. Since Asian noses tend to have a wide bridge and a flat nasal tip curve, the current Asian rhinoplasty trends involve the changing and reshaping of these characteristic features.
The Bridge
Asian-Americans who come to the decision to undergo nose surgery generally want to make their nasal bridge higher. To accomplish this, a piece of silicone is inserted above the natural bridge to create a nose bridge that projects farther from the face. However, most of the patients complain that this technique results in an obviously artificial nose. Sometimes, the sharp edges of the implant are even noticeable through the nose skin. However, recently plastic surgeons have begun using cartilage grafts to build up the nasal bridge during Asian rhinoplasty. The cartilage is taken from the patient’s own body and helps to achieve a more natural look. A synthetic material called Gore-Tex is also becoming very popular because it is safe and is not visible under the nose skin.
The Tip
Asian-Americans generally have wide nose tips with wide, flared nostrils. This is why one of their primary requests is for a smaller, more defined tip and more proportional nostrils. If more than simple reshaping is required, implants can be used to get the desired definition.
The key to a successful Asian-American nose job is to keep the nose balanced with the rest of the face. The nose surgery should not make the tip too small or the bridge height too high for the rest of the face. It is of utmost importance for the surgeon to preserve the ethnicity to make the nose after the rhinoplasty as appealing and natural looking as possible.
Tags: Asian rhinoplasty, Asian rhinoplasty trends, Asian-American nose job, Los Angeles rhinoplasty, Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon, nose job, Nose surgery, Rhinoplasty surgeon
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June 10th, 2010
Over the last decade, the popularity of male rhinoplasty procedures for aesthetic reasons has increased among men. They seem to be more and more concerned about their looks and even opt for plastic surgeries to become more handsome.
Male rhinoplasty is much the same as female rhinoplasty except for the fact that the nose is shaped to look masculine rather than feminine. Even ethnic male rhinoplasty does not involve any special procedure. The main difference between male and female rhinoplasty procedures is that while women expect to have smaller noses after such an operation, most men are more interested in shape than in size.
Male facial features are firmer and require a similar nose to balance them, and that is why a man with a button-like nose on his face will hardly look handsome. This is the reason why men usually expect an improvement in the contour of the nose without losing the characteristic feature of it. They want to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing nose, usually by reshaping the nose to make it appear less prominent.
Reshaping might mean a reduction in width but rarely in length; the Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon may be asked to smooth the bridge of the nose and reshape the cartilage but he will rarely change the profile, unless it is crooked. This is the reason why male rhinoplasty is considered to be easier from the surgeon’s aspect. On the other hand, when bones are involved, things become a bit different. Men’s bones are tougher and thus the nose surgery can become more traumatic for a man – there will be more serious swelling afterwards and probably more broken blood vessels.
For more information on male rhinoplasty, please contact us to schedule a free consultation with a reputable and board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon.
Tags: board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon, ethnic male rhinoplasty, female rhinoplasty, Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon, male rhinoplasty, Nose surgery, Rhinoplasty surgeon
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June 9th, 2010
Unlike breast augmentation, face lift and many other cosmetic surgeries, rhinoplasty lasts forever, since once removed, bone or cartridge will never regrow.
If a nose job is carried out properly, the results should not deteriorate over time. However, in case of a poor rhinoplasty procedure, nostrils may begin to pinch or scar tissue can form.
Though nose surgery results are permanent, the aging process will have an effect on the appearance of your nose as your face changes, but the overall reshaping and new nasal structure should remain the same. Though nose reshaping surgery is permanent, many people prefer revisiting their surgeon to keep track of the progress of their nose. In such cases if they feel any changes do need to be made, they are able to consult their Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon and discuss their options.
Despite the permanence of rhinoplasty results, you may want to reshape your nose again as your face matures and is reshaped with age or you may simply want to touch up your surgery after the initial rhinoplasty. If you wish to do this, then you should undergo revision rhinoplasty. This procedure can be ideal for enhancing or revising the poor aspects of your initial rhinoplasty.
Scaring after rhinoplasty
Some slight and almost unnoticeable scarring is inevitable after rhinoplasty. The extant of scaring depends on the type of nose surgery: a closed rhinoplasty surgery creates scars only on the inside of the nose, whereas an open rhinoplasty which may be necessary for more extensive reshaping, creates only one external scar at the base of the columella. This scar fades over time, becoming nearly impossible for others to detect.
Tags: breast augmentation, closed rhinoplasty, face lift, initial rhinoplasty, Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon, nose job, nose reshaping surgery, Nose surgery, open rhinoplasty, revision rhinoplasty, Rhinoplasty, rhinoplasty procedure, rhinoplasty results, Scaring after rhinoplasty
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June 3rd, 2010
Finding the right Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon is almost a guarantee for a satisfactory nose job outcome. It is a time-consuming, discriminating but worthwhile process which requires careful homework and patience. The most important factors when trying to find the right nose job surgeon are the following ones:
Board certification
Board certification is an important aspect because it ensures that your surgeon has the required qualifications, training and experience to perform plastic surgery procedures safely and skillfully.
Training
The knowledge and skills level of a plastic surgeon mostly depends on where he/she has received training. As a rule, good training institutes are run by renowned hospitals and provide complete training in the sculpting and handling of skin tissues.
Experience
Experience is what makes a surgeon “good” or “bad’”. Rhinoplasty surgery is an extremely versatile industry where new changes are introduced everyday and therefore it is of utmost importance for the surgeon to stay updated not only academically, but also practically.
Hospitality and communication with patients
Most rhinoplasty surgeons may have showy clinics at first sight, but when it comes to hospitality and proper communication with patients, things are quite different.
Before and after photos
Go through the ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures of previous clients. This will give you a general overview of the surgeon’s esthetic style, as well as an idea of actual surgical outcomes by that particular nose job surgeon. Many rhinoplasty surgeons have a ’signature nose’ that they perform. This means that many of their patients come out looking very similar in terms of the appearance of the nose. Make sure your surgeon’s photo gallery does not include “signature” noses only.
Rhinoplasty testimonials
Take a look at the testimonials from other patients that had rhinoplasty by that surgeon. Speaking to some of the surgeon’s past rhinoplasty patients is also helpful to gain insight into their experience.
Tags: Los Angeles rhinoplasty, Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon, nose job, nose job outcome, nose job surgeon, plastic surgeon, plastic surgery, Rhinoplasty surgeon, rhinoplasty surgery
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June 1st, 2010
Post-surgical bruising is just a blood strain on the underside of the skin and is quite normal after rhinoplasty. Since eyelids are the thinnest pieces of skin on the entire body, most of the bruising is concentrated around the eyes.
The extent of bruising after rhinoplasty is individual, some patients may experience very little noticeable bruising, while others may suffer from dark marks above and below the eyes that resemble the classic “black eye” for some days. Bruises do not indicate any serious complication and should disappear by the tenth day after the nose job. Here are some tips to reduce bruising and minimize discoloration.
First, you should stop using anything that might contain blood thinning agents which can be found in many products like aspirin and wine for at least 2 weeks prior to the procedure.
It is also important to quit smoking. It is proven that patients who do not smoke have a better healing ability and a smaller chance of extensive bruising then those patients who smoke since the nicotine lowers the ability to fight off infections as well as naturally repair the body after an injury like a nose job.
Prepare plenty of ice packs that, if used properly, can significantly reduce swelling and bruising. Elevate your head above the rest of your body when using the ice packs so that blood is not rushed into the area from gravity.
Keep irritations to your nasal cavity to a minimum. Any type of touching or scratching may irritate the healing tissue under the skin and may increase bruising.
If you have a history of bruising, inform your Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon so that he/she may take proper precautions to minimize any unsightly bruising.
In case your nose job surgeon notices that something goes wrong during the rhinoplasty recovery period, he/she will advise you what additional measures you should take to reduce post-surgical bruising.
Tags: bruising after rhinoplasty, Los Angeles rhinoplasty, Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon, nose job, nose job surgeon, Post-surgical bruising, Rhinoplasty, Rhinoplasty recovery, Rhinoplasty surgeon
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May 26th, 2010
“Ethnic rhinoplasty” is a cosmetic surgery procedure performed on non-Caucasians. Historically ideal nasal proportions have been based on Caucasian white females’ facial features. As a result most non-Caucasian individuals have become “victims” of Westernized standards when considering rhinoplasty.
However, these standards are now being replaced by more multicultural ones. The current beauty trends encourage the improvement of nasal features only with the maintenance of ethnic characteristics.
Modern rhinoplasty concentrates on the fact that different ethnicities have different nasal characteristics which requires a unique approach to every patient. The goal of ethnic rhinoplasty is to achieve optimal aesthetic results without diminishing cultural background and heritage.
Some common techniques that are generally employed in ethnic rhinoplasty include bridge augmentation and nasal base reduction. Bridge augmentation can be performed using one’s own cartilage or other well tolerated implant materials. Nasal base reduction can reduce the size of the nostrils as well as narrow the overall width of the nose base.
The results of ethnic rhinoplasty surgery can be as good as those of Caucasian nose jobs. Plastic surgeons can alter the nose to make it appear straighter, longer, narrower and more aesthetically pleasing. Whatever the patient’s race or gender, the goal is the same: change the nose to give the face a better sense of symmetry, balance and straightness.
Ethnic patients should select a board certified Los Angeles nose job surgeon who can address their individual needs. Special care must be taken to discuss the ethnicity-related issues during the rhinoplasty consultation process.
Tags: board certified Los Angeles nose job surgeon, Cosmetic surgery, Ethnic rhinoplasty, ethnic rhinoplasty surgery, Los Angeles nose job, Los Angeles nose job surgeon, nasal base reduction, nose job, nose job surgeon, plastic surgeon, Rhinoplasty, rhinoplasty consultation
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May 25th, 2010
During the first post-operative week you should limit your activities as much as possible. Though you are encouraged to walk about the house, you should avoid bending at the waist or lifting heavy objects. Remember that overexertion may result in bleeding. When sleeping try to keep your head elevated on 2-3 pillows and avoid turning on your side.
Do not lose control over your emotions. Post-rhinoplasty depression is usual, but do not let it take over you. Crying will only add to the swelling and initiate bleeding. This state will quickly pass as you will begin to feel and look better.
Use plenty of fluids and easily chewable foods for at least the first week after your nose surgery. Clean around your nostrils with hydrogen peroxide three times a day. After cleaning, place a little amount of Vaseline or antibiotic ointment around the nostrils to keep them from drying out.
During the first post-rhinoplasty week, swelling will obstruct your nasal passages making it harder to breathe. You may use a humidifier which will make breathing through the mouth more comfortable. Blowing or sniffing should be avoided as it will only irritate the healing tissues and slow down the rhinoplasty recovery. Sneeze with your mouth open to decrease the pressure on your nose and reduce the risk of bleeding.
You may take a bath in the tub on the first day after the nose job, while showering is allowed on the second post-operative day only. Try to keep the cast dry while taking a bath or shower (in case the cast becomes wet, dry it with the help of a blow dryer). Washing your face with a mild soap is also allowed. Avoid being in smoke-filled areas as excessive smoke may irritate the nasal tissue. The use of alcoholic beverages is also not encouraged as it may increase your chances of bleeding.
For further questions concerning your activities during the first post-surgical week, contact your Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon.
Tags: Los Angeles rhinoplasty, Los Angeles rhinoplasty surgeon, nose job, Nose surgery, post-rhinoplasty depression, Rhinoplasty, Rhinoplasty recovery, Rhinoplasty surgeon
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