480.614.0499

Valley Facial Plastic Surgery | 8952 E. Desert Cove, Suite 205 | Scottsdale, AZ 85260 | Phone: 480.614.0499 | Fax: 480.273.8689

Rhinoplasty

Dr. Shepherd G. Pryor, V, MD, F.A.C.S has an excellent reputation for performing Rhinoplasty in Scottsdale, Arizona. One of the top cosmetic procedures in the United States is rhinoplasty. Rhinoplasty is performed to reshape the nose and may profoundly improve patients’ self-confidence and appearance. A rhinoplasty can alter the size, shape, bridge, tip, or nostrils of the nose thus enhancing the face and making the nose more proportionate. The surgery often results in a more balanced facial harmony that focuses attention on the eyes. In addition to improving cosmetic appearance, rhinoplasty may also be performed to improve nasal airflow and breathing.

Dr. Pryor has also received the compliments of his peers by receiving referrals from other surgeons to perform complicated revision rhinoplasty in Scottsdale, Arizona. Secondary or tertiary revision procedures are technically difficult but Dr. Pryor welcomes the challenges inherent in this operation. Patient's discouraged by their previous rhinoplasty feel confident that Dr. Pryor can acheive a result that they were hoping for from their original surgery.

Depending on the work being performed, rhinoplasty may be performed without external incisions to optimize healing and camoflaouge surgical technique. The incisions for rhinoplasty surgery can be made either inside the nose or in the skin that separates the nostrils. The skin is then lifted from the underlying nasal framework, after which Dr. Pryor sculpts the cartilage and bone into the desired shape. He then closes the incision with fine sutures and applies a splint to maintain the new shape.

The after-effects of rhinoplasty surgery are usually limited to minor bruising and swelling around the nose and eyes. Discomfort is generally mild and readily treated with light medication. After one week, Dr. Pryor will remove remaining stitches; most patients can return to work in five to seven days. If you wear eyeglasses, you should not let them rest on the nasal bridge for four to six weeks. Contact lenses are acceptable; we can also show you how to safely adjust your glasses during the healing period.

Every year, half a million people who are interested in improving the appearance of their noses seek consultation with facial plastic surgeons. Some are unhappy with the noses they were born with, and some with the way aging has changed their nose. For others, an injury may have distorted the nose, or the goal may be improved breathing. But one thing is clear: nothing has a greater impact on how a person looks than the size and shape of the nose. Because the nose is the most defining characteristic of the face, a slight alteration can greatly improve one's appearance.

If you have wondered how nose surgery, or rhinoplasty, could improve your looks, self-confidence, or health, you need to know how rhinoplasty is performed and what you can expect. No pamphlet can answer all your concerns, but this one can provide answers to many of the questions you may have.

Successful facial plastic surgery is a result of good rapport between patient and surgeon. Trust, based on realistic expectations and exacting medical expertise, develops in the consulting stages before surgery. Your surgeon can answer specific questions about your specific needs.

Is Rhinoplasty For You?

As with all facial plastic surgery, good health and realistic expectations are prerequisites. Understanding nasal surgery is also critical. Since there is no ideal in rhinoplasty, the goal is to improve the nose aesthetically, making it harmonize better with other facial features.

Skin type, ethnic background, and age are important factors to be considered in discussions with your surgeon prior to surgery. Before the nose is altered, a young patient must reach full growth, usually around age fifteen or sixteen. Exceptions are cases in which breathing is severely impaired.

Making The Decision For Rhinoplasty
Whether the surgery is desired for functional or cosmetic reasons, your choice of a qualified facial plastic surgeon is of paramount importance. Many facial plastic surgeons are trained in both ear, nose, throat, and facial cosmetic surgery, which provides you, the patient, with the highest level of training and expertise. Your surgeon will examine the structure of your nose, both externally and internally, to evaluate what you can expect from rhinoplasty. You are most likely to be pleased with the results of your surgery if you have a realistic idea of what nasal surgery can and cannot do.

You can expect a thorough explanation of the surgeon's expectations and the risks involved in surgery. Following a joint decision by you and your surgeon to proceed with rhinoplasty, the surgeon will take photographs of you and discuss the options available. Your surgeon will explain how the nasal structures, including bone and cartilage, can be sculpted to reshape the nose and indicate how reshaping the chin, for example, could enhance the desired results.

Understanding The Surgery
The definition of rhinoplasty is, literally, shaping the nose. First, incisions are made and the bone and cartilage support system of the nose is accessed. The majority of incisions are made inside the nose, where they are invisible. In some cases, an incision is made in the area of skin separating the nostrils. Next, certain amounts of underlying bone and cartilage are removed, added to, or rearranged to provide a newly shaped structure. For example, when the tip of the nose is too large, the surgeon can sculpt the cartilage in this area to reduce it in size. The angle of the nose in relation to the upper lip can be altered for a more youthful look or to correct a distortion.

The tissues are then redraped over the new frame and the incisions are closed. A splint is applied to the outside of the nose to help retain the new shape while the nose heals. Soft, absorbent material may be used inside the nose to maintain stability along the dividing wall of the air passages called the septum. Alternatively, soft nasal supports that permit nasal breathing post-operatively can be placed.

What To Expect After The Surgery

Immediately after surgery, a small splint will be placed on your nose to protect it and to keep the structure stable for at least five to eight days. If packing is placed inside the nose during surgery, it is removed the morning following the surgery. Your face will feel puffy,especially the first day after surgery. Pain medication may be required. Your surgeon will advise you to avoid blowing your nose for seven days after surgery. In the immediate days following surgery, you may experience bruising and minor swelling in the eye area. Cold compresses often reduce the bruising and discomfort. Absorbable sutures are usually used that do not have to be removed. Nasal dressing and splints are usually removed six or seven days after surgery.

It is crucial that you follow your surgeon's directions, especially instructions to keep your head elevated for a certain period after surgery. Some activities will be prohibited in the weeks after the procedure. Sun exposure, exertion, and risk of injury must be avoided. If you wear glasses, special arrangements must be made to ensure that the glasses do not rest on the bridge of the nose. Tape and other devices are sometimes used to permit wearing glasses without stressing the area where surgery was performed.

Follow-up care is vital for this procedure to monitor healing. Obviously, anything unusual should be reported to your surgeon immediately. It is essential that you keep your follow-up appointments with your surgeon.

Insurance does not generally cover surgery that is purely for cosmetic reason?. Surgery to correct or improve nasal function or surgery for major deformity or injury may be reimbursable in whole or in part. It is the patient's responsibility to check with the insurance carrier for information on the degree of coverage.

Preoperative packet
Postoperative care instructions