Guide:
- Am I A Better Candidate For A Surgical Or Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty?
- How Many Rhinoplasties Have You Done?
- Can You Show Me Before And After Photos Of Patients With Noses Similar To Mine?
- Can You Walk Me Through What To Expect On The Day Of My Rhinoplasty?
- Are You Experienced In Working With Noses Of My Ethnicity?
- What Results Can I Expect From Rhinoplasty?
- What Will My Recovery Be Like?
- When Will I See My Final Results?
- What Are The Possible Complications of Rhinoplasty?
- How Do Most Of Your Patients Feel About Their Results?
- What Happens If I Want A Revision Rhinoplasty?
- Ready To Meet With A Rhinoplasty Surgeon?
Our noses are at the center of our faces, so if you spend a lot of time focusing on this feature of your face, know that you are not alone. From dorsal humps and irregular dips to wide bridges and downturned tips, many people consider cosmetic interventions to make their noses appear more in harmony with the rest of their faces.
Many patients visit The Kaplan Center for surgical or non-surgical rhinoplasty because they are unhappy with their nose size, shape, or profile. From the bridge to the tip and nostrils, the nose is a complicated part of the face that requires assessment with meticulous care and a rich understanding of nasal anatomy.
- Am I A Better Candidate For A Surgical Or Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty?
Surgical and non-surgical rhinoplasty both yield excellent results with suitable patients. You should ask your doctor to analyze your concerns and the structure of your nose to determine whether you need a surgical rhinoplasty or a non-surgical liquid rhinoplasty to achieve your goals.
A traditional rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that can reshape, reconstruct, and re-contour the nose’s appearance. It can also restore breathing function for patients with irregularities such as deviated septums.
Surgical rhinoplasty can permanently alter the bone structure of the nose, including the cartilage, and is an excellent option for patients with concerns much deeper and more complicated than the superficial layers of tissue.
Dr. Kaplan is known across New Jersey for giving patients their dream noses with liquid rhinoplasty. This non-surgical procedure uses fillers to contour and reshape the nose and is often used to conceal bumps and lift downward pointing tips. Patients enjoy their liquid rhinoplasty results for 6-12 months, after which they would need further treatment to maintain results.
Liquid rhinoplasty is a good option for reshaping and concealing minor irregularities along the bridge and tip of the nose. It is unsuitable for correcting wide bridges, dorsal humps, or functionality issues.
Learn more about surgical vs. non-surgical rhinoplasty.
- How Many Rhinoplasties Have You Done?
Experience is everything when it comes to delivering a successful rhinoplasty. Ensure the surgeon you are meeting with has consistently performed several throughout their career. The more nose surgeries a surgeon does, the deeper they understand nasal anatomy and the more effective and seamless their techniques become. In other words, the more experienced a doctor is at working with noses, the more likely they can help you achieve your dream nose.
- Can You Show Me Before And After Photos Of Patients With Noses Similar To Mine?
An experienced plastic surgeon specializing in nasal procedures should have an extensive portfolio of before and after images of past patients. Ask to view as many as possible to gauge whether you like a surgeon’s style. If all of their patients’ results look the same, it may be a red flag that they use a “cookie cutter” approach and don’t deliver results that complement patients’ natural features.
See if the doctor has helped patients who started with noses similar to yours and look closely at the results they achieved and help you to decide whether a surgeon is the correct fit for you.
- Can You Walk Me Through What To Expect On The Day Of My Rhinoplasty?
No one wants to go into their rhinoplasty without knowing what to expect. It may seem like a simple question, but asking your surgeon what to expect on your treatment day will likely answer several other questions, such as procedure time, the medication prescribed for pain, the type of anesthesia used, and how to plan your arrangements for getting home afterward.
- Are You Experienced In Working With Noses Of My Ethnicity?
Patients of different ethnicities can have significantly different noses and concerns about their noses. Some surgeons’ experience with reshaping the noses of diverse ethnicities is limited. We recommend asking your surgeon if they have worked with patients of your ethnicity with noses requiring special techniques to help people love their noses while still maintaining their natural facial structure.
- What Results Can I Expect From Rhinoplasty?
Your doctor can show you what results you can realistically achieve with rhinoplasty using simulations of yourself photoshopped with the vision you discussed with them or photos of past patients with noses similar to yours. You should have a good idea of what your plastic surgeon can achieve for you before going into surgery because if it doesn’t meet your goals, you may end up unhappy with your results. Asking this question will help you understand whether or not your goals are realistic.
- What Will My Recovery Be Like?
With great surgical rhinoplasty results comes a long waiting period for your body to heal. According to Cleveland Clinic, swelling after rhinoplasty lasts about four to six weeks and gradually decreases after three months. Liquid rhinoplasty has very minimal downtime, but it’s still important to ask about it so you can take appropriate measures for the best healing.
We recommend asking about the recovery process after your rhinoplasty to ensure you are going into your journey with realistic expectations of when you will see final results and have a thorough plan for every step of your recovery. You should try to get the following questions answered when asking about recovery:
- How long will it take for the initial bruising and swelling to heal?
- How much time do I need to take off work?
- How long should I avoid strenuous exercising?
- Do you have any tips for easing discomfort and pain along the road to healing?
- How can I get the best results during recovery?
- When Will I See My Final Results?
While you see results almost immediately after a liquid rhinoplasty, surgical rhinoplasty requires a long road of healing, and it’s best to go into your journey understanding the process. Final results after a surgical rhinoplasty typically take an entire year to be revealed, but you should start seeing your newly shaped nose after about the 6-month mark.
The time it takes to see final results may be more or less than a year and depends on several factors specific to your surgery, from whether you need a septorhinoplasty to whether you need rib or skin grafts to achieve your goals.
- What Are The Possible Complications of Rhinoplasty?
Although rhinoplasty is a procedure that has been done safely for many years, like any surgical procedure, it comes with some rare but possible risks. While liquid rhinoplasty risks are minor, and any undesirable results can likely fade on their own or dissolve, surgical rhinoplasty comes with risks of anesthesia, asymmetries, numbness, infection, possible need for a revision, and more.
We recommend asking your doctor about all possible risks, no matter how unlikely they are, to give yourself an extra level of reassurance that you know what to expect if a rare circumstance arises during or after your rhinoplasty.
- How Do Most Of Your Patients Feel About Their Results?
Nothing gives you more reassurance than knowing other people have been in your shoes and had their needs met. Be sure to research your doctor and read their reviews to confirm their rhinoplasty patients have been happy with their results and experience.
We also recommend asking your doctor about past patients’ reactions to their results because they may have more testimonials that aren’t online. You may also want to ask about their revision rhinoplasty rate for past patients. If the doctor you’re meeting needs to deliver a second surgery regularly to improve or refine results from the initial surgery, it may call for reconsidering their skill.
- What Happens If I Want A Revision Rhinoplasty?
If you are considering a surgical rhinoplasty, understand that although it is not a common issue, you may end up unhappy with your results and want revision rhinoplasty. Gauge whether your surgeon is experienced with revision rhinoplasty and knows what to do if your initial surgery doesn’t give you the results you were hoping for.
Ready To Meet With A Rhinoplasty Surgeon?
If you believe rhinoplasty will help you love what you see in the mirror, schedule a consultation with New Jersey plastic surgeon Dr. Gordon Kaplan, well-versed in rhinoplasty and widely renowned for giving patients the noses of their dreams with or without surgery.
