Cosmetic, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery/Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty can reshape your nose to improve appearance and relieve breathing problems

doctor examining patient's nose

Rhinoplasty, sometimes known as a ‘nose job’, is surgery which can alter the shape and size of your nose. Rhinoplasty is typically done for either cosmetic or functional reasons such as improving breathing or fixing the nose post trauma or injury.

The nose is made up of nasal bone and cartilage as well as skin. During the rhinoplasty procedure your surgeon will be able to make changes to any of these three elements or all of them together in order to achieve your desired results.

Depending on what your individual concerns and goals are, your surgeon may use different techniques. There are two main techniques which are carried out under general anaesthetic – open rhinoplasty or a closed rhinoplasty. Open rhinoplasty involved making an incision across the skin in-between the nostrils and a closed rhinoplasty involved small incisions inside of the nostrils.

doctor examines patient nose before rhinoplasty

Closed rhinoplasty is often preferred by patients as there is typically no visible scar following the surgery. However, your consultant may prefer open rhinoplasty for the best results as this procedure gives them greater access to the structure of the nose.

During the initial consultation, your specialist will discuss the desired outcome of the rhinoplasty procedure and determine the best approach for achieving the desired results. Your surgeon may utilise digital morphing to guide you on the potential cosmetic outcome from your surgery.

If you are not satisfied with how your nose looks, then you may choose to have a rhinoplasty to improve the appearance. Alternatively people decide to have rhinoplasty surgery to restore nasal airflow and improve drainage which will help you to breath better.

Rhinoplasty permanently changes the structure of your nose and therefore the results typically will last for the rest of your life.

Patients need to be in good health and it is important to make your surgeon aware of any underlying medical conditions you may have to ensure nothing could interfere with the procedure itself or healing post-surgery. Rhinoplasty is not recommended for patients under the age of 18 years old because the nose has not completely developed. In order to have a rhinoplasty, it is essential for the nose to be fully grown to ensure optimised results and avoidance of further surgery.

The rhinoplasty procedure typically takes between one to three hours. In the event of a more complex procedure, the surgery make take longer, and the surgeon will discuss this with you during consultation and on the day of your procedure.

Procedure Overview

  • Cosmetic and functional procedure
  • Enhance the shape and appearance of the nose
  • Correct potential breathing issues
  • Two types of rhinoplasty: open rhinoplasty and closed rhinoplasty
  • Procedure involves making changes to the nasal bone, cartilage and / or skin
  • Typical procedure takes between one to three hours
  • Final results can be seen after approximately 12-18 months after surgery
side view of a woman before and after rhinoplasty

The total recovery time for a rhinoplasty is anywhere between three months to one year. For around six to twelve weeks after your procedure, there will be significant swelling in the area; however, this will begin to alleviate slowly after around three months. Final results can be seen when your nose has fully healed after approximately 12-18 months after surgery. It is important that patients have the time and ability to recover properly after surgery. This may involve taking time off work, avoiding strenuous exercise or other activities, and following the post-operative instructions of the surgeon.

During a rhinoplasty procedure you will be under general anaesthetic and therefore no pain or discomfort will be felt during the procedure. Following treatment, some pain and discomfort is usually reported from patients as a result of swelling and bruising. You may experience some minor bleeding too as the nose begins to heal. For the first few days, it is extremely common to experience a ‘bunged up’ feeling in the nose.

The price for a rhinoplasty depends upon the amount of work needed, and the cost will be confirmed following the initial consultation.

"Mr Randhawa performed my surgery this year, thanks to which I have been able to breathe after a very long struggle. He is very professional, knowledgeable and always takes time to listen to you and clarify any concerns that may arise. I could not recommend him enough."

"Mr Randhawa has been treating me over the years both privately and NHS. I was told repeatedly by doctors my doctor has done an amazing job for my nose surgery (no visible scar). Very responsive and reachable whenever I needed and understands my fears and worries and assured me."

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