Are You Often Asking Yourself ‘Should I Get a Nose Job’?

Changing the appearance of your nose is a major life decision, and there are a number of factors involved when you ask yourself ‘should i get a nose job’. If you are not happy with the size or shape of your nose, having a rhinoplasty procedure with a skilled and experienced plastic surgeon can certainly boost your confidence, but it isn’t something you should rush into before you have thought it through. Let’s have a look at some of the key factors you should be aware of before you embark on nose surgery.

The Non-negotiable Factors When Considering ‘Should I Get A Nose Job’

Your Nose Should Be Fully Grown

First of all, it’s important to note that your nose should have stopped growing before you can even consider a nose job for cosmetic reasons. This means that your age is an important consideration. Adolescents and young adults’ noses are still growing, and this has an impact on the end result. An exception to this would be patients who have nose jobs for medical reasons, such as patients who have cleft palates.

You Should Not Smoke

Smoking increases your risk of tissue damage and influences blow flow.

You Must Work With An Experienced And Skilled Surgeon

Your nose is the most prominent feature on your face so the experience level of your plastic surgeon should be non-negotiable. Rhinoplasty is considered a generally safe procedure, however, in order to manage your expectations, it is advisable to work with someone who is experienced. It’s always good to get referrals and recommendations from other happy patients. Before and after pictures give an accurate idea of the quality of work that you can expect, and allow you to compare pre- and post-surgical noses before you agree to work with someone. Also, consider that you may want to interview four or five plastic surgeons before you can make an informed decision about your nose job procedure.

What Are Your Expectations Of Your Nose Job?

Aligning your expectations with those of your surgeon is something that needs to be discussed. Your idea of aesthetics and his or her idea of what might suit your face could differ by a very wide margin. 

Being able to communicate this with your plastic surgeon is another matter too. Discussing your options and potential outcomes is a crucial part of the process, especially if you would like to be satisfied with the end result. Good aesthetics require balance and proportion and should be guided by the experience of your surgeon, in order for you to feel most comfortable. 

Never Underestimate The Power Of Recovery

It takes time to recover from a nose job, in terms of physical healing and in coming to terms with the look of your new nose. In fact, it can take up to a year for you to “Settle” into your new nose and for the tissues to heal. While most procedures are done as outpatient procedures, you can expect swelling, bruising and discomfort in the days following your surgery. When you search Google images for examples of other procedures you can expect to see patients with black eyes and bandages – this is relatively common – but this does improve quite quickly and in most cases, the worst of the swelling does go down in the month after the surgery.

Make sure you give yourself enough “downtime” to relax and rest afterwards. Ensure that you are well prepared for your recovery period, and be well stocked up on food and supplies so that you can be as comfortable as possible when you are healing. Factor in at least two weeks to rest, recover and settle down before you return to your pre-surgical activities. 

Don’t Preempt Your Results

As mentioned, it can take up to a year for your new nose to fully present (in some patients it can take up to 18 months for their new nose to be fully visible), so don’t judge it until sufficient time has passed. It is normal to experience bruising and swelling, and this influences what your nose looks like afterwards.

Should You Get A Nose Job?

If you are deliberating whether to embark on rhinoplasty surgery, first ask yourself:

• Am I unhappy with the shape or size of my nose, or would a nose job improve my confidence?
• Am I prepared to go invest in a year of healing in order to achieve a different nose shape or size?
• Am I prepared to do the research required to find the best plastic surgeon for nose jobs?
• Do I understand that it will take some getting used to before I fully accept and settle into my new nose?

If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, have finished growing fully, are a non-smoker and are comfortable with your risk factors, and still have questions related to should I get a nose job, it’s time to speak to a professional about your individual risk factors and personal needs. Please contact us for a confidential appointment.