Rhinoplasty

Would you like to improve the size or shape of your nose?

• Is your nose out of proportion with your face?
• Do you think your nose is too wide?
• Would you like to reshape the tip of your nose?
• Are you unhappy with the result of a previous nose job?

Dr. Eric Egozi specializes in facial plastic surgery, including rhinoplasty to beautifully reshape the nose, with

• Natural looking results
• Very little bruising
• Minimized recovery time

 Dr. Egozi answers Questions about rhinoplasty

What is rhinoplasty?

“Rhinoplasty-more popular known as nose job-is plastic surgery to reshape the nose. In most cases, rhinoplasty is performed for cosmetic purposes.

“Nose-reshaping surgery is considered reconstructive when it is performed to correct breathing problems due to a deviated septum, or to correct a birth defect or injury.”

How can the nose be reshaped?

“Rhinoplasty can address three distinct areas of the nose:

• The nasal bones ( the upper 1/3 of the nose)
• The ‘hump’  and breathing passage  ( the middle 1/3)
• The tip (the lower 1/3)

Are all the rhinoplasty procedures pretty much the same?

“No, I don’t perform the same nose reshaping procedure on every patient. Your nose reshaping will be individualized to make your nose look the way you envision. I also strive for natural-looking results-- a more beautiful version of yourself.”

How do you determine my rhinoplasty treatment plan?

“Your treatment plan will be based on a one on one consultation, where I will:

• Evaluate  your nasal anatomy
• Ask you about any injury or trauma to your nose
• Evaluate any breathing problems
• Discuss what you would like to change about your nose
• Customize a treatment plan to achieve the result you desire

“My goal is to give you the appearance you envision while maintaining and improving your breathing.”

Visit our photo gallery for before and after photos of Tampa and central Florida rhinoplasty patients.

 What is the septum?

“The septum is the thin wall of cartilage that separates the right nasal passage from the left. If the septum is not exactly in the middle of the nose, it is said to be deviated. A deviated septum can be something you’re born with or can result from trauma or injury to the nose.

“Although four of every 10 people have a deviated septum, it doesn’t necessarily need to be corrected for reconstructive purposes. If the septum is deviated and you are experiencing breathing problems,-or frequent sinus infections that may not be a reason to correct it for reconstructive purposes.

“If the nose is just curved or misshapen without a functional problem it any correction may be considered done cosmetic surgery to enhance the beauty and shape of the nose.

“A rhinoplasty performed to correct symptoms of a deviated septum is normally considered reconstructive surgery and may be covered by insurance. During your personal consultation, I will advise you on whether your nose reshaping might be considered constructive. Some rhinoplasty cases are partially reconstructive and partially cosmetic surgery.”

Do all plastic surgeon perform rhinoplasty?

“No. Rhinoplasty is a very specialized procedure- even some plastic surgeons who perform other facial cosmetic procedures like facelifts, brow lifts and eyelid lifts don’t necessarily do nose-reshaping surgery. However, I specialize in all facial cosmetic surgery including facelifts and nose-reshaping surgery.

“Unlike many other plastic surgery procedures, rhinoplasty often involves sculpting the bones of the face- a precise, highly technical and demanding procedure. That’s why it’s important to choose a board-certified facial plastic surgeon that performs many rhinoplasties and is skilled in the latest techniques.

“Rhinoplasty is one of the procedures I perform most often. As a facial surgery specialist, appreciate how the angles and shapes of the nasal bones and cartilage work together to create a beautiful focal point for the face.”

How can the chin affect the appearance of the nose?

These photos show a chin implant done in combination with rhinoplasty can balance the facial features.

What is the most common type of nose reshaping?

“Most of my patients want a refinement in the  hump- the middle 1/3 of the nose. The most common request is for a reduction of the hump, but in sore rare cases it may be more aesthetically pleasing to slightly raise the hump to balance the face, I will help you decide by recommending what I think is best for tour overall facial balance.

“A hump reduction should be performed by a skilled experience plastic surgeon because as the hump is lowered, surgical scar tissue can alter the shape of the nose’s tip or even affect your breathing. This is one of the most common reasons that patients who have had nose reshaping surgery elsewhere come to me for revision surgery.”

How can you improve on the results of a previous nose job?

 “That depends on what needs to be improved your breathing and/ or the appearance of your nose. Sometimes cartilage needs to be replaced; in other cases cartilage needs to be removed.

“If it’s necessary to add material to the nose, we need to find where to borrow cartilage. In cases where we want to take away cartilage we need to minimize scarring-which is something I specialize in.

“One patient came to me after going offshore for nose reshaping surgery. Too much cartilage had been removed from one side of her nose, which made her breathing passage collapse. She needed support added back to her nose to enable her to breather properly. I performed revision surgery to add the cartilage she needed to give her nose a normal appearance and function.”

 How is rhinoplasty performed?

“There are two basic rhinoplasty techniques: open and closed.

• Open rhinoplasty involves a small incision in the columella- the skin that separates the nostrils as well as the skin inside the nostrils. This allows me to lift the skin and shape the tip of the nose very precisely.
• Closed rhinoplasty involves incisions made inside the nostrils only.”

Which rhinoplasty techniques do you perform?

“I can perform both techniques, but I usually prefer the open rhinoplasty. Most patients want work done on the tip of their nose as well as the upper 2/3, so it’s easier to see with an open rhinoplasty.

“If I’m just working on the hump or dorsum of the nose, I can do that through a closed procedure. But when I start doing intricate work to refine the tip of the nose, or affecting the breathing passage by narrowing the hump, I prefer to do an open procedure.

“If I’m going to reshape the tip of the nose which is so vital to the shape and often a focal point of the nose, I want to see it with an open procedure. With a closed procedure, I would only be able to feel it.

When is it necessary to break the bone during rhinoplasty?

“If your nose is too wide for your face or if we are taking down a very big hump, sometimes I need to break the bones to give you an adequate breathing passage. Just because the hump is being reduced does not mean the nasal bones need to be broken. I evaluate and individualize the surgery for each patient.

How can rhinoplasty enhance the tip of the nose?

“The tip of the nose can assume a variety of shapes-boxy, bulbous or rounded, plunging or break-like, or upturned and pig-like. The nose’s tip is made up of cartilage that ideally is shaped much like a gull’s wings. When these ‘wings’ are too large, or turned, or shortened, or asymmetric they can result in a less-than ideal appearance.

 “During your personal rhinoplasty consultation I will address each of these areas and tailor a surgical plan to your anatomy to achieve facial harmony.”

How old should a patient be before having rhinoplasty?

“A patient should be at least 16 years old before having nose reshaping surgery, and should be physically and emotionally mature enough for the procedure. The patient’s parents also need to be accepting of their child’s decision to have rhinoplasty surgery, as one parent will need to give legal consent if the patient is under age 18.”

 Is Rhinoplasty outpatient surgery?

“Yes, I perform nose reshaping surgery on an outpatient basis. You can choose general anesthesia, where you sleep through the entire procedure, or opt for local anesthesia with IV sedation.

“If I’m going to be operating on your breathing passages, I will use general anesthesia to protect your breathing during surgery.”

How soon can I go back to work after rhinoplasty?

“Most patients can go back to work in 7 to 10 days. You will be wearing a splint on your nose for about a week. After that, you can return to work, if you have a physically demanding job, you may need to take a few more days off work to recover.”

How much bruising can I expect after rhinoplasty?

“The amount of bruising depends on the work being done. If you are having the width of your nose narrowed or a hump in your nose reduced, you can expect more bruising. Rest assure I have modified and use many of the latest techniques to minimize downtime or discomfort.”