Imagine not having any concerns about the size or shape of your nose; looking in the mirror and being proud of the way your nose looks, how it fits perfectly and in symmetry with the rest of your face; not showing any hereditary misshapenness or even the encroachment of time.

If you are dissatisfied with the size, shape, or general look of your nose, you are not alone. Over 220,000 people had rhinoplasty procedures performed last year. The reason for this is easy to explain. Your nose is one of the most obvious features on your face. If your nose is too big, asymmetrical or misshapen due to heredity, aging, accident or injury, people will notice. And the big problem is that you will notice too.

Many patients who come in for a rhinoplasty consultation have lived for years with embarrassment, insecurity and a loss of self-confidence and self-esteem due to constant attention on their nose and what people are thinking of them.

Much like having orthodonture for an extreme under-bite or overbite, having rhinoplasty can change the way you look and feel for the rest of your life.

With a rhinoplasty your plastic surgeon reshapes your nose, making it proportional and aesthetically pleasing. A cosmetic surgeon can do some wonderful things; straighten the bridge of your nose, reshape the tip, reduce or enlarge the overall size or just a portion of the nose. He or she can also fix or reconstruct a nose that has been broken due to injury or accident.

A rhinoplasty is performed one of two ways; one is called an open rhinoplasty and the other a closed rhinoplasty. Which approach the surgeon chooses, depends on the type and extent of the changes to be accomplished.

In a closed rhinoplasty, the surgeon makes incisions inside the nose. The changes to bone and cartilage are done underneath the skin. A “closed” approach may be used by a plastic surgeon when, for example, he or she is correcting a slight hump on the bridge of the nose.

Open rhinoplasty refers to a nose surgery in which a small incision is made across the narrow piece of tissue located between the nostrils and continuing on the inside of the nose. This “open” procedure allows the surgeon to get a better look at the nasal framework.

A surgeon may find the “open” approach more suited when operating to correct a deviated septum or correcting a nose that has a bulbous tip or needs more extensive reconstruction where getting a good look at the internal structure of the nose is vital.

Whichever approach is taken, the results can begin to be apparent one to two weeks after the surgery. Many patients are amazed at how great it feels to finally have the nose and changes in appearance they’ve wanted for a long, long time.

With rhinoplasty done by a top surgeon, board certified in plastic surgery, your look and your outlook can change for the better, giving you increased self-confidence and self-esteem.