The nose took centre stage when over 150 of Australia’s top Facial Plastic Surgeons and Plastic Surgeons met in Sydney recently for the inaugural combined conference of the Australasian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery and Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons to focus on functional and aesthetic rhinoplasty.
image via pinterest
Better breathing, less snoring and marital facial harmony are all more achievable when rhinoplasty is performed at its best.
“Nobody knows more about noses than the keynote speakers we attracted to this meeting,” said Australasian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery President and Symposium Co-Convenor, Dr George Marcells.
“If this meeting was held anywhere else in the world, there would be 1,000 surgeons attending,” said Symposium Co-Convenor, Mr Peter Callan, a Plastic Surgeon and member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons.
The intimate nature of this meeting – held at the National Maritime Museum in Sydney from 8-10 October 2015 – provided an opportunity for sharing close to 1,500 years of combined knowledge and hands-on experience with what is regarded as one of the most difficult procedures to perform.
Rescu. caught up with Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon and one of the Master Symposium’s keynote speakers, Dr Andrew Frankel to find out the facts and how technology is changing the future of rhinoplasty.
What are the most common reasons for having rhinoplasty?
Most commonly a nose job is done to achieve balance and harmony with the other facial features.
What do women ask for?
Women generally desire a more feminine nose that looks narrower from the front and slightly raised at the tip but still looks natural.
What are the health benefits of corrective surgery?
Health benefits include the ability to breathe better through the nose and decreased sinus problems.
Is there an ideal age for surgery? How young is too young?
A rhinoplasty is not advisable until a girl is two years out from her menarche (puberty). For boys it should be delayed until they are emotionally mature and have slowed their growth rate (usually around 18).
What does the procedure entail?
The procedure entails making changes to the structure of the nose and allowing the soft tissue to re-drape over the new shape. We have learned over the years that wounds contract when they heal and if the underlying framework of the nose is not stable and strong that it will distort as time goes on. Because of this we use cartilage grafts and sutures to create our desired shape changes rather than simply remove and thin out the cartilage. There are an incredible number of manoeuvres that we can apply to reshape a nose and the choice of what specific techniques to apply depends on what the patient desires or requires.
What is the down time? Scarring?
Downtime is usually 8-10 days for returning to social functions and three weeks before returning to the gym. Scarring should be minimal.
What are some questions to ask the surgeon before selecting the right surgeon for the procedure?
Questions to ask potential surgeons include how often they perform the operation, what the potential complications are, what their personal revision rate is. At this time it is also commonplace that they perform computer imaging with you to establish a goal.
What are the latest technical updates to this procedure?
There are several new technologies being applied for rhinoplasty including the piezotome device, which allows us to make more accurate and controlled cuts into the bone with less trauma. Computer imaging has become an indispensable tool for rhinopalsty in that it allows for the greatest degree of communication between surgeon and patient for creation of a desired, optimal outcome to shoot for. Aside from these recent technological advances there is always an evolution of surgical techniques and the recent ones have continued to push the envelope as to what we can do to create the strongest framework that will stand up over time and wound contracture.
RHINOPLASTY QUICK-FACTS
Rhinoplasty is one of the top five cosmetic surgery procedures worldwide.
1. It is estimated that 8,000 nose jobs are performed each year in Australia for aesthetic reasons; when you include septal work and broken noses – this figure doubles.
2. Most rhinoplasties today are performed using an open-structure procedure, which affords better access to the tip of the nose.
3. A typical rhinoplasty surgery takes two to three hours to perform
4. Recovery time is usually two weeks
5. The cost of a rhinoplasty is between $10,000 and $12,000 including surgical, hospital theatre and anesthetic costs. If functional work is involved there may be eligibility for a Medicare rebate.
Want more advice for living a fabulous life? Follow us on Instagram or join the Rescu. community by tagging #liveyourfabuslouslife in IG posts.
