What to Expect After Your Facelift: Recovery and Results
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Rhinoplasty, often referred to as a “nose job,” is a surgical procedure designed to change the shape or structure of your nose, improve facial symmetry, repair damaged tissues, or correct structures that impair breathing.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons indicates over 220,000 rhinoplasties are done every year, making it the most common facial plastic surgery procedure.
At PNW Plastic Surgery in Portland, Oregon, board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Leo Urbinelli specializes in both cosmetic (unhappy with appearance) and functional (difficulty breathing) rhinoplasty. He’s also a master of “difficult” surgeries, rhinoplasty revision, cleft rhinoplasty, and traumatic nasal reconstruction using the most up-to-date technologies. What he wants his patients to understand, though, is that rhinoplasty can be so much more than just a nose job. Here’s why.
Whether it’s a droop at the tip of your nose that’s bugging you, an extra bump along the ridge, or a nose too large for the proportions of your face, you can fix the problem with a rhinoplasty procedure. Some of the most common cosmetic reasons for the surgery include:
One thing to note: If you’re looking for a more symmetrical nose, remember that everyone's face is asymmetric to some extent. That means your results may not be completely symmetric, instead reflecting the proportions and balance of your individual face.
Dr. Urbinelli also specializes in performing rhinoplasty on people of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds. This is important, because different races have different facial proportions and aesthetic ideals.
In addition to traditional surgical procedures, Dr. Urbinelli offers some patients a “liquid” rhinoplasty. This nonsurgical, cosmetic procedure uses injectable fillers (like those used on other areas of your face) to improve your nose’s shape and contours. He may recommend this procedure if you want to temporarily correct small bumps, a droopy tip, or asymmetry.
While rhinoplasty is the go-to option when you’re looking for a nose redo, it’s in the functional, or medical, area that the procedure really shines. Here are some non-cosmetic reasons a rhinoplasty may be recommended.
If any form of nasal obstruction prevents you from breathing –– or breathing well –– through your nose, it can lead to medical complications ranging from difficulty exercising to obstructive sleep apnea, the latter of which can seriously impact your overall health. Dr. Urbinelli may recommend a rhinoplasty to correct the problem.
Dr. Urbinelli tailors his work to the specific underlying problem. If polyps have grown in the nasal passages, he removes them. If the septum –– the cartilage that splits the right and left nostrils –– is bent, a septoplasty can straighten the tissue, fixing the problem. If the deviation is severe, though, or if it interferes with nasal support, he uses strategically placed cartilage grafts during a rhinoplasty to alter the nose’s shape and improve breathing.
As a reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Urbinelli has extensive experience using rhinoplasty to fix a cleft lip and palate. This common birth defect affects about 1 in 1,600 babies in the US and forms a split in the upper lip and soft palate of the mouth, sometimes extending up to the nose. Tissue growing into the mouth from either side in the developing fetus fails to knit fully together, leaving the gap. In these cases, rhinoplasty is part of a larger procedure that reconstructs the child’s features, solving both functional and cosmetic problems.
Broken noses are common, and you may want to have any deformity from the injury corrected for cosmetic reasons.
A broken nose, though, can also be a medical issue, leading to chronic breathing problems and sinus infections, and causing a loss of your sense of smell. Rhinoplasty restores your nose’s normal position and shape while opening blocked airways and allowing for proper drainage from the nose and sinuses.
No matter what your reason for seeking out a rhinoplasty, with Dr. Urbinelli as your surgeon, you’re in very capable hands. To set up a consultation, give PNW a call at 503-208-2348, or book online with us today.
