Male Rhinoplasty

Men typically consider having a rhinoplasty to achieve a nose that does not look out of the ordinary. On the other hand, women think about a rhinoplasty to have a nose that is small and feminine.  Women want a cute nose with nice subtleties and a pretty shape.  Men want a nose that is a normal size and is not distorted, or looks out of place.

Most men undergo a rhinoplasty to decrease the size of the nose and/or to correct a distorted shape from trauma to the nose. Often a man will state that his nose looks like his father’s and that the overly large nose is a trait of his family.  A nasal injury can distort the shape.  Sports activities are a frequent causes of nasal injuries.  Men seeking nasal surgery often report sports injuries to their nose.  A hump may be the result of a broken a broken.

OPEN AND CLOSED RHINOPLASTY

A closed rhinoplasty is an endonasal rhinoplasty. In this technique, the surgical incisions are placed inside the nostrils. No part of the incision is seen externally and there is no visible scar.

The open approach is also known as an external rhinoplasty. This technique uses hidden internal incisions as well as a small incision placed across the columella in order to connect the incisions on the left and right nostrils.

The technique used can depend on the repair needed.  Also the determination to proceed with a closed or open rhinoplasty depends on the surgeon’s preference. Most surgeons who do rhinoplasties on a regular basis can obtain a good result using either an open or closed technique.

DO RHINOPLASTY TECHNIQUES DIFFER BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN?

The surgical approaches and techniques used on both men and women are similar, but the procedure is altered to achieve the desired result. On women, the nose is generally made smaller and refined to achieve a small, angular feminine nose. The male nose is also made smaller, but a strong masculine nasal shape is maintained.

RISKS

Overwhelmingly, rhinoplasty procedures go smoothly. First, an elective rhinoplasty will only be performed on healthy individuals. Second, it is rare for a person to get an infection. Finally, the nose has a good blood supply and tends to heal well.

The greatest risk scarring which is hard for the surgeon to control. The scarring might cause the nose to distort a little one way or another. For the most part, it is not something people would pick up on unless they were really looking for it.  Occasionally, the scarring may distort the nose and require treatments ranging from injections to repeat surgery.

BREATHING ISSUES

Breathing problems are sometimes present before surgery.   If this is the case, the surgeon should be notified. Often this problem can be improved at the time of the procedure.  If the nose is overly narrowed there can be some problems with breathing.  If breathing problems occur, additional surgery may be necessary.

NOT MUCH PAIN

One of the good things about rhinoplasties is that people generally do not experience a lot of pain. A rhinoplasty is usually done under general anesthesia. The patient will be asleep while the actual surgical procedure is performed. Once awakened from the anesthesia, patients complain of a throbbing discomfort or pain that can be treated with pain medications

RECOVERY

Bruising and swelling is observed after the surgery. It is not something a person can hide. The hardest thing for most people is taking time out of their life because they do not want to go to work with a bruised face. The bruising is the worst during the first week. Some people may be bruise-free by the second week. The swelling can affect breathing for the first week.  Swelling varies from person to person, but is generally acceptable by 10 to 14 days.

RESULTS

In a typical male rhinoplasty that reduces the size of the nose and/or straightens it, the results will be seen immediately. Major swelling will persist for several weeks.  Minor swelling and firmness may take several months to improve.  If rarer cases, a year may be necessary for the last little bit of swelling to go away. It may be three to six months until patients see the final results., however, most people are happy with the results they see at two to three weeks.

REVISION RATES

There is a difficulty tree or thought process that rhinoplasty surgeons go through. Think of the number one as the perfect nose and the number five as a nose that has been totally destroyed and looks terrible. A doctor is not going to take somebody from a five to a one. In general, they can make things two steps better.

For most surgeons, the revision rate is less than 10%. A good rhinoplasty surgeon who does a lot of rhinoplasties on non-injured and straightforward noses may have a rate as low as 1%. Some doctors who do rhinoplasties take on harder cases so they are going to have a higher revision rate. That doesn’t mean they’re not good surgeons, they’re just willing to take on the hard cases. That is why some plastic surgeons shy away from more difficult cases because they do not want to have a high revision rate.

SETTING EXPECTATIONS

Doctors have to set expectations and let patients know what can and cannot be done with a rhinoplasty. A person that comes in with two nasal fractures and having had two rhinoplasties in the past has a higher chance of coming back for some revision work and is not going to get the result of a straight forward rhinoplasty.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The goal of most men with rhinoplasty is to get a more normal looking nose. Men do not want a big nose that looks out of place or out of the ordinary. Male (and female) patients should consult with a board certified physician in order to determine what results they should expect and to be realistic about what can be achieved.

Written by Cosmetic Town Editorial Team- MA

Based on an exclusive interview with William Burden, MD in Destin, FL