We tend to think that aging only changes the quality of our skin, with our structural features staying as fixed in appearance as stars in the night sky. But it isn’t so! The nose, for example, continues to change with age. The skin becomes thicker and loses elasticity, so it droops. The cartilage weakens and the tip drifts downward with gravity. In addition, as we age, we lose bone density and volume.
Sometimes, this drooping can even interfere with your ability to breathe freely. To test if this is the case for you, push the tip of your nose up with your finger and see if it’s easier to breathe. If it is, nasal tip rhinoplasty surgery might benefit you both cosmetically and functionally.
Fortunately, an aging nose can be easily rejuvenated and made to function more efficiently again through functional and cosmetic rhinoplasty surgery. All that is needed is a little surgical refinement of the nasal tip and possibly some cartilage grafting. This cosmetic surgery is like “rhinoplasty light.” No bones are broken and the recovery is fast and nearly painless.
Tip refinement plastic surgery can be combined with other cosmetic surgery procedures such as a facelift, necklift or blepharoplasty (eyelid lift).
The Procedure
Rhinoplasty or nose job surgery on the aging nose can be performed in Dr. Yagoda’s New York City office-based surgical facility or in a NYC hospital, under local anesthetic with IV sedation or under general anesthesia. This plastic surgery procedure takes between 45 minutes and two hours. The exact surgical technique is uniquely tailored by the plastic surgeon for each patient but most of the time, all incisions are made internally and there are no visible scars. Sometimes, an incision is made at the base of the nostrils and the incision is carefully hidden.
Recovery
You can return to work in about a week after your plastic surgery and you’ll be able to use a stationary bike or treadmill by the second week. By the third week, you can return to full activities. Although you’ll see immediate improvement, your nose’s shape and your profile will continue to refine over the next 12 to 18 months.
Risks
Like all surgery, rhinoplasty on the aging nose has certain risks including infection, bleeding, and reaction to anesthesia. Other risks include structural damage to the nose. Dr. Yagoda will discuss these potential risks as well as the benefits of this plastic surgery procedure in full during your consultation in her New York City office.
To determine if you might benefit from rhinoplasty or nose job surgery, call Dr. Yagoda today to schedule your personal comprehensive plastic surgery consultation in her New York, NY office.
Read about Dr. Yagoda’s Integrative Post Operative Care Program
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