Your Resource for a Rhinoplasty (Nose Job) in Houston, Texas

Each year, half a million individuals seek consultation to enhance their nose's appearance. Some people are simply not happy with how their nose looks either since they were born or how aging is affecting its appearance. Others, however, may have sustained an injury or trauma that's distorted their nose or has caused breathing problems in which surgery can help improve their breathing. Either way, this surgery, referred to as rhinoplasty, can have a huge impact on a person's appearance.

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Request a consultation for a cosmetic rhinoplasty (nose job) at any of our three locations in the Houston, Texas, metro area.

Clear Lake
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What is Rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty, also called "nose shaping", a "nose job", or “nose reconstruction”, enhances the proportions of your nose and facial harmony. It can also correct breathing difficulties due to structural defects of the nose. The motivation for a nose job could be to improve breathing, change the nose's appearance or both.

The nose's upper structure portion is bone; cartilage is the lower portion. Rhinoplasty can change cartilage, skin, bone or all three. Consult with your plastic surgeon about whether rhinoplasty is a good match for what you're looking to achieve.

Dr. Bradford S. Patt, MD, FACS at Houston Center for Facial Plastic Surgery offers rhinoplasty services. Dr. Patt is a Board Certified Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon by the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery.

What is a Nose Job?

A nose job is basically the same thing as rhinoplasty. If you're contemplating rhinoplasty, set up an initial consultation with Dr. Patt to discuss it. While meeting with Dr. Patt, discuss your goals and let him know what is bothering you about your nose and what you'd like to change about it.

Try to realize, nobody has a perfect nose. However, rhinoplasty can help enhance your facial features, emphasizing your natural and unique beauty. By consulting with your plastic surgeon, he can go over your precise facial features that make you the unique person you are and suggest different changes that could enhance your appearance.

Dr. Patt will take other facial features and structures of your nose into consideration when planning rhinoplasty. He also considers the skin on your nose and what you're looking to change. He then customize a treatment plan for you if you're a good candidate for the surgery. He’lll also take your overall health into consideration and discuss other things like your risks, costs involved and recovery time.

After his evaluation, he’ll let you know if your expectations or results you're looking to achieve are realistic. There are several techniques for nose reshaping. Once you make the decision to move forward with your surgery, your plastic surgeon will explain to you exactly what they will be doing.

Indications For a Nose Job/Rhinoplasty

There are two main indications for rhinoplasty: medical and cosmetic:

Medical reasons: It can be because of medical reasons, such as correcting nose-related breathing problems or correcting a disfigurement due to birth defects or trauma.
Cosmetic reasons: There may also be cosmetic reasons for rhinoplasty to change your nose's appearance and shape.

When is a Rhinoplasty Recommended or Indicated for Medical Purposes?

Some people have a rhinoplasty procedure done for cosmetic purposes only. But, for others, they aren't actually trying to improve how they look, but instead, correct a medical injury or condition.

Some medical reasons for rhinoplasty include:

Chronic Sinus Problems

A lot of people deal with chronic sinus issues like nasal allergies and congestion. In some cases, a deviated nasal septum is the reason which we'll discuss further below. Rhinoplasty, in these cases, can ease the problem or get rid of it altogether.

Cleft Lip or Cleft Palate

A cleft lip or cleft palate is a common medical reason for a rhinoplasty procedure. This is a birth defect that can cause eating problems if not corrected and cause children to not get the nutrition their bodie's need. While a cleft lip or palate might be fixed to improve a person's appearance, it's still a medical problem.

Other Medical Conditions

Other types of medical conditions you may need a nose job for are:

Burns

Injuries

Deformities

Chronic allergy-related nasal inflammation

Broken nose

In some cases, a brain tumor can even warrant a nose job procedure, whether it's malignant and the surgeon has to remove it or its benign but is causing problems to other bodily systems and organs.

Deviated Nasal Septum

You most likely have heard of the term "deviated septum." A deviated septum describes a condition where you have an off-center nasal septum (central nose cartilage). It can make it hard to breathe through your nose. Typically, you can notice a deviated septum more on one side of the nose and it can result in sinusitis or sinus infections.

With a deviated septum, you'll require a septoplasty, which the surgeon can perform along with a rhinoplasty. This is a surgical corrective procedure the surgeon performs to straighten the nasal septum (the partition between your two nasal cavities).

Around 80 percent of all nasal septums are off-center. If you receive a diagnosis for a deviated septum, your doctor will refer you to a plastic surgeon to correct it with a septoplasty. After your septoplasty procedure, it should be easier to breathe through your nose on both sides. In a lot of cases, people don't even realize they're having trouble breathing through their nose until they have this procedure done.

When is a Rhinoplasty Recommended or Indicated For Cosmetic Purposes?

When a cosmetic surgeon reshapes the nasal structures, including cartilage, skin and bone, they may help achieve one or more of these types of things:

Smooth a notable bump in the nose bridge

Straighten a crooked nose

Narrow a nose too wide for a face

Reduce the length of a nasal tip protruding out

Reduce a large nose's size

Refine a bulbous nasal tip's size

Restore a nose's symmetry following injury

A lot of the times, the plastic surgeon can hide incisions inside the nose when reshaping the nose. Or, they can inconspicuously place the incisions on the outside of the nose.

Your nose should not take away from your face, but rather complement it. When looking at others, you see their eyes, mouth and hair. If you notice their nose, chances are, it's a distraction, meaning a nose can either make or break your face and appearance.

A poor looking nose can knock your self-esteem down. But, an effective nose job procedure can help improve it. While undergoing an effective rhinoplasty procedure will help enhance your confidence of your appearance, it won't change any deeper self-esteem issues. So, you'll need to set realistic expectations on how a nose job will impact your life.

Dr. Patt will discuss your expectations with you during your consultation as well as your rhinoplasty options before they perform the procedure.

Who is the Best to Perform the Rhinoplasty Procedure in Houston, Texas?

A nose job procedure is highly complex, demanding a specially trained surgeon. You'll want to choose a cosmetic surgeon with extensive facial cosmetic surgery experience, is board certified, and who performs rhinoplasty as a substantial part of their practice.

When you're consulting with possible surgeons, inquire about the number of rhinoplasty procedures they've performed. Ask to look at "before and after" photos of their past rhinoplasty patients. The results should look natural for each patient and the results should look good to you. This will indicate the surgeon's aesthetic sensibility aligns well with your own.

The last thing you want is to end up with an inexperienced surgeon which will increase your chances of ending up with poor results, leading to additional time, costs and headaches.

So, you'll want to find a board certified cosmetic surgeon with plenty of skills and experience in rhinoplasty procedures to get the best results. Here are some tips for choosing the best rhinoplasty surgeon:

Ensure the surgeon is board certified. During your interview with them, find out if they're board certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.
Make sure they're experienced in the specific procedure you want (in this case, rhinoplasty). There are different areas of cosmetic surgery that require different skills. For instance, a surgical procedure on a nose with cartilage, breathing passages and bone is not the same thing as a surgical procedure on a breast — the breast is made up of mostly soft tissue.
Select a cosmetic surgeon whose aesthetic sense you find appealing. During the interview, be sure to look at each surgeon's prior rhinoplasty results carefully.
Pay attention to how the plastic surgeon and their staff members make you feel. You should be 100 percent comfortable with both the surgeon and their staff. Go with one who you trust completely with your results and your safety.
Learn more about the surgery facility. The operating facility and anesthetist has a lot to do with your safety during the procedure. Accredited surgical rooms come with key life support systems in the event something should go wrong.
How is the customer service? You want to be treated and served well. You'll notice pretty much right away how the customer service is when you walk through the door.

Who is the Best Candidate for Rhinoplasty?

Both men and women of all ages can benefit from nose jobs. Nose jobs are a popular cosmetic procedure for teens as well, but most if not all surgeons will be sure to evaluate the younger patients to ensure they're ready for rhinoplasty. The nose needs to be developed physically. This usually is around 14 years of age for girls and 16 for boys. Young patients should also demonstrate understanding about the procedure and emotional maturity.

All patients, no matter how old, need to have realistic expectations. A nose job can help enhance your existing nose, but it can't provide you with perfection and it can't give you somebody else's nose either. A qualified, skilled cosmetic surgeon will talk about this with you and explain what's possible for you to achieve a nose that will look natural with your facial features.

You might be a good candidate for a nose job if:

You are physically healthy

Your facial growth is complete

You have realistic goals and a positive outlook for your appearance's improvement

You don't smoke

Does Insurance Cover a Nose Job?

When considering nose reconstruction, you’ll likely want to know about the costs. You’ll want to know: does insurance cover rhinoplasty?

If you have insurance, be sure to speak with your insurance provider ahead of time to know exactly what's covered and what will be out-of-pocket. Insurance providers usually reimburse the rhinoplasty cost if it's done to correct or improve breathing or a major deformity due to an injury. However, they might not cover the rhinoplasty costs if it's purely for cosmetic reasons.

If your insurance policy doesn’t cover a cosmetic nose job, you can likely obtain in-house or flexible financing.

Our blog post: “How Much Does Rhinoplasty (Nose Job) Cost in Houston, Texas?” provides more detailed information on the cost of nose reconstruction.

How Much Does a Nose Job Cost?

On average, a rhinoplasty procedure at our facility costs a little over $7,000; this covers the surgeon's fee only.

The costs of a nose job can vary widely. The average cost above is just one part of the whole cost — it doesn't include operating room facilities, anesthesia or other related expenses. The surgeon's fee for a nose job will also be based on their experience, the geographic location of their office and the type of procedure. A lot of cosmetic surgeons offer financing plans to the patient for their rhinoplasty procedures, so you'll want to ask.

When selecting a board-certified cosmetic surgeon in your location for your nose job, keep in mind your comfort with them and their experience are just as important as the total cost of the procedure.

What to Expect After your Rhinoplasty Procedure?

Following your procedure, you will likely require bed rest where you raise your head higher than your chest. This helps decrease swelling and bleeding. You may experience a congested nose due to the swelling or the splints the surgeon places inside your nose.

In a lot of cases, you'll need to keep the internal dressings in place for a few days (up to seven days) after your procedure. The surgeon tapes the splint to your nose for support and protection. You'll leave that in for around a week.

Slight drainage and bleeding of old blood and mucus are common for several days following surgery or after you have the dressing removed. The surgeon might place a "drip pad" (gauze) under your nose using tape to absorb drainage. You'll change this drip pad according to your doctor's directions, but don't place it tight against your nose.

To reduce your chances of swelling and bleeding, the surgeon might ask you to follow certain precautions for a few weeks following your procedure. They might ask you to:

Not blow your nose.

Avoid strenuous activities like jogging and aerobics.

Eat foods high in fiber like vegetables and fruits to avoid constipation which may cause strain adding pressure on the site of surgery.

Take baths and not showers while your nose is still bandaged.

Brush your teeth gently limiting upper lip movement.

Avoid extreme facial expressions like laughing or smiling.

Wear clothing that fastens in the front and don't pull clothes over your head like sweaters or shirts. Don't rest sunglasses or eyeglasses on your nose for a minimum of four weeks following your procedure to avoid pressure on your nose. Tape the glasses to your forehead or use cheek rests instead until your nose heals completely.

You may notice some black-and-blue discoloration or swelling of your eyelids the first couple weeks following your procedure. Nose swelling takes some time to resolve.

Because your nose changes throughout life anyway regardless of having surgery or not, it's hard to say when your "final results" will occur. Most swelling, however, goes away within a year.

Very slight changes to your nose structure, measuring often in millimeters, tend to make a huge difference in the appearance of your nose. Usually, an experienced cosmetic surgeon can achieve results both you and they will be happy with. However, in some cases, a second procedure may be needed for further changes.

What's Your Next Question Regarding your Nose Job in Houston, Texas?

Your next question will likely be, "where can I find a plastic surgeon near me?" Dr. Bradford S. Patt, MD, FACS at Houston Center for Facial Plastic Surgery offers rhinoplasty services in the Houston and surrounding areas. For more information on a nose job procedure or to schedule your initial consultation, please schedule your consultation today online or call (281) 649-7170.