Rhinoplasty/ Nose Job

We suggest that patients take 7-14 days off work depending on what they have had done (tip work only – few days; in fractures – 2 weeks). For most patients, recovery is uneventful. Small amounts of bleeding are common, and your nose will be stuffy. Most patients are presentable in public after the removal of the splint (7 days).

The final result is usually present at six months. The obvious major changes will be apparent immediately while the more subtle changes do take time to become apparent. Minor degrees of swelling can take months to settle down fully.

We are increasingly performing rhinoplasty on patients from Glasgow and Aberdeen as well as other parts of the UK. Rhinoplasty is a very specialised procedure, and prospective patients are taking time to research where they feel the best place to go is regarding consultation/ surgery.

A rhinoplasty or nose job is a surgical procedure designed to reshape the nose. Common indications include making the nose smaller, reducing the bridge (hump) of the nose, narrowing the nose, changing the nasal tip, reducing the length of the nose or lifting a droopy tip. Rarely surgery is requested to augment a small nose. Surgery is often requested by patients who have previously fractured their noses.

As mentioned above, it is easier when you are clear about what you don’t like about your nose and when your concerns match the examination findings. We appreciate that it can be difficult to express specific concerns in many cases. We will often take photos during the consultation, upload them, and discuss what may or may not be correctable.

I don’t like my nose, but I’m not sure why?

This is a common complaint and is usually correctable if it is caused by a deviated septum. The septum is easy to assess during the consultation, and any problems will be pointed out to you. Correction of a deviated nasal septum along with a cosmetic rhinoplasty is known as a septorhinoplasty.

We prefer to wait until patients are at least 18 years old and have completed the growth of their facial skeleton. It is crucial to consider an individual’s emotional and social maturity and to make sure that they fully understand the implications of rhinoplasty surgery.

No, as long as you are in good physical and mental health, age is not a factor. Rhinoplasty in the 40s and 50s is relatively common. However, it should be noted that the recovery period and swelling may last longer in older age groups.

If you do not like the way your nose looks and are willing to undergo a surgical procedure, and if you are in good physical and mental health, then it is worth having a consultation to discuss your concerns. During your consultation, we will talk with you in detail and examine you. If we feel we can fulfil your expectations, then we will let you know what can be achieved and what that involves.

Currently, we perform over 100 rhinoplasties a year within our practice.

Most patients who have rhinoplasty surgery with us in Edinburgh are of Caucasian background, but we also have many patients of Middle Eastern and Asian background.

We take a conservative approach to rhinoplasty, avoiding the ‘done’ look and aiming to give a natural ‘unoperated’ appearance. We will be realistic and aim to give you the best idea of what can be achieved.

Yes. Some patients have kindly agreed to allow us to use their images on the website (rhinoplasty photos). Many more patients are happy for their images to be viewed during the consultation. You will see a range of results.

If an open rhinoplasty is performed, then there is a small scar visible on the undersurface of the nose (across the columella). Scar quality varies from patient to patient, and scars can take up to 18 months to settle. With closed rhinoplasty, there are NO visible scars at all as surgery is performed via incisions on the inside of the nose.

You should have some idea about what you would like changed about your nose. It may be useful to write down any questions you may have. We will need to know your past medical history, including any previous nasal surgery. Some patients do bring photos of the kind of noses they like. Photos can be useful in helping to assess your needs and expectations.

We carry out all our rhinoplasty procedures as day cases. Overnight stay may be available at extra cost if required.

A general anaesthetic is used in our practice.

Depending on the complexity, it takes 1-2 hours.

Not usually. Typically there is not much in the way of pain postoperatively. Most of our anaesthetists use total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA), and generally there is little in the way of postoperative nausea.

Yes. This is a commonly asked question, and the concern is about pain when the packs are removed. We use soft packing which is removed the morning after surgery and causes little in the way of discomfort when removed at this stage.

We use a low-profile splint whenever structural work has been carried out. If you only need work on the tip of the nose, you might not need a splint. We remove the splint after seven days.

Patients with bony work carried out during rhinoplasty must wear a splint for seven days after their surgery.