Nose reshaping is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures among both men and women, from teen age to retirement age. As you might imagine, Dr. Cohen and I answer a lot of rhinoplasty questions every week at our busy practice here in Bergen County. We love talking with patients about improving the shape and structure of their noses. We are often troubled, however, when we hear that many have been considering rhinoplasty for a long time, but put it off, allowing their “nose malfunction” to continue distracting them from fully living life. We are hoping this blog can help, if you are one of those struggling.
What’s Stopping You from Getting Rhinoplasty?
Some NJ residents hesitate before rhinoplasty because they think they may not get a predictably good result or worry that everyone will notice. Many believe the procedure is painful or they’ll have to take a lot of time off for recovery. These are all misconceptions and obstacles that patients with a little insider knowledge can avoid.
The more you learn about having a nose job, the sooner you can cross it off your list by deciding if it is right for you. To solve the “should I or shouldn’t I?” issue for certain, you’ll need to meet with an expert surgeon about your specific case. In the meantime, we hope that our rhinoplasty answers, based on years of surgical experience, will help you.
What if I’m afraid to get my nose fixed, because I’m not sure how it will come out?
Surgical experience (in rhinoplasty) is the number one determining factor to predict a successful nose job. You can get a predictably terrific outcome from rhinoplasty, provided the right surgeon performs it. Surgeons’ records of success vary greatly. Generally some are top surgeons with nearly perfect records of patient satisfaction, while other surgeons have very poor stats. And with the surgeons “in-between” those levels, you’re taking your chances. Avoid rhinoplasty disappointment in New Jersey by:
- Looking for 10+ years of experience in complex rhinoplasty surgeries.
- Looking for advanced expertise. For the most certainty and confidence going into your nose job, seek out a reconstructive rhinoplasty surgeon and/or a plastic surgeon with microsurgery experience, which signal the highest levels of technical expertise and anatomical knowledge.
- Choosing the expert surgeon that you feel comfortable with and confident in, after meeting.
- Not settling for less.
How do I know I can trust a rhinoplasty surgeon? They all seem confident and have nice-looking websites.
You’re already on the right track. Visit the websites of a few board certified plastic surgeons–but don’t be overwhelmed. Slick, impressive-looking websites are very common these days. There is a certain “soul-less” feeling about the fake or exaggerated ones. These sites are not hard to set up, so look for more than that! You only need to spend time on the websites of experienced rhinoplasty surgeons, with an excellent record of success. Weed out your surgeons by:
- Checking with the Consumer Affairs Dept. of NJ website for a current license to practice medicine and the proper type of Board Certification: from the ABPS (American Board of Plastic Surgery), which is the only board recognized by the industry standard-setting organization, the ABMS (American Board of Medical Specialties.)
- Following the steps you’ll find details on our other “how to find a good plastic surgeon” posts. This will help you weed out less-than-stellar rhinoplasty surgeons and find who you really want to meet with. Then, schedule a meeting or two. You only need to do more if you’re not comfortable enough with one of the first surgeons. You can save time that way–but don’t stop until you find a rhinoplasty expert you genuinely like and trust.
Is a third rhinoplasty possible, with good results? Is a 3rd nose job safe?
Yes, but it’s not simple to accomplish. In some cases, it may be too risky to attempt a 3rd nose job. You need an expert, in-person evaluation.
- As we’ve stressed, locating a NJ rhinoplasty surgeon with the most experience and knowledge depth is your number one task for a good result from secondary or tertiary rhinoplasty. When you’re on your 3rd procedure, you especially need a rhinoplasty surgeon with reconstructive experience.
- Also, consider why the first 2 surgeries failed. Is it because your surgeon did not understand what you wanted? Are you unsure what you want from rhinoplasty and need an expert surgeon to help you clarify your goals? Was the prior surgeon(s) just unskilled, and you’ve since heard of a lot of unhappy patients? This helps you know what qualities you must look for in your final rhinoplasty surgeon.
- Always make sure you have a surgeon you communicate well with. Talk to your new, super-experienced rhinoplasty surgeon and try to determine what went wrong before—then take steps to ensure success. Choose the rhinoplasty specialist that you trust and who has the very best credentials.
Will my new nose “age well” after rhinoplasty?
After plastic surgery of any type, the body will keep aging and change somewhat over the years. What you want to avoid is a nose that droops at the tip after a few years or a nasal implant that extrudes from the skin–or other such disfiguring rhinoplasty issues, years down the road. Your NJ rhinoplasty surgeon must take care when planning and performing your nose job to ensure the longevity of rhinoplasty results. Top surgeons know how to achieve long lasting nose job outcomes for you. With the right surgeon, you will get a new nose that ages well.
Why don’t all plastic surgeons do revision rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty requires precise results if you want happy patients–and some surgeons don’t yet have the required experience or meticulous technique. Some plastic surgeons in northern NJ are not great with the bedside manner (not good communicators) so they would rather not do a surgery that requires that they understand exactly what the patient wants.
Some plastic surgeons would rather not commit the necessary time required to plan each revisional nose job. These surgeons deal in volume, and they can’t get an assembly line going when each corrective nose job is complex and completely unique from the others. Some surgeons don’t want to perform careful, delicate rhinoplasty surgery or don’t quite have the meticulous technique to do it well. If you’re not easy on the nasal tissues when performing surgery, you can lengthen the healing process or produce a bad outcome.
However, it is best if a surgeon is honest when they don’t want to or cannot perform rhinoplasty. Be happy if you learn a surgeon does not do these complicated revision nose jobs! What you fear are those who are cocky or confident–but don’t have the experience to back that up. Hence your need for research.
Are there any NJ-area surgeons who give free rhinoplasty consultations?
Some of the best plastic surgeons offer a free consultation for a nose job, but they may be hard to find these days. We feel no-charge consultations are the way to go–because we don’t want patients to feel they will lose money if they don’t choose us. We realize that every surgeon doesn’t make a good partner for every patient and there are some patients who are not good candidates for rhinoplasty or revision.
We don’t believe in charging a patient for not performing surgery. We feel very comfortable offering you the time to get expert rhinoplasty answers without the worry of cost. That’s because we enjoy meeting and helping patients make informed decisions about nasal surgery. We find it very gratifying to share information with you. That’s enough “payment” for us.
At Cohen/Winters, Patient-Focused Surgery is our Calling
Let us provide you some expert individualized help. Overcoming (or removing) obstacles is the path to a better life. Hopefully this post has removed some uncertainty for you. If your questions were not answered here or you have further questions about rhinoplasty, get answers–with a consultation at Cohen/Winters Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery here in Bergen County, NJ. Don’t let uncertainty hold you back when considering rhinoplasty. Consultations are free of charge.
