Nasal reshaping is complex, partly because it involves a three-dimensional, prominent part of your anatomy that is right in the middle of your face. The surgical complexity is deepened by the delicacy of nasal tissues that must be manipulated during a rhinoplasty procedure. For a dependably excellent result in rhinoplasty, you must seek out an authentic rhinoplasty specialist. Here are some of the main reasons that you shouldn’t settle for just the average surgeon to perform your rhinoplasty:
- Your nose is front and center: There’s no hiding a botched nose job—that’s perhaps the number one reason why you need a true rhinoplasty specialist in your corner. A specialist in plastic and reconstructive surgery of the nose, one with years of experience, develops very precise surgical skills. In a surgery like rhinoplasty, where even a millimeter of error will show up prominently and alter your results, you need this meticulous attention to detail.
- Your nose says a lot about you: Especially for individuals who are unhappy with any aspect of their nose’s appearance, the nose seems to get a lot of attention. If you don’t like the way your nose looks, you may avoid this attention and see it as negative. This feeling may limit your social life, affect your relationships with family and friends and hold you back from participating in things you might like to do! Not everyone seeking rhinoplasty feels this limited, however. In some cases, you might just want to improve your nose, to better fit your own taste. Your nose may be a distraction to you—and one that you’d like to do away with through rhinoplasty and nasal reshaping. A rhinoplasty specialist can help you achieve your goals and change your life for the better.
- Your nose should make your whole face light up: It’s the eyes that are often referred to as lighting up your face—and that’s very true. What we mean is that your nose should compliment your other facial features and bring them out. Your nose should fit in with your other features in a balanced manner. After a successful rhinoplasty, your eyes may very well get more notice and your nose, lips, cheeks and chin will create a harmonious facial appearance.
- The nose serves a core bodily function: The nose is not only located in the center of the face, it also has a central function in each of our lives: helping us to breathe easily and correctly. Your body cannot exist without an ample supply of clean air, which, for the most part, comes into the body through your nasal passages. Of course mouth breathing is an option, but if you must rely upon it (due to a problem with your nose), you can end up with excessive tooth decay, have trouble participating in sports or activities you enjoy and suffer in social situations. You don’t want to be forced to breathe through your mouth constantly, as many patients must, before having rhinoplasty and/or septoplasty to correct their breathing issues. The crucial function of the nose in your overall health is another factor that makes rhinoplasty a complex procedure, requiring specialized care.
- Noses are delicate: Even on the biggest guy, the nose is a complicated structure with small, but important, vaults of space within. You need a surgeon with years of experience, focused on the nasal anatomy, to correct, repair or reshape your nose properly. After all, who wants to ever go through a second rhinoplasty surgery? You need it done right the first time to avoid suffering disappointment and wasting time and money. If a less-experienced surgeon leaves you needing a revision rhinoplasty, the secondary surgery will be even more complex and may necessitate reconstructing part of the nose, including grafting cartilage from elsewhere in the body. Don’t trust your delicate nose to just any surgeon.
- There’s artistry involved: By choosing a rhinoplasty specialist who is a board-certified plastic surgeon, with years of reconstructive experience and a focus on rhinoplasty, you’re availing yourself of artistic expertise. Facial plastic surgery (particularly rhinoplasty) requires a keen aesthetic sense, perhaps more than any other type of surgery. You’ll know you’ve met a great surgeon when he or she can talk intelligently about beauty or attractiveness and the harmony of facial features.
- There’s dedication involved: When choose an expert surgeon who has devoted his or her working life to rhinoplasty, look a little further still. Make sure the rhinoplasty specialist you choose is interested in (and asks questions about) what you want from your nasal surgery. Your surgeon is an expert, but that doesn’t mean he or she should dictate what your nose “should” look like. Your surgeon can provide guidance where you need it, but make sure the surgeon is focused on what you want and need. You should actually get the feeling that the surgeon wants what is best for you. This is the hallmark of a true rhinoplasty specialist.
- You deserve the very best care.
What Makes a Rhinoplasty Specialist?
Did you know that, legally, any licensed medical doctor (with or without surgical training) can perform surgery, including rhinoplasty? The same is true for other plastic surgeries and any other surgery, on any part of your body. But you wouldn’t want that, right? You might think that no MD without proper surgical training would ever attempt such a thing, but you’d be wrong.
MDs with little to no surgical training can get an impressive-looking certificate calling themselves “cosmetic surgeons” by completing just a short surgical course. Dermatologists and other doctors do this fairly often, to expand their practice while overlooking optimal patient outcomes. You can avoid these folks! Here’s how to choose a top rhinoplasty specialist:
- Confirm proper board certification: This is distinct from (and beyond) your surgeon’s medical licensure–(although you should verify the state license to practice medicine issued by the State of NJ.) Select a surgeon with several years as a member of the ABPS, the American Board of Plastic Surgeons. The American Board of Medical Specialties, by the way, recognizes no board of “cosmetic” surgeons. The ABPS has strict requirements for certification, including an MD degree, plus significant (3 to 5 years) full-time postgraduate residency training in plastic surgery and reconstructive procedures. The residency program must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Then, the surgeon must pass oral and written examinations given by the medical specialty board to become certified in plastic surgery. In addition, the surgeon must maintain certification by showing that they have completed continuing medical education in plastic surgery each year, throughout their career.
- Check for surgical privileges: A dermatologist couldn’t do heart surgery, because s/he would never be granted such privileges from a well known hospital. Hospitals require well documented training and a successful track record. A rhinoplasty specialist will maintain privileges at a nearby hospital–even if most of their surgeries are done in a non-hospital surgery center. Your surgeon should have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Surgeons affiliated with university med centers are especially well qualified and desirable.
- Determine patient volume: Ask how many rhinoplasty procedures your surgeon does per year and the approximate total over the course of their career. Volume means that the surgeon devotes most of his time to rhinoplasty–and that’s what makes an expert: years and years of frequent practice.
- View the outcomes: Make sure the expert who will perform your rhinoplasty has produced results you like. You can get some idea of your surgeon’s aesthetics by looking at past patient photos. (And making sure there are many, many photos.) You can even ask to talk to a recent rhinoplasty patient about their experience and results.
- Evaluate communication: Only choose a surgeon with whom you feel you can communicate well. Choose a rhinoplasty specialist who has your complete confidence.
Which Rhinoplasty Specialist is Right for You?
There’s only one way to find out: schedule a consultation with an expert rhinoplasty surgeon and discuss your goals. At Cohen/Winters, we offer consultations to help determine if you’ll benefit from rhinoplasty and we’ll answer any questions that you may have. We urge you to contact our offices in Bergen County today.
