How Rhinoplasty Affects the Rest of the Face
Since it is in the middle of the face, the nose borders or touches many other facial features. For this reason, patients often wonder if their rhinoplasty will affect the rest of the face. To answer the question, the physicians at Specialty Surgical Center take two approaches. In the short term, we can tell patients what to expect immediately after the surgery, while the next step is to evaluate the long term and see how the rest of the face can change following rhinoplasty.
Fortunately, our ear, nose, and throat physician, Dr. Victor G. Gentile, can address both because he is both an otolaryngologist and plastic surgeon. He is an expert in each field and is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and The New Jersey Academy of Otolaryngology/Facial Plastic Surgery.
After rhinoplasty, patients may experience minor changes in the rest of their face. For example, we’ve found that in the Specialty Surgical Center recovery room, some patients have dry lips following their procedure. This can persist, as patients may need to breathe and sneeze out of their mouths. Lip balm should do the trick, especially if applied before sleeping. This prevents the lip balm from getting rubbed off when patients talk.
Additionally, it’s possible for patients to have minor bruising or “bags” under their eyes. It is not common. Our surgeons assure patients that any droopiness or bruising will subside after about a week. Our staff advises against wearing eyeglasses after the supporting splint comes off, but our physicians can give patients tips on how to continue wearing glasses without damaging the nose.
Finally, patients can expect their nose to appear swollen in the weeks following the surgery. The length of the swelling period varies from patient to patient. However, our physicians know of a few tricks to get the swelling to subside sooner. For example, keeping the head elevated and using cold packs on the nose may help.
Aside from the short-term effects, patients seeking the rhinoplasty procedure for cosmetic reasons often ask whether the rest of their facial features will be affected after the nose is reshaped. Unfortunately, the answer is very indirect. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. While rhinoplasty does not typically change the rest of the face, a smaller nose will make the eyes and lips more noticeable. While rhinoplasty can be used to balance the face, the other features may become more prominent for some patients. For this reason, we urge patients to speak with Dr. Gentile before their surgery to learn exactly how the rest of the face will be affected.
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.