Plastic Surgery Basics – The 411 on Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that is performed to change and improve the appearance of a person’s nose, and is sometimes called a nose job. Most people call this plastic surgery procedure a nose job.

Rhinoplasty can be performed either for cosmetic purposes or reconstructive, to correct breathing problems. It can also be combined with other procedures such as chin augmentation to enhance aesthetic results.Rhinoplasty has an interesting history as it is one of the earliest forms of plastic surgery. It was developed by “the father of plastic surgery” Sushruta, in ancient India about 2,500 years ago. He and his students would reconstruct the noses that were amputated on criminals. In the western world the first intranasal rhinoplasty was performed in 1887 by John Orlando Roe. It was used for cosmetic purposes by Jacques Joseph in 1898. His first patient was a young man who was so embarrassed by his large nose that he didn’t go out in public. He heard about an otoplasty, or ear surgery which the surgeon had performed.The procedure can be performed under a general anesthetic or with local anesthetic, depending on patient and the  preference of the doctor. Incisions are made inside the nostrils, known as closed rhinoplasty. At times small  incisions are also made on the columbea, the bit of skin that separates the nostrils, known as open rhinoplasty. The surgeon will first separate soft tissues of the nose from the underlying structures and then reshape the cartilage  and the bone which is causing the deformity.In some cases, the surgeon may shape a small piece of the patient's own cartilage or bone to strengthen the structure of the nose. In rarer cases, a synthetic implant may be used to reconstruct the nose if the normal structure of bone and cartilage is badly damaged.

Rhinoplasty has become quite popular among many celebrities. Marilyn Monroe, Jennifer Gray and of course Michael Jackson are famous people who have had rhinoplasty.As with any type of surgery the best candidates are those who are in good physical, mental and emotional health and have reasonable expectations of the result to be achieved. As with any type of cosmetic surgery a board certified plastic surgeon should be consulted before making final decisions.

An aesthetician is often called upon to provide advice and information to clients who are considering various forms of plastic surgery. One of these surgical procedures that is often inquired about is rhinoplasty. While the esthetician is not a specialist, or even a doctor for that matter and should never give medical advice, the esthetician is in an allied profession, often working closely with plastic surgeons and is trusted by her clients. She is in a position to provide basic information and education to those clients in need, and therefore should acquire some rudimentary information herself concerning the various procedures she will be asked about.