A Blog published by the Cosmetic Centers of Hawaii

Great rhinoplasty results in 4 easy steps.

  

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Is your nose causing you trouble? Perhaps you’re suffering from severe allergies or sleep apnea. Or, perhaps you had a facial injury in the past, causing your nose to be out of alignment. Whatever the reason, if your nose is causing you physical or emotional discomfort, we can help.

Doing something for the first time, especially when it involves a surgical procedure like rhinoplasty, can be overwhelming. This article was created to help guide you through the process.

Let's begin with four steps you can take right now to begin the process of deciding if nose surgery is right for you:

Step One: Understand your goals and desires

Are you just beginning to explore nose surgery options, or is this something you’ve been thinking about for a long time? Talk to your doctor about your concerns. Ask if a referral to my office would be helpful in your situation. After you schedule your first consultation with me, I will begin by taking your complete medical history. I will then generally talk to you in detail about what surgical (and non-surgical) options may be appropriate for your particular situation.  

If you are considering nose surgery for aesthetic reasons, such as misalignment, ridges or bumps along your nasal bridge, we’ll discuss those concerns in detail. You may think a feature is too large or too small, or perhaps you’ve had nose surgery in the past that didn’t heal quite right. I will share my experience with you so you’ll have a clear idea about what to expect.

Step Two: Imagine your ideal nose

If you are considering nose surgery for aesthetic purposes, we can provide you with an ultra high-resolution 3D image of the results. All rhinoplasty consultations include a virtual surgical simulation with our state-of-the-art VECTRA X3 system. VECTRA X3 captures images of your own face to create highly detailed, very realistic 3D images of what you can expect from your surgery. We can also show you the combining effects of surgery, such as a rhinoplasty with chin augmentation or rhinoplasty with facial resurfacing.

Another way to come to an understanding is to use photographs. Begin by collecting pictures of noses that have characteristics you admire. If a family member or close friend has a nose that you like, ask if they will sit down for a photograph.

I understand that explaining cosmetic changes to your nose can sometimes be a bit difficult. That's okay. We can use 3D simulations, videos and diagrams to understand the rhinoplasty procedure. 

Step Three: Open and honest conversations

The more you discuss your goals with me, the more I will be able to help you achieve your desired outcome. I want to encourage you not to be bashful or embarrassed, because I have seen and heard everything before! Chances are, I’ve already worked on several cases just like yours. My goal during our consultations together is to make you as comfortable as possible during this entire process.

One of the first things we’ll do together is go over an illustration of nasal anatomy so that you’ll understand how your nose's physical characteristics will or will not be affected. I use several before and after photographs to demonstrate the types of results you can expect. I can also offer you some guidelines about what you can expect and what is medically realistic for your particular situation. If there is an underlying medical issue, this is where you’ll learn how surgery can fix your problem once and for all.

Step Four: Review your consultation

I know it's difficult to remember everything we might talk about during our consultations. That’s why I want to encourage you to take notes during our meetings. As you think about your rhinoplasty procedure over the next few days, write down all the questions that come to your mind, whether you think they are relevant or not. Then, bring your list of questions to our first consultation. Here are some of the most common types of questions I get:

• Can you help me breathe better?
• Can you help me sleep better?
• Can you do something to help me with my allergies?
• I’m not sure what I need done, I just know I need something.
• What is the ideal age for rhinoplasty? (Am I too young or too old?)
• How much does rhinoplasty cost?

Did these questions spark any ideas for other questions related to your situation? If so, write those down now.