subject: Rhinoplasty Surgery: How To Prepare [print this page] Rhinoplasty surgery is the medical terminology used to describe what most laymen call the "nose job". It involves the doctor pulling the skin back from the nose and making adjustments in the bone and cartilage below. These adjustments change the shape and size of the nose to meet the patient's expectations. The procedure is commonly done for both cosmetic and practical reasons. If you're thinking of having this operation, here are some ways in which you can be prepared.
Because it is such a common procedure, many potential patients fail to take rhinoplasty surgery as seriously as they should. As with any operation, a nose job should be looked at as a major step, complete with risks and drawbacks. Even with the safest procedures, something can go wrong. Make sure you talk with your friends and family and those closest to you about the procedure and obtain all the information-both good and bad-before making an appointment. While the final decision will always be yours to make, don't ignore good advice or horror stories just because they go against your desires. Go into your procedure with your eyes wide open and do everything the doctor tells you to give yourself the best chance of a smooth recovery.
It's important, too, to go in with the knowledge that rhinoplasty surgery can make a big difference in your facial appearance. Take a look at some before and after pictures and make sure that you can be comfortable looking at a very different face in the mirror. While it may be your face with a different nose, most people underestimate how big a factor the nose plays in your overall appearance. Of course, this difference will be greater or smaller depending on the extent of your operation. Many doctors have software that can show you a nice approximation of the results before you go under the knife. This can help you with your expectations.
Unless you have had breathing problems as a result of your nose, rhinoplasty surgery is unlikely to be covered by your health insurance. For this reason, you have to be prepared for the cost. It's okay to shop around to some degree, but you won't want cost to be your main deciding point when it comes to choosing a surgeon. This is one area where the best bargain is not necessarily what you're looking for. Remember to factor in the possible cost of revision procedures, as this is necessary from time to time when it comes to nose jobs.
