
Rhinoplasty
(Greek: Rhinos, "Nose" + Plassein, "to shape") is a cosmetic surgical procedure which is usually performed by either an Otolaryngologist, Maxillofacial Surgeon, or general Plastic Surgeon in order to improve the function (reconstructive surgery) and/or the appearance (cosmetic surgery) of a person's nose. Rhinoplasty is also commonly called a "nose job". Rhinoplasty can be performed to meet aesthetic goals or for reconstructive purposes to correct birth defects or breathing problems. It can be combined with other surgical procedures such as chin augmentation to enhance the aesthetic results.
Rhinoplasty was first developed by Sushruta, an important physician (often regarded as the "father of plastic surgery") who lived in ancient India circa 500 BC, which he first described in his text Sushruta Samhita. He and his later students and disciples used rhinoplasty to reconstruct noses that were amputated as a punishment for crimes. The techniques of forehead flap rhinoplasty he developed are practiced almost unchanged to this day. This knowledge of plastic surgery existed in India up to the late 18th century as can be seen from the reports published in Gentleman's Magazine (October 1794).
In some cases, the surgeon may shape a small piece of the patient's own cartilage or bone to strengthen or increase the structure of the nose, this also helps some shooting pains that may occur. Sometimes this is done for cosmetic reasons (to improve the shape of the nasal tip, for example), or it may be done to improve breathing, function of the nose, and/or shooting pains located on the bridge.(may appear as an enlarged bump)
In rarer cases, a synthetic implant may be used to reconstruct the
To improve nasal breathing function, a septoplasty may be performed, with or without cosmetic changes. The cartilage that is removed may be used as a graft to improve the appearance and structure of the nose
Although techniques and methods employed during rhinoplasty surgeries are the same regardless of race, there are some trends that apply to patients of certain ethnic backgrounds.
Asian-American Rhinoplasty: Asian patients often want their noses to appear narrower. This can be done through the use of infractures, where the nasal bones are broken and moved in or reset to thin out the nasal area and add projection in the process. (Outfractures, where the nasal bones are broken and moved outwards, are used to widen a too-narrow dorsum.) Asian patients typically like augmentation (adding material) of the bridge of their nose which will make the nose appear narrower as well. In Asia, patients typically use a variety of alloplastic implants including Gore-Tex, Med-Por, or silicone. Due to the risks of alloplastic materials, natural materials to the bridge of the nose, such as rib cartilage (costal cartilage) or ear cartilage (auricular cartilage) are being used more commonly.
African-American Rhinoplasty: One common trend in African American Rhinoplasty is to narrow wide nostrils. This procedure may include removing sections of the base of the nostrils or sections of the nose where it meets the face. The tip of the nose can be restructured by removing tiny sections of cartilage to give the nose more shape, or even adding cartilage to provide additional structure to the nasal tip.




