If you're considering rhinoplasty, which is commonly known as a nose job, you will have to sit down with your plastic surgeon to discuss the surgery. The surgeon will consider your medical history to make sure that you're a good candidate for the operation. He or she might use terms that you're not quite familiar with, so it's a good idea to brush up on these five terms that deal with rhinoplasty:
- Closed Procedure
In a closed-procedure rhinoplasty, the surgeon will work inside your nose, sculpting tissue and cartilage. The closed procedure eliminates noticeable scarring, but the surgeon must be very skilled because the surgical area is narrow, and tissues, cartilage, and bone are difficult to see and sculpt.
- Open Procedure
In open-procedure rhinoplasty, the surgeon will make an incision in the cartilage between the nostrils. This procedure tends to be easier for the surgeon because he or she can expose the entire structure of the nose. This makes precision surgery easier to achieve.
- Septoplasty
This is a specialized type of rhinoplasty that corrects a deviated septum. This is a condition in which the structure that's supposed to evenly divide the inside of the nose is crooked. Interestingly, most people have a septum that's a little bit crooked, but it only becomes a problem if it interferes with breathing.
- Downtime
This is how long it will take you to be able to resume most of your usual activities after the rhinoplasty. A complete recovery from rhinoplasty can take about a year. You should avoid strenuous exercise for about three weeks after the surgery, and you may have to take painkillers for a few days. You also should not blow your nose forcefully for at least a month.
- Cartilage
Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue that gives shape to the flexible part of your nose. During rhinoplasty, cartilage may be removed or trimmed. Sometimes cartilage grafts are needed to give the nose the shape you want. Cartilage is often grafted from your ear or even your rib.
