Frequently Asked Questions Rhinoplasty

What to ask the plastic surgeon about rhinoplasty.

Board certification in either plastic or ENT. How often does the surgeon perform the operation? (should be at least several per month) .

Ask to see pictures of pre and post op results (lots of them). If the plastic surgeon has his own operating room, make sure he can perform the same operation is a hospital (has peer review)

If you have a personal physician, have them check out the reputation of the surgeon. Do your homework! A gallery of patients should look like the one listed below. (Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon)

The most important question you need to have answered is are you going to be happy with rhinoplasty. The most important factor in answering this question is do you have realistic expectations and does your plastic surgeon have the skill, knowledge and experience to know and understand what the odds are that he can deliver those results to meet or exceed your expectations.

As you well know your surgeon should be a Board Certified Facial Plastic or Plastic Surgeon. Remember a Board Certified Cosmetic surgeon is an entirely different specialty then the 2 latter specialties.

Your plastic surgeon should have hundreds of procedures under his belt to handle a nose that is average in complexity and probably more than 500 or so to handle noses that are difficult in complexity. Always ask to see and speak to patients who have had the procedure done by your surgeon as pictures in photo albums don’t always tell the whole truth. (Jason B. Diamond, MD, Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Choosing a Plastic Surgeon

Questions to ask a plastic surgeon before surgery

Several Tips in Choosing a Plastic Surgeon Check to see that the surgeon has completed formal training in Plastic Surgery. This includes board certification by the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery or American Board of Head and Neck Surgery.

Make sure that you like the surgeons work. Look at his/her before and after pictures. This is a portfolio of his/hers artwork, if you like the work you should be pleased with your results. Speak to one or two of his former patients and be convinced that they are being honest with you.

Make sure the surgeon has privileges at a hospital to perform the procedure you are interested in. Make sure you get a computer image of what your nose will look like after the surgery. It will give an idea of what the surgeon has in mind and if you like what he is suggesting.

Make sure you feel good about the surgeon and his staff. You are embarking on a long relationship with him/her. See one or two other plastic surgeons just to get another viewpoint.

Questions to ask a plastic surgeon on consultation

Ask any and all questions, even if they seem trivial to you. Lastly, try not to choose a surgeon on celebrity status. Just look at what happened to Michael Jackson. (Oleh Slupchynskyj, MD, FACS, New York Facial Plastic Surgeon)

See before and after photos and talk to at least three prior patients

Choosing your surgeon is very important. Make sure your surgeon is a Board certified Facial Plastic Surgeon, ENT or Plastic Surgeon.

Check his or her prior work by speaking with prior patients and looking at before and afters. (Amir Moradi, MD, San Diego Facial Plastic Surgeon)

First of all you should watch and listen. You will learn a lot by noting how your doctor exams you, how good they are at listening to your concerns and addressing them appropriately. After you get through the consultation you should ask how many Rhinoplasties your plastic surgeon performs in a year.

There is no ideal number but you need to think about how often they are doing them. Is it one every 2 or 3 months or do they do 1-2 a week? The city your are in will effect this number. Next you need to ask to see examples of their work. Ideally they can show you photos of noses like yours they have operated on in the past and show you what kind of results to expect.

Ask plastic surgeon about what the risks of the surgery are and what are the limitations on what you can expect. These will hopefully guide you to make an informed choice. After you have seen several different physicians you will get a sense who is good at what they do. (Ivan Wayne, MD, Oklahoma City Facial Plastic Surgeon)

What you should ask plastic surgeon about surgery

Since I have done over 5000 rhinoplasties, I always say you should find out how many times the doctor has performed the operation. Equally important, you need to see many before and after pictures of his or her own patients. Although no two noses are alike, you should also try to see pictures of patients with a nose similar to yours.

Very importantly, you should also make sure that he or she is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the only recognized plastic surgery board (beware of other “boards.”). (Howard T. Bellin, MD (retired), Manhattan Plastic Surgeon)

Asking plastic surgeon about operation

  • Before having nose surgery you should ask your doctor several questions. They are as follows:
  • How long have you been doing nose surgery?
  • What type of training did you have?
  • Are you board certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery or the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
  • Is nose surgery your specialty?
  • How many nose surgeries do you do a year?
  • How many have you done in your life time?
  • What is your revision rate?
  • Do you know how to do nose surgery with both the closed and open approach?
  • Can I see before and after pictures of real patients?

These are a few basic questions that you should ask plastic surgeon. If they appear to be defensive its time to go somewhere else. (Carlos Wolf, MD, Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon)

What should I ask my surgeon?

Before you see a surgeon for a rhinoplasty, go to his/her website to determine whether rhinoplasty is a significant part of his/her practice.

It should be. You should be able to verbalize what is bothering you about your nose and then let the surgeon explain what realistically can and cannot be done.

There are many factors that determine the difficulty of a rhinoplasty. Ask about thick or thin skin, breathing problems. use of grafts and open or endonasal approach also.

If you want, my website has a whole treatise on rhinoplsty and what to ask.

It is called “A Short Discussion of Rhinoplasty” but is not so “short”. (Stuart H. Bentkover, MD, Boston Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Most importantly, can you reach my goals?

Other important questions:

  1. What techniques will be used?
  2. What are risks?
  3. How likely will I get the results shown?
  4. Policy for revision or problems after surgery?
  5. How much experience does the surgeon have? (David W. Kim, MD, Bay Area Facial Plastic Surgeon)

There are many issues that need to be addressed prior to nose job. Look at as many surgeon web pages as possible to get an idea of the possible results.

Have a firm grasp on what bothers you about your nose. Inquire about Board Certification. I would recommend a surgeon who is Board Certified by The American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, or the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Be careful. Not all “Plastic Surgeons” routinely perform nose job. Make sure the doctor actually touches your nose during the consultation.

Look at as many “Before and After” pictures as possible from the doctor you are considering. Make sure you are comfortable with the surgeon. (Gregory Pippin, MD, Metairie Facial Plastic Surgeon)

nose job considerations: Form follows function

It is critical that your Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon, Otolaryngologist, or Plastic Surgeon speak to you about the functional impact of nose job surgery.

Just as the is a principle associated with modern architecture in the 20th century: “Form follows Function”. The principle is that the shape of a building or object should be primarily based upon its intended function or purpose.

Just as an architect works to design an aesthetically pleasing yet highly functional space. so should your nose job surgeon consider the nose.

Sacrificing one feature for the other is never a worthwhile endeavour. (Stephen P. Smith, Jr., MD, Columbus Facial Plastic Surgeon)

If seeking a nose job surgeon, ask them if nose job is one of their passions

It may be difficult to determine which plastic surgeon to perform your nose job. You should determine if he or she is a board-certified plastic surgeon, and preferably members of ASPS, ASAPS, and The nose job Society. Look at their website, evaluate their credentials, evaluate their before and after photos, obtain a consultation and see if that particular surgeon meets your criteria. You may even ask to speak to previous patients who have undergone a similar procedure. (Sanjay Grover, MD, Orange County Plastic Surgeon)

What to ask about a nose job

Before asking questions, you need to decide what you want to change about your nose. Then, ask your doctor whether those are realistic goals and whether he agrees with you or has other suggestions. Look at his personal pre and post operative photos – especially of noses like yours – to see if he achieves results the way you expect. (Randy J. Buckspan, MD, Austin Plastic Surgeon)

Questions to Ask Your nose job Surgeon

When choosing a nose job surgeon it is very important that you choose an expert because the nose is an integral part of creating balance and harmony of the face. It is recommended that you not only select a surgeon who is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, but a surgeon who is also a specialist in nose job procedures. Once you find several qualified surgeons, you then need to find “the right surgeon”.

Questions to Ask Your Surgeon:

  1. Ask about specialty training in nose job.
  2. Make sure the surgery is performed in a fully accredited facility utilizing board certified anesthesiologists, registered nurses and medical staff that is trained in plastic surgery.
  3. Ask to see before and after pictures.
  4. Discuss realistic expectations for your nose. This is a highly individualized procedure, so no two patients are going to look exactly the same, nor will another person’s type of nose necessarily be the best solution for you
  5. Ask about how the procedure will be performed. What techniques will he/she use and what exactly does that mean?
  6. Ask how to prepare for your surgery
  7. Ask about recovery, possible complications and what is protocol if a complication does arise. Your surgeon should speak with you realistically and candidly about possible complications. Although they do not happen often, you want to be sure your surgeon knows what to do if this does occur.
  8. Ask about how soon until you can. go back to work, the gym, tanning, swimming, etc.
  9. Price – make sure you ask for the full price of the surgery, including OR fees, anesthesia fees, doctor fees, lab fees, cost of scar creams, garments (if you are having another procedure requiring one), etc.

It is always good to bring a list of questions and write down the answers so you don’t leave anything out. If you do forget to ask a question, your surgeon or physician’s consultant should be happy to answer any additional questions you have after you consultation. (Tarick K. Smaili, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)