Building a stable "nose job" - Ann Arbor Plastic Surgery

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Building a stable “nose job” for Michigan rhinoplasty patients

In our practice, many or our patients mention their concerns about unnatural looking “nose job” results in their consultations. Many Michigan rhinoplasty procedures performed in the 80’s, 90’s, and even today used the “reductive rhinoplasty” technique.  This technique involves removing contents from the nose to give the appearance of a sharper, smaller nose.  This approach has some major drawbacks.

Rhinoplasty results change dramatically over time.  As bone and cartilage is removed from the nose, the skin of the nose slowly contracts to the new shape of the nose.  This process takes one year.  In reductive rhinoplasty, material is removed from the nose, but if the structure of then nose is not reinforced it can partially collapse over time.  If you follow web sites with patient discussions about rhinoplasty, you will read several stories of results that looked great at 1 week, but at one year the nasal shape changed and looked pinched or operated.  If you view a significant number of rhinoplasty pictures, you will see overly pinched nasal tips, abnormal looking nostrils, and flat transitions from the nasal ala (soft fleshy part of your nose surrounding your nostril) to the cheek.

Our surgical approach focuses on refining the appearance of your nose, reinforcing key structural parts of your nose, and maintaining or improving your breathing.  We tell our patients that you will like your nose at 1 week, but love it at 6 months once the skin has contracted to the new shape of the nose beneath.  I am always concerned when patient photos are shown 1 week after surgery.  This is not an adequate amount of time to assess the results of nasal surgery. Nasal swelling will not allow the structure of the nose beneath to truly be revealed.

Dr. Malhotra

Dr. Malhotra specializes in Lansing, Detroit, Novi, Ann Arbor, and Michigan rhinoplasty surgery.