Consultation for rhinoplasty

The exchange

The consultation starts with an exchange between the patient and the surgeon. During this interview, the patient will explain the source of his potential complex, his wishes, his expectations and his fears. The surgeon will carefully listen to him in order to understand his exact demand. During this exchange, a confident link will be established between them and this confidence is the first step to success.

The examination

The nose is then examined to assess its shape, size, deformities, deviation, but also the condition of the skin : is it too thin, too thick, normal ? Indeed, skin elasticity and thickness is crucial in rhinoplasty. The thicker it is, the harder it will be to refine the tip. On the opposite, the thiner it is, the less hidden will be the potential minor defects. All these features are well evaluated by manual palpation which also permitt to estimate the cartilage stiffness.

Endonasal examination will also be performed with a speculum in order to detect any potential internal deformity and the cause of any breathing problem. If an important posterior deformity is suspected, the surgeon may prescribe a X-Ray or a scanner in order to have an accurate knownledge of this déviation. 

Finally, other structures of the face are also examined to evaluate the facial proportions and harmony. If these proportions are good, they have to be kept after surgery. If not, the rhinoplasty will have to restore it.

The Surgeon opinion

After the exchange and examination, the surgeon will decide, according to the data of the palpation, the importance of the deformities, the realist of the patient’s goal and his psychological aspect, if the rhinoplasty will be beneficial for the patient in term of aesthetic, functional and psychologic improvement.

Photographs, simulations and surgery explanations

If the surgeon agrees for a rhinoplasty, full size photographs will be taken on different views : profile and oblique views on right and left side, frontal view and basal view of the nostrils from below. (Later, these photographs will be displayed in front of the surgeon in the operating room.)

If the patient wants, the surgeon will perform a simulation of the nose after rhinoplasty. In our office, we are using computerized simulations to give the patient a more realistic idea of the changes we can achieve on the profile view. Indeed, it is generally more difficult to show the changes on the frontal view. The best quality are the skin and cartilages, the best will be the unpredictable healing of the nose and the widest experience has the surgeon, the closer from the simulation will be the operated nose. But the patient must be strongly advised that it is much more easier to make a simulation on a computer than a surgery on a real nose. The final result could not be exactly the same than the computarized simulation.

In front of this simulation, the surgeon will explain which part of the nose should be modified and why. One can shorten a long nose with plugging tip, narrow a wide nose or a wide nasal tip, correct flared nostrils, restore the symetry of a deviated nose... Sometimes, one can modify only one part of the nose such as prominent tip or a small hump. Augmentation rhinoplasty with cartilage graft can also be performed  to increase the lenght of a short nose or the projection of a flat one.They are more frequently used in secondary rhinoplasties in which over resections have been previously performed.

Quotation and recommandations

At the end of the consultation, the surgeon will give you a precise quotation for the nose surgery. This includes the private clinic services (operating room, staff, nurses, sleeping room), honorary of the anesthesiologist and honorary of the surgeon. He will also give you a printed information concerning the surgery (before and after recommendations).

Patient’s thought

More than every cosmetic surgery, a rhinoplasty represents a very important event in the life. This is the reason why, after the consultation, the patient will have to think a lot of this consultation. Before coming to a decision, he will have to strongly trust the surgeon, understand and accept what will be possible and what will not, the potential minor defects and prepare his mind to a morphologic change, even subtle. Whenever he wants, he can visit again the surgeon to ask questions or get more informations about any aspect of the rhinoplasty and when he will be completely decided, the surgery will be scheduled. Congratulation !

Where are the scars after a rhinoplasty ?

After a rhinoplasty, there will always be scars inside the nostril. Furthermore, often, there will be a scar under the columella (thin part of the nose situated between the two nostrils).

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For any informations, do not hesitate to contact us. The secretary speaks fluently English and will be delighted to answer your questions.

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