Modern Rhinoplasty and You: The Emotional Benefits of Having a Happy Face

We live in an age where appearance can seem to count for everything. Both women and men are subjected to a constant temptation to compare themselves with physically flawless celebrities and models. It is no surprise that many people end up unhappy with their appearance. Some aspects of appearance, such as weight or posture, are within our control, but others are just the body we are born with. In these cases, the surgeon’s knife is often seen as a potential solution.

 

As Plain as the Nose on Your Face

 

The shape and size of your nose is impossible to manipulate or conceal. It is right there in the middle of your face and is often the first thing people notice about you. Many people are dissatisfied with their noses and want to get them changed. They may be too long, too fat, too hooked, too turned-up, or a host of other perceived imperfections.

 

Nose surgery (rhinoplasty) is one of the most common cosmetic surgical procedures, and one of the most successful. A qualified surgeon, such as you will find at the Houston Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, is able to perform reconstructive surgery and reshape a nose, drawing on years of experience to recommend the right shape of nose for each facial type.

 

What Happens in a Nose Job?

 

Any surgery is a serious undertaking and you should choose a surgeon who will take time over your request. First, you need to discuss in detail what exactly bothers you about your nose. The surgeon will want to determine that it is entirely your own perception, and you have not been subjected to any sort of pressure. You will also discuss with your surgeon the shape you want to end up with.

 

The surgeon will also ensure that an operation will not affect your ability to breathe normally through your nose.

 

Surgery can be either internal or external. Internal surgery is conducted from inside the nostril. It leaves no visible scars but it restricts the access that the surgeon has to the tissues that need to be removed or adjusted.

 

External surgery makes a cut just under the nose so that the skin can be peeled back and the surgeon has full access to the structure. It can leave a very small scar.

 

A Boost to Self-Confidence

 

Many people have spent long years regretting the size or shape of their noses, and have become lacking in self-confidence as a result. Sometimes, this experience can go back to adolescence or before, as a result of school bullying or inter-sibling taunting.

 

In general, it is found that the majority of people experience increased self-confidence after the operation. They report less sense that people are looking at them in a judgmental way, and are less inclined to retreat into the shadows.

 

There is some suggestion that career paths can improve following rhinoplasty. This may be due in part to a regrettable tendency for some employers to favor employees based on their looks, but it may also be due to the increased confidence of those employees.

 

Rhinoplasty is often an important part of facial reconstruction after serious injuries. In these cases, it plays a valuable aspect of helping a victim to recover their sense of their own identity and their confidence to look at themselves in the mirror.

 

Not a Panacea

 

Having a nose job is not always the life-changing experience that some patients expect and there can be disappointments. This is usually down to the patient undergoing surgery for the wrong reasons or with the wrong expectations.

 

Surgeons will usually discourage patients from seeking surgery unless they are convinced that it is the patients’ own choice. Those who have their nose altered as a result of peer pressure, or as a way of dealing with a more deep-seated psychological need, are often not helped.

 

Surgeons will also try to persuade adolescents of the desirability of waiting until their faces have fully developed and their emotional maturity has settled into adulthood.

 

A Team Effort

 

Deciding to have surgical work done on your nose is a very personal decision, but not one that anyone should take entirely on their own. That is why surgeons engage in a lengthy process of consultation before agreeing to perform the operation. Every patient should go into the process on the basis that this is an irreversible change and every other option should be considered first. Once the decision is taken in the right frame of mind, most patients are very happy with the result.

 

Sean Blackburn works in plastic surgery and shares his insights around the web, dispelling myths and telling of what’s up and coming in the industry.

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