What Is Rhinoplasty (Nasal Reshaping)?

The nose is one of the most prominent and distinctive facial features. A nose that is too large or too small, or one that has a hump, bump, deviation, or obvious asymmetry can distract from one's overall facial appearance and appeal. Dr. Timothy R. Miller performs arguably the best rhinoplasty Orange County has to offer at his practice in Aliso Viejo using only the latest and most effective techniques. He always tailors his rhinoplasty methods to each patient's specific nose and facial features, with a focus on producing results that look natural and balanced to enhance your other features.

Women and men visit double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Timothy R. Miller from Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa, San Clemente, Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo, and beyond for a nose job. To schedule your personal consultation in Aliso Viejo, CA with Dr. Miller, please call us at 949-482-1752 or request your consultation online.

Orange County Rhinoplasty

Dr. Miller's Approach to Rhinoplasty

Individuals interested in nose surgery may be concerned with one or more issues, such as a hump or bump, nasal tip asymmetry, or a deviated or crooked appearance. Sometimes, the overall size of the nose may be too large or the patient may just want a better-looking nose. Rest assured, rhinoplasty techniques have improved steadily over the years to a point where excellent, consistent outcomes are common in the hands of an experienced surgeon. The surgery is customized for each patient, and at Refreshed Aesthetic Surgery, VECTRA® 3-D computer imaging can be used to educate and demonstrate possible results. During this process, we can also assess whether chin augmentation would be a valuable addition at the time of surgery. Adding to the projection or size of the chin is sometimes needed to bring balance to the face. Although this is recommended for some patients, it is not a requirement.

What Should I Expect From Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery) Recovery?

After rhinoplasty surgery in Orange County, most patients will have a nasal splint on for 7 days. I do not "pack" the nose (even after septoplasty), so the postoperative experience is much more comfortable. By the time the splint is removed the nose will look remarkably and significantly better, and it will continue to improve over the next several months.

What Is Septoplasty?

Alternatively, many patients are satisfied with their nasal appearance but want to breathe better. Sometimes the cause of breathing difficulty is a deviated nasal septum. The septum is a cartilage structure that divides the nose into a left and right nostril. The septum can be deviated or crooked (or just very wide), which results in obstruction of air flow into and out of the nostrils. The deviation can affect one or both nostrils and can arise at birth or after trauma to the nose. Depending on the extent and location of the septum deviation, a surgical procedure called a septoplasty is performed to correct the problem. This surgery is performed on the inside of the nose to correct nasal breathing problems, whereas nose jobs are performed to improve the appearance of the outside of the nose.

Can Men Get Rhinoplasty?

Male rhinoplasty is a subset of nose jobs, designed specifically for the male nose. A male rhinoplasty aims to restructure or reshape your nose to enhance facial harmony while making it appear strong, angular, and masculine. It’s specifically curated to masculinize your facial features while also correcting structural problems.

What Is Ethnic Rhinoplasty?

Ethnic rhinoplasty is a form of rhinoplasty that enhances your nose structure to ensure overall facial harmony while retaining the unique markers of your lineage and ethnic background. Ethnic rhinoplasty is personalized according to your specific cosmetic needs and cultural heritage.

PATIENT TESTIMONIAL

Dr. Miller was awesome! I had a severely deviated septum and he performed rhinoplasty on it! I am happy to say that I can finally breathe out of my nose! He did an amazing job! He has a great personality, easy to relate to, and feels like family.

Exciting7372, RealSelf User

What Are the Types of Rhinoplasty?

There are two basic surgical approaches rhinoplasty – open and closed. In closed rhinoplasty, all incisions are made inside the nose. In open rhinoplasty, a small incision is made along the columella (the soft tissue between the nostrils).

Close Rhinoplasty

Closed rhinoplasty is used in many minor nose reshaping procedures. The advantages of this approach are less post-surgical swelling and no visible scarring.

Open Rhinoplasty

Open rhinoplasty has the distinct advantage of providing direct visibility and greater ability to alter the shape of nasal structures with control and precision. This approach may be appropriate for patients who need more or less projection, or a revision rhinoplasty of the nose.

Dr. Timothy R. Miller serves Aliso Viejo, Newport Beach, and the other communities throughout Orange County with cutting-edge rhinoplasty techniques. When he performs open nose surgery, Dr. Miller carefully and discretely places the incision for minimal to no visibility. His care and technical skill in closing the incisions results in virtually invisible scarring when the incision is fully healed.

Featured Rhinoplasty Before & After Photos

View all Rhinoplasty photos in our gallery.

Gallery

What Are the Benefits of Rhinoplasty?

A nose job is the third most popular cosmetic surgical procedure in the U.S. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reports that 223,018 rhinoplasty procedures were performed in 2016.

There are a number of reasons why so many people elect to have this surgery. The many benefits of a carefully performed Rhinoplasty include:

  • Aesthetic improvements: Nose reshaping can help balance facial features, correct imperfections, and improve the angle, projection, and shape of the nose to dramatically improve facial appearance.
  • Better quality of sleep: A deviated septum and other structural abnormalities can cause snoring that interrupts your sleep, or obstructive sleep apnea – a dangerous condition that involves pauses in breathing during sleep. Nose surgery in combination with septoplasty (to correct a deviated septum) may improve sleep quality, so you have a significantly improved quality of life, rather than feeling tired and washed out.
  • More youthful appearance: Reshaping the nose to correct flaws and asymmetry and to balance facial features can leave many people looking younger, fresher, and revitalized.
  • Easier breathing: A deviated septum and other abnormalities of the nasal structures can block airflow and interfere with breathing. Rhinoplasty and septoplasty result in improved breathing for many patients.
  • Improved voice quality: Problems with the nasal structures can make a speaking or singing voice sound nasal or congested. A nose job that opens up your airways may help give your voice a clearer, cleaner sound.
  • Rhinoplasty Newport Beach
  • Repaired fractures: The nose is the most commonly broken bone of the face. A broken nose can result from auto collisions, sports, falls, accidents, and violence. Nose surgery can repair nasal fractures to restore function and symmetry to the nose.
  • Greater self-confidence: A nose that is asymmetrical, flawed in appearance, or out of balance with the rest of the face can draw attention and have a negative impact upon a person’s self-confidence. Surgically reshaping the nose for aesthetic improvements can dramatically improve appearance and lift the patient’s confidence and self-esteem.

Who is a candidate?

Ideal candidates for rhinoplasty in Newport Beach are unhappy with the size and shape of their nose and find fault with the tip, bridge, or nostrils. Often they complain about poor breathing in addition to aesthetic concerns. Clients pursuing rhinoplasty should be healthy, mentally and physically, and they should not be struggling with any medical issues that would compromise their surgery or its results. Lastly, the patient should have a realistic, positive outlook regarding their surgery and its outcome. This is based on a private consultation with Dr. Miller and his team.

Note that pregnant women, those battling cancer, hypertension, or bleeding disorders, or those with active infections will not be permitted to undergo nose surgery.

Why choose Dr. Miller?

Dr. Miller is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who is devoted to delivering natural-looking, nuanced rhinoplasty results to the Orange County community and beyond. Having spent his entire career focused on procedures for the face and neck, Dr. Miller brings an unprecedented level of artistry and skill to your nose surgery. The final result is a nose that suits your face and accentuates your best features rather than detracting from them.

Dr. Miller graduated with a medical degree from the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. He then pursued a challenging 5-year surgical residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery before going on to further hone his skills with a prestigious fellowship program at the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Common Questions or Concerns about Rhinoplasty

Will I have obvious scars?

Most of our rhinoplasty surgeries are performed using a closed approach, which means the incisions are made on the inside of the nose. When an open approach is required, Dr. Miller takes great care to hide the incisions carefully, and he further takes the time to close the thin incisions in layers to make sure the scars are imperceptible to the naked eye.

What is the recovery like?

The social downtime for a nose job is typically 7 days, with most bruising (if any) resolved by this time. If surgery is performed on only the nasal tip, the downtime is even shorter, and bruising is rarely seen. Most patients use pain medication for 1 to 2 days, with those undergoing only nasal tip surgery using medication for a day, or not at all. Patients should limit activity for 2 to 4 weeks and can return to all activities by 6 weeks. Patients with a hump, nasal deviation, or large nose will see dramatic results after the nasal splint is removed in 7 days.

Are there non-surgical alternatives to rhinoplasty?

Dr. Miller does offer a non-surgical rhinoplasty for the appropriate patient. This is a quick, safe, and effective procedure for those with a nasal hump, dorsal asymmetry, or minor irregularity somewhere on the nose. Dr. Miller typically uses dermal fillers such as JUVÉDERM® for this procedure.

What other treatments will improve my facial profile?

Facial implants can be a great complement to a nose job. Many rhinoplasty patients have a small or recessed chin, and the use of chin implants can create a more balanced facial appearance. This balance and improvement can be visualized using our VECTRA 3-D imaging system during your consultation or preoperative appointment.

Step-by-Step Procedure Facts

  • Your Orange County Rhinoplasty will be performed in our AAAASF-accredited operating facility.
  • Both twilight anesthesia (sedation) and general anesthesia are available.
  • You will be able to return home the day of surgery.
  • No nasal packing is used, which greatly diminishes post-procedure discomfort.
  • Most bruising and swelling will subside in about 7 days, and the majority of people are able to return to work at this time.
  • Although most patients are back to work in 1 week, the nose continues to improve over the course of several months.

What is the cost of rhinoplasty?

A rhinoplasty, or nose reshaping surgery, will vary in cost based upon the current condition of your nose, and the changes needed. While some patients may require only minor reshaping, others may require more advanced techniques such as grafts to build up the nose bridge and create definition. As a general overview of cost, the cost is generally in the range of $8,000 to $12,500, based upon an individual patient’s needs.

What type of anesthesia is used?

Rhinoplasty patients have the option of undergoing their procedure with general anesthesia or local anesthesia with IV sedation. In either case, your pain will be well controlled, and you will be monitored throughout the procedure to ensure your utmost safety.

Will insurance cover my rhinoplasty?

Most rhinoplasties are strictly cosmetic procedures, so they are not covered by insurance. When breathing is an issue, the procedure may become medically necessary, and insurance may cover a portion of the costs.

Is it painful?

While rhinoplasty is a complex and delicate procedure, most patients find their recovery to be quite manageable, provided they prepare ahead of time and enlist the help of friends and family members in the first week after nose surgery.

It is normal for the nose to be swollen, bruised, and tender after rhinoplasty. The doctor will provide you with ample pain medications, and you can use a cold compress and ice pack to help relieve discomfort.

Rhinoplasty Orange County

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