Rhinoplasty is one of the most common types of plastic surgery performed in the United States. Despite its popularity, there is a large amount of false information circulating about the procedure. The following are common myths about rhinoplasty:

1. Rhinoplasty is a painful procedure.
Rhinoplasty is almost exclusively performed under general anesthesia, meaning that the patient will be asleep during the entirety of the procedure. After the surgery, most patients describe their discomfort as something similar to a bad head cold as opposed to any sort of severe pain. The discomfort wears off within 7 to 10 days. In many cases, the most uncomfortable aspect of rhinoplasty involved the use nasal packing. However, nasal packing has improved in recent years and is often not required.

2. The surgeon can make my nose look like anything I want.
Some patients believe that rhinoplasty is simply replacing an old nose with a new one of a completely different size and shape. This is simply not true. Surgeons must work with what they are given, meaning your existing nose, and a good plastic surgeon will only change your nose in ways that complement your facial features. Patients considering rhinoplasty should have realistic expectations about what can and cannot be done to their nose.

3. Ethnic rhinoplasty patients will end up with Caucasian looking noses.
Most people seeking nose surgery want realistic-looking results, so it is understandable that non-Caucasian patients would fear the results of rhinoplasty. There are many plastic surgeons, including Dr. Batniji, who have vast experience in performing ethnic rhinoplasty. They will be able to plan out a way to produce a nose that fits with the patient’s desired look while also retaining their ethnic identity.

4. There will be no scars.
This myth attracts many people to the procedure, but is untrue. Most of the incisions in rhinoplasty are inside the nose, so the scarring is not visible. Sometimes, an additional small incision is made on the underside of the nose which is almost invisible once the incisions have healed after six weeks.

Your best resource for information about rhinoplasty is your surgeon. If you are interested in rhinoplasty or have some questions about myths that you may have heard, please contact Newport Beach facial plastic surgeon Dr. Rami Batniji today at 949-650-8882.