The Perfect Nose….Does it Exist?

There is no such thing as a perfect nose but Dr Mooney will endeavour to create yours. To achieve your desired nose he will take into account a myriad of individual aesthetic and functional nasal aspects.Cosmetic Nasal Surgery begins with a thorough assessment of your face by looking at the shape of your nose from front on, laterally, obliquely, and inferior views.  Other aspects such as the shape of your face and skin type are also greatly considered in conjunction with your age, gender, ethnicity, height, posture and body shape.  It is extraordinary but personality and occupation are also important considerations in order to create a balance and facial attractiveness.

To achieve optimal results Dr Mooney prefers to meticulously plan your procedure with you. This facilitates his well-considered and performed procedure which concludes over a few weeks.

Moving toward the perfect nose…

The nose is the axis of the face being the static centrepiece around which all the dynamic features take anchor. Variations in the contour of the nose have a strong but subtle effect the entire facial appearance.  When looking at your nose in a mirror it is evident that by pushing up only a millimetre it is possible to make your nose look ‘piggy’. Where as the same millimetre of depression can make your nose look hooked or ‘witchy’.

Many patients are not sure what is ‘wrong’ with their nose, they just don’t like it.  Where as others may not be self assessing accurately as, for example, they may be fixating on the tip and missing a subtle bump on the bridge. This is easily clarified during the consultation with photo imaging.

Photo imaging is the ability to take real- time photographs in different planes and angles.  It is with these images that joint planning for desired modifications can be made. This is always a great experience and revelation for patients as for the first time they can visualise in place of imagining how their nose can look. It is also a good time to experiment with exploring other possibilities of either a larger or smaller nose, only changing the tip or having a very straight bridge or one that is slightly more curved.  These images are available for you to take home to consider with family and friends.

Approximately a week or two prior to surgery Dr Mooney and yourself reconvene to consolidate your joint plans and desired outcome. It is also a time when you discuss concerns on surgical complications.

The nose is more than a cosmetic feature, it is also a functional organ which can encompass obstruction that leads to breathing difficulty during the day or night times as well as and hayfever sinusitis, snoring.  All functional and cosmetic issues can easily be addressed at the initial consultation.

Functional assessment begins with a discussion of your breathing difficulties and continue through to examination viewing into your nasal passages as well as testing your nasal breathing capacity. In Dr Mooney’s experience it is often improved function that gives patients the most joy. As it has a domino effect on many aspects on the quality of life. Many patients often experience improved sleep patterns, exercise performance, improved concentration with study and work as well improved taste and appreciation of smell which leads to greater safety if something burns, or, if the gas is left on!

Sinusitis can be a serious medical problem especially being so closely juxtaposed to other vital organs such as the eyes and brain. Accurate medical assessment can mean avoiding infective complications that can involve these structures.

Patients often arrive for their first consultation with great anxiety about the procedure itself. However in experienced and skilled hands rhinoplasty is a safe procedure, not overly painful with and has an excellent outcome in the vast majority of patients. General anaesthetic and overnight stay are regular routine with Rhinoplasty surgeries and patients can expect approximately a 10-14 day recovery period. Within a couple of weeks most major bruising and swelling is resolved. The final result, however, may take some months to become apparent.

Our clinic performs hundreds of rhinoplasty procedures a year and although most patients are first timers we do see a few who have had a procedure elsewhere and are dissatisfied. Common errors seem to stem from poor planning (both functional and cosmetic), poor communication between doctor and patient, or surgical failure. These problems can all be avoided of time is taken pre operatively to thoroughly assess your nose aesthetically, its airway and functional problems and communicating what you expect( and should expect) from your procedure, in addition to choosing an experienced surgeon.