- Facelift
- Nose Surgery (Rhinoplasty)
- Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
- Brow Lift
- Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)
- Neck Lift
- Breast Augmentation
- Breast Lift
- Breast Augmentation and Lift
- Breast Reduction
- Breast Reconstruction
- Male Breast Reduction
Rhinoplasty in Orange County
Rhinoplasty, performed by Orange County plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Smith, can change the appearance of the nose by simply refining the appearance or reducing the size. The procedure also can be used to improve airflow for some patients who have difficulty breathing. Dr. Smith regularly performs rhinoplasty for all age groups, including teenagers (once the nose has finished growing) and the elderly, and has years of experience in nose reshaping.
The best way to learn about your unique options for rhinoplasty is to request a FREE surgical consultation with Dr. Andrew Smith, a board-certified plastic surgeon. Or, call our plastic surgery office at 949.653.7000 .
Insurance Coverage for Rhinoplasty
In some cases, nose surgery may be covered by your insurance plan. To find out if it will be, check your plan documents and talk with a member services representative with your carrier. Some plans will cover all or a part of the cost of this procedure if it is performed to correct breathing difficulties or is a reconstructive rhinoplasty. Unfortunately, purely cosmetic nose surgery is not covered by insurance, though our practice offers several affordable financing options to help you fit cosmetic surgery into your budget.
Rhinoplasty
During rhinoplasty surgery, the skin of the nose is separated from the underlying skeleton of bone and cartilage. Dr. Smith then reshapes the bone and cartilage before re-draping the skin over the surface. People who have a deviated septum can have this condition corrected as part of their procedure. Two approaches may be used. In the "closed" approach, the incisions are placed entirely inside the nose. An "open" rhinoplasty requires Dr. Smith to make an incision across the columella, the strip of skin that separates the nostrils. In this case, a small scar will be visible for a few months after surgery.
Sometimes if the nostrils flare, Dr. Smith may make an incision at the junction between the nose and the skin of the upper lip to narrow the flared appearance. It is fairly common to combine rhinoplasty with chin augmentation to improve the profile of the nose and chin for improved facial balance and harmony. The operation is done under either local anesthetic with sedation (you are awake) or general anesthetic (you are asleep). Most patients choose to have surgery under general anesthesia. Most rhinoplasties Dr. Smith performs are outpatient operations, meaning that a stay in the hospital is not needed.
Risks and Complications
All operations have some risks, such as swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection, a scar and numbness or change in feeling. If complications occur as part of a rhinoplasty procedure, a secondary surgery may be necessary. About 5 to 10% of patients will need a revision procedure.
Postoperative Care
Recovery from nose surgery generally takes one to two weeks. Most people are back to work within a week or two.
For men and women in Orange County, rhinoplasty (nose surgery) questions can be answered by Dr. Smith. You can easily request a FREE surgical consultation online or call our Irvine cosmetic surgery office at 949.653.7000 for your appointment.
Dr. Smith
Dr. Andrew Smith brings experience and a desire to partner with you to create the aesthetic results you want.
