The word plastic actually means to mold or shape, and especially for reconstructive plastic surgery this involves repair, replacing or filling in defects all over the body.
A significant portion of what Plastic Surgeons do is breast reconstruction, fixing injuries after motor vehicle accident, rhinoplasty (nose job), craniofacial surgery to fix cleft palates and cleft lips on kids who are born with congenital problems.
The field of plastic surgery is very broad and often it essentially involves making someone whole again and also restoring function. There is also cosmetic plastic surgery which involves enhancing the body, most commonly people associate this with breast augmentation or liposuction and other procedures but still there are also cosmetic surgery procedures that restore the body after the aging process or weight loss to make a person back to their more youthful or normal shape.
Let’s take a look at Open Rhinoplasty (nose job)
Rhinoplasty or nose reshaping is a very commonly requested and performed cosmetic procedure. The procedure can change the appearance of the nose by altering its size, shape, projection from the face or the contour of the nostrils. Rhinoplasty may be performed for purely cosmetic reasons or to correct some form of birth defects which may make breathing uncomfortable.
It is sometimes combined with chin reshaping to balance the face. The nose continues to change in shape until approximately the age of 15.
To understand how rhinoplasty works, one needs to understand the anatomy of the nose.
The nose is made up of the nasal bones and cartilage, the septum which is the wall made up of cartilage that divides the nose has on each side, a lateral cartilage and alar cartilages. The hump is made up of both bone and cartilage.
For an open rhinoplasty, an incision is made in the columellar skin that separates the nostrils. This allows the skin to be separated from the structure of the nose and adjustments made to the bone cartilage and soft tissues. An open rhinoplasty will normally take approximately 1 to 2 hours and is typically performed under a general anaesthetic, the area will be cleansed with antiseptic solution and the area will normally be treated with local anesthetic solution after the general anaesthetic has taken effect.
Once the area has been prepared, a small incision made across the columella is then extended to the inside of the nostrils, this allows the surgeon to lift up the skin from the underlying nasal framework. Open rhinoplasty gives the surgeon an excellent view of the nasal structures.
Depending on the shape of the nose and desired outcome, the surgeon may wish to trim the alar cartilages and use stitches to alter the position or shape of the alar cartilages to adjust their position.
Any hump may be removed using a sharp instrument called an osteotome followed by filing the area to produce a smoother and more elegant profile. Once the hump is removed, the nasal bones are weakened or broken to allow them to be brought together which refines the nasal shape.
The skin is replaced and the surgeon will close the incisions with stitches, some surgeons will insert a device called a splint into the nostrils temporarily to support the inside of the nose. Adhesive tapes such as steri-strips will control swelling and you will normally also have some form of splint over the nose in order to provide comfort and stability.
Splint
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Commonly, these splints are made with plaster that may also be composed of other materials. Following a rhinoplasty, it is normal to expect some discomfort swelling and bruising which commonly affects the upper face and around the eyes. The initial bruising begins to settle after a few days and is usually mostly gone in seven to ten days and you will see the improved contour and shape of your nose at this time. Although some swelling may persist for a few months.
Normal light activity can begin almost straightaway, the strenuous activity should be avoided initially.
CONCLUSION
Rhinoplasty will refine the shape size and contour of a nose, final results may not be fully visible for severl hours but a very long-lasting or more significantly boost your self-confidence. The majority of people who have a rhinoplasty do not suffer any untoward side effects and are very pleased with the results, but it is important to realize that no surgery is totally risk-free. There is a small risk of infection or bleeding, there may be significant freezing and swelling, under correction or over correction of your nose may require further surgery.
Thanks to @camzy for the amazing toon.
