Nose (Rhinoplasty)

The degree of improvement achieved is dependent on each individual’s unique nose structure and skin characteristics. It is essential to understand that the changes may be subtle and not immediately evident, as our objective is to create a shape that complements with your overall facial features. Therefore, in certain instances, only minor adjustments may be required. Your Specialist Plastic Surgeon at Assure Cosmetic Centre is the best person to determine if your expectations are achievable.

The surgical technique used for rhinoplasty in Perth depends on your physical features and your Specialist Plastic Surgeon’s method. Incisions are usually made inside the nostrils, through which reshaping and trimming of bone and cartilage is carried out. External splints and internal nose packs may be used. The procedure may take 1-2 hours.

The surgery takes place in Perth within a fully-accredited hospital and is conducted under general anaesthesia. Depending on your overall health and the complexity of the procedure, it can be performed either as a day procedure or with a brief hospital stay. Typically, the surgery lasts for 1-2 hours.

All plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgical procedures come with risks and potential complications. To ensure successful surgery, it is crucial to understand and minimise these risks. Whilst all measures are taken to mitigate risks, some risks are unavoidable.

All information on this page is general in nature – your Specialist Plastic Surgeon will discuss the specific risks and complications pertinent to your individual surgical procedure during your consultation. General risks for surgery are listed here.

Specific risks related to rhinoplasty surgery include, but are not limited to:

• Pain: Pain may be severe and ongoing.
• Numbness: The nose may feel numb or have altered sensation after the bruising and swelling subside.
• Numbness in upper front teeth: The upper front teeth may feel numb temporarily.
• Unsatisfactory results: The nose’s appearance may be unsatisfactory and require revisional surgery however, the final appearance may take three to four months to be evident.
• Impairment of sense of smell: Sense of smell may be impaired, and in rare cases lost or distorted.
• Swelling: The nose may be slightly swollen for months.
• Darkening of skin under the eyes: Skin under the eyes may be darkened for a period of over six months.
• Weakening of underlying support structure: The underlying support structure of the nose may become weak and cause the nose to flatten.
• Extrusion of implant: An implant (if one was inserted) may extrude into the nose or through the skin.
• Narrowing of major airways: Major airways may become narrowed, causing difficulty in breathing through the nose.

While your surgeon will do their best to minimise their visibility, scars are an unavoidable outcome of any surgical procedure. Typically, incisions are made internally within the nose, keeping them concealed and inconspicuous. In specific situations, incisions might be required on the skin of the ‘columella’ or within the nostril creases. If you have a history of keloid or hypertrophic scarring, it’s essential to inform your surgeon about this tendency before the procedure.

Although no major complications are expected with a rhinoplasty procedure, you may have some bruising and swelling around the eyes, which subsides quickly. Swelling of the nose subsides more slowly and some numbness may be present for a few months. The final appearance of your surgery may take 3-4 months to be fully evident. Other post-operative complications, such as delayed healing, infection or excessive bleeding are quite uncommon.

Your Specialist Plastic Surgeon will discuss what you can expect from this procedure. It is important to carefully follow your Specialist Plastic Surgeon’s advice to reduce the risk of complications.

Following nose surgery, your surgeon might suggest specific measures to shield your skin from the sun and facilitate the healing process. In some instances, your nostrils could be filled with cotton or soft splints, while an external splint might be affixed to maintain the nose’s shape.

To aid healing, it’s recommended to refrain from blowing your nose for at least 7 days and to avoid rubbing it for a minimum of 8 weeks. It’s also essential to safeguard your nose from sunburn and accidental impacts for a period of at least 8 weeks.

Typically, patients can anticipate returning to work around 2 weeks after the procedure. However, activities like heavy lifting, intense exercise, swimming, and strenuous sports should be avoided until your surgeon gives the go-ahead.

The timeline for resuming regular activities will vary depending on individual circumstances. Your surgeon will offer personalised guidance regarding your schedule and provide recommendations to shield your skin from sun exposure.

It’s essential to highlight that each patient’s recovery process requires sufficient time, support, and proper postoperative care. Healing abilities and pain tolerance may vary among individuals, resulting in differences in recovery duration and the ability to engage in various activities.

An initial consultation with your Specialist Plastic Surgeon will cost approximately $250, which is payable in full at the time of booking your consultation. Your consultation will take approximately 30-60 minutes. If a Medicare item applies to your potential procedure then you will be entitled to a rebate from Medicare of approximately $80, providing you have a written referral from your GP or specialist. GP referrals are valid for 12 months and specialist referrals for 3 months.

Your Specialist Plastic Surgeon will provide an indication of the likely costs, such as your surgeon’s fee, anaesthetist’s fees and hospital and theatre fees. Your surgeon’s fee includes all post-operative care and nurse dressings. Pricing will vary from case to case, but an indicative range of your surgeon’s fee is $7,500 to $9,500 excluding GST. Anaesthetist, hospital and theatre fees are additional.

There may be Medicare and private health insurance rebates available for nose surgery in Perth depending on strict Medicare eligibility criteria. Your surgeon can provide you with more information, but you would then need to talk to your private health insurer to determine exactly how much cover they will provide and confirm what your final out-of-pocket costs will be.

A good starting point is to book a consultation with one of our experienced Specialist Plastic Surgeons at Assure Cosmetic Centre. You will have the opportunity to discuss your concerns and ask questions. You will be provided with detailed information regarding the treatments or procedures that can help you, the expected outcomes, and the costs involved. Click here to make an appointment.

The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) website is a helpful and reliable source of information online. Their website is an excellent place to research a range of surgical procedures and non-surgical treatments, and view video animations.

Utilising a search engine can also be beneficial in finding relevant information on these topics.

For patients seeking breast augmentation, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) breast implant hub also has several documents regarding breast implants, covering various subjects such as Breast Implant Associated-Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), consumer inquiries, and related matters.