Simple Answers to the Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions About Rhinoplasty by Dr. Albert Yang

The average cost of rhinoplasty is $7,637 USD, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgery. The anesthesia fee and operating room cost may bring this number closer to $10,000 USD.

Go to multiple consultations. Choose a surgeon you feel comfortable with and who provides strong postoperative support. Ideally, the doctor specializes in rhinoplasty, listens carefully to your concerns, and gives you realistic expectations about the results.

  • Specific aesthetic goal (eg. hump removed, refined tip)
  • Specific functional goal (eg. improve breathing)
  • Realistic expectation
  • Good overall health

Risks are rare, but here are some of the more common ones:

  • General surgical risks (bleeding, infection, reaction to anesthesia, etc)
  • Functional risk (persistent nasal obstruction)
  • Aesthetic risk (asymmetry, contour deformity, nasal deviation, tip over correction or undercorrection)
  • Cast are removed at ~7 days
  • Breathing and swelling improves at 1 month
  • Final result may take 6 months to 1 year
Nasal precautions
  • Avoid pressure on the nose (avoid glasses, sleeping on the nose)
  • Avoid contact sports, lifting, or activities that may accidentally injure your nose for 3-4 weeks
  • Cold compress for comfort
  • Take your antibiotic as prescribed
  • Clean the incision as directed
  • Open rhinoplasty: Uses a small incision at the base of the nose. This allows surgeons to see more structures and perform more complicated maneuvers.
  • Closed rhinoplasty: No external scar. However, not everyone is a candidate; it depends on what the patient is trying to achieve

Yes, rhinoplasty is the main surgery used to straighten a crooked nose. It can make the nose look much straighter, but every person’s face has some natural asymmetry. Because of this, the result may not be perfectly even, but it will usually look noticeably improved.

  • 1 month: Nose will look presentable as the swelling is improved
  • 3 months: Most of the swelling has gone down except for the tip
  • 6 months to 1 year: Final result

It ranges from 2-6+ hours depending on what is being done. Additional rib cartilage or ear cartilage harvesting may increase the operating time. Revision rhinoplasty also may take longer to complete than primary surgeries.

A study in 2012 showed that approximately 30% of patients may experience improved snoring and quality of life after functional rhinoplasty. However, it does not improve obstructive sleep apnea.