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What is the youngest age rhinoplasty can be performed?
Fifteen is generally considered to be the youngest age. However, every patient matures at a different time and pace. Generally speaking, once the patient has not changed shoe sizes for two years, it is safe to perform a rhinoplasty from a physical standpoint. The patient must be mature enough to understand the implications of rhinoplasty and the decision must come from the patient not pressure from the parent.
Is rhinoplasty a painful operation?
Typically rhinoplasty is not considered to be painful. Most patients describe nasal congestion to be the main complaint postoperatively.
Who do you emulate in your practice?
I have a variety of people who have influenced me through there approach to their work. I find that athletes like Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods are not only talented individuals but extremely hard working, dedicated people with a passion for what they do. Tiger Woods has changed the way he swings a golf club six times, even while he was the best player in the world. Their goal is simply to be the best and always reach for loftier goals and expectations.
My singular goal is to provide the best possible results and techniques in every procedure that I do. Being content with a procedure would mean to do every procedure the same, do it how the "book" says. I have dedicated myself to perform procedures on a high level and constantly improve upon results with followups and close examination of my results. I perform numerous research papers on facial plastic surgery so that not only my results improve, but that of the community of surgeons improves as well. Anyone who thinks they are doing the perfect procedure is in my opinion not being critical enough of their results. Results and techniques, even when performed at the highest level, can always be improved.
Which is better closed rhinoplasty or external rhinoplasty for my nose?
It depends on what your specific characteristics of your nose and your goals. Although the term rhinoplasty is a singular term, it is broad in its description and actually describes techniques and operations which are quite different. Some patients seeking rhinoplasty will clearly benefit from a closed approach rather than an open. Some patients will clearly benefit from an open rather than a closed approach. A third category of patients may benefit from either technique depending on their specific goals. See section on open versus closed rhinoplasty.
Does Dr. Shah have to break my nose during a rhinoplasty?
It depends on what is being done and the aesthetic goals. There are instances when nasal reshaping is preferred to formal osteotomies.
How much does a rhinoplasty cost?
Since no two noses are alike, Dr. Shah has a price which is reflective of the difficulty of the case. If there is a functional component to the procedure such as nasal obstruction, that portion may be covered by insurance. The cost of rhinoplasty in Chicago and nationwide varies tremondously.
Is there another non-surgical option rather than rhinoplasty?
The short answer on this is no. Most fillers in the nose can cause a lot of problems. If they are to be used in the nose, they must be done under extreme care and with the expectation that the patient will not need a future rhinoplasty. Click here to learn about facial fillersin the nose. I think of using someone advertising a non-surgical rhinoplasty as a screening tool to eliminate them from my search as a rhinoplasty surgeon. It is in my opinion not a procedure I would recommend to a prospective patient seeking rhinoplasty and does not make sense from a variety of reasons. The exception to this rule is some post rhinoplasty patients who may need a smalll amount of Restylane or Juvederm in a very small amount in one area or another.
I am a male patient and do not want my rhinoplasty to look unnatural?
Whether you are male or female, your nose should not look unnatural. The key to rhinoplasty is to improve the existing structures of the nose in a balanced haromonious fashion with the rest of the face.
I don't live in Chicago, is it difficult to travel there?
Chicago is located in the central portion of the United States and is a travel hub and headquarters for many airlines and businesses. The airports are conveniently located near the downtown which is accessible by either a cab ride or public transportation. Our office can help arrange for every travel detail from Hotels and Extended Hotel Suites, Nursing or Medical Assistants if necessary, to having food and supplies stocked.
Is it okay to pull my nasal hairs after rhinoplasty?
The best solution is to use an electric nose trimmer. Tweezing nasal hair can lead to traumatic insult and infection and/or boils to the inside of the nose. The inside of the nose is where "bad" bacteria can live such as MRSA and others. The incidence of MRSA is on the rise in the general public with the overuse of antibitoics. I would wait 2 months before using an electric trimmer and 6 months before tweezing if tht is a procedure you feel necessary.
Who is better at rhinoplasty, a facial plastic surgeon or a general plastic surgeon?
It depends on the individual and training. Only a surgeon whose practice devotes signficant attention to rhinoplasty should be considered. It is by far the most challenging operation.
Is rhinoplasty safe?
The procedure as a whole is safe from an a medical standpoint where such complications are rare. However, the most significant issue with rhinoplasty patients is poor aesthetic result. Even surgeons who place results which they would consider some of their better work may qualify as a complication for other surgeons. Although the revision rate quoted for rhinoplasty is about 10-20% nationally, I think that this number may be signficantly higher for some surgeons who don't offer long term followup.
Will I get my sense of smell back after functional rhinoplasty?
Most likely not. Anosmia or loss of smell is frequently caused by a virus. Once there is loss to the delicate smell nerve, called the olfactory nerve, the loss is typically permanent. Some cases, improving a septal deviation will lead to improved smell but I would not count on it.
Dr. Shah is considered an expert in revision rhinoplasty, nasal analysis, nasal anatomy, and rhinoplasty glossary.
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hinoplasty is perhaps the most difficult operation to perform in facial plastic surgery. Every nose is different so the surgeon must be comfortable with a myriad of techniques. Certain noses are best for endonasal rhinoplasty, while others mandate an open procedure. Dr. Shah is one of the only plastic surgeons in the world to perform both procedures at a high level. He has trained with one of the world's revision experts and arguable the two best endonasal surgeons in the world. This is highly advantageous to patients in that he performs rhinoplasty without bias, allowing Dr. Shah to truly tailor each nose to the individual patient. Patients often seek Dr. Shah in part because his viewpoint and assessment. Dr. Shah's rhinoplasty Chicago practice is located in Chicago.
