top of page
  • Dr. Jean-Paul Azzi

Understanding Rhinoplasty (Nose Jobs)


Rhinoplasty (more commonly known as a nose job) is one of the most common facial plastic surgery procedures performed every year.

Your nose is something that is always on display, and as one of the most defining features of your face, it garners a lot of attention. If your nose is disproportionate with the rest of your face, you may feel self-conscious about the way you look. For a lot of people, this self-consciousness leads them to visit a facial plastic surgeon for rhinoplasty surgery.

There are a variety of rhinoplasty “types” that can be performed depending on the type of nose you have and the issues you’d like to address. Perhaps you’d like to correct a breathing problem or abnormalities caused by a birth defect or trauma, or maybe you’d like to change your nose’s general size, bridge, tip and nostrils.

Types of Rhinoplasty:

  1. Reduction Rhinoplasty: A substantial percentage of patients seeking rhinoplasty surgery are concerned that the size of their nose is out of proportion with the rest of their facial features. Reduction rhinoplasty does exactly what it says: it reduces the size of the nose. Areas of particular concern include a bump on the bridge of the nose, disproportionate width of the tip of the nose, and even excessive width of the nostrils.

  2. Augmentation Rhinoplasty: refers to the type of surgery where the nose is too small and the dimensions of the nose are enlarged. This can be the case in congenital underdevelopment of the nose, after injuries where support cartilage is damaged, after surgery that has led to loss of support, or when too much tissue has been removed.'

  3. Ethnic Rhinoplasty: While all rhinoplasty surgeries take in consideration ethnic characteristics of the nasal shape, skin and facial proportions, the term “ethnic rhinoplasty” is typically associated more with rhinoplasty for population groups with softer nasal contours, like Afro-Caribbean, Far Eastern or Pacific Rim populations.

  4. Post-traumatic Rhinoplasty: Injuries to the nose commonly damage the bone and cartilage support, and often alter the appearance of the nose, frequently resulting in deviations, asymmetries and airway problems. Within the first 10 days after an injury, deviations of the bones and cartilage in the nose can be reset.

How is Rhinoplasty performed?

There are a few ways that rhinoplasty can be performed depending on the desired outcome.

  1. Closed Rhinoplasty: is used for minor reshaping of the nose. Closed rhinoplasty makes incisions inside of the nasal structure to reduce noticeable scarring. While a visible scar is avoided, there are significant challenges and technical confines associated with the restricted surgical access, especially when it comes to more complex rhinoplasty techniques such as modifying the shape and position of the tip.

  2. Open Rhinoplasty: is used for extensive reshaping of the nose. The open rhinoplasty approach also uses a few hidden internal incisions and adds a small incision that is positioned across the columella (skin between the two nostrils, under the nose) to unite the right and left nostril incisions.

  3. Filler Rhinoplasty: uses injectable fillers to contour the shape of your nose and improve your profile. There's no downtime and the results are immediate. While this procedure is less invasive, the results are not permanent. Dr. Azzi’s patients frequently choose this method to see what they would look like with a nose job, and return for a permanent solution when the fillers have worn off.

  4. Functional Rhinoplasty: is used to correct abnormalities that restrict breathing and fix nose injuries. Functional rhinoplasty fine-tunes the location of nasal cartilage to allow the patient to breathe more easily. Repositioning the cartilage also helps repair broken noses.

Thinking About a Nose Job?

We invite you to visit one of our offices in Jupiter or Palm City for a private rhinoplasty consultation with Dr. Azzi. He will take time to understand your goals, and explain what he intends to achieve and how he plans to achieve it.

Dr. Azzi is regarded as one of the best rhinoplasty surgeons, having trained with and worked alongside the world’s finest cosmetic and reconstructive surgeons in New York City. He also has extensive experience abroad reconstructing children with congenital nasal deformities. Dr. Azzi’s patients admire his incredible artist eye and his ability to harmonize the nose with the rest of his patient’s facial features.

The Palm Beach Center for Facial Plastic & Laser Surgery serves local patients in Jupiter, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Tequesta, Hobe Sound, Stuart, Palm City and beyond.

Don’t live in South Florida? No problem! People come from all over the world to visit Dr. Azzi for facial plastic surgery. We routinely assist our visiting patients with hotel accommodations, nursing care and even flight arrangements. Email us or call us today for more information: (561) 429-5403

98 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page