Rhinoplasty in Newport Beach, Orange County CA
A Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery/Nose Job) is a procedure to beautify the nose, correct breathing problems, or both. Breathing problems, snoring, and sinus problems are often improved by straightening the nose. Dr. Bandy uses the most current techniques and designs the surgery specifically to each person’s needs and desires. Learn more about Rhinoplasty at our Newport Beach, Orange County office.
Who is Rhinoplasty Recommended for?
Rhinoplasty is recommended for anybody looking to improve the cosmetic nature of their nose. Typically, rhinoplasty for cosmetic reasons is not recommended for young ladies or young men before the age of sixteen (16), because you can continue to develop more bone and cartilage as you age. Therefore, people between the ages of sixteen (16) to eighteen (18) would be the youngest that would be recommended for considering rhinoplasty. Septoplasty, on the other hand, is indicated for dysfunction of the nasal septum cartilage and/or bone that separates the two nasal vaults (right side from the left side) and contributes to breathing difficulties. Such dysfunction can create breathing difficulties and sinus problems. Septoplasty can be performed at an earlier age if severe enough and if medically indicated. However, if it is a mild dysfunction, it is recommended that you wait until you are sixteen (16) years old.


Addressing Your Concerns
Pre-Operation
How can I prepare for rhinoplasty?
Patients are advised not to eat or drink after midnight prior to surgery on the day of the surgery. Also, it is advised to not have alcohol intake for a minimum of two weeks before surgery. Patients will be provided with specific instructions, including Dr. bandy’s vitamin protocol, during their pre-operative appointment.
Will anesthesia be administered for rhinoplasty?
You may have the options of being awake or asleep for rhinoplasty, depending on how detailed the surgery is. For a Complete Rhinoplasty, it is recommended for a general anesthesia rather than just a local anesthesia, because there will be times that it may not be tolerable for the patient.
Is rhinoplasty painful?
When having surgery under a local anesthesia, the most painful part of rhinoplasty will be during the injection of the local anesthesia into the nose to get the nose numb. After you are numb, there will only be the sensation of pressure and touching, but no pain. With a general anesthesia, you are asleep prior to the local being injected. After surgery, you may feel some soreness, however, most patients simply describe a feeling of a pressure similar to a cold or sinus congestion.
What if I am sick before my rhinoplasty procedure?
If you are sick, you should check with your surgeon, as you may have to reschedule the surgery until you are well.
How long before I see results of rhinoplasty?
The timing of results depends on the patient’s own tissues. Sometimes you see immediate results after removal of the splint. However, there will be some swelling. Other times, it takes a whole month to six (6) weeks to see results, because of swelling and thickness of the patient’s skin and tissues. Final results take up to a year to see, when all swelling has subsided.
Post-Operation
Is scarring expected after rhinoplasty?
If the incisions are inside the nose, you would not see the scars. To reduce scarring, it is recommended to avoid the sun exposure or wear a good sunscreen and or silicone sheeting.
Can I drive home after my rhinoplasty surgery?
If you are having a general anesthesia, you will need someone to drive you home after surgery. Patients are able to drive home on their own if they are having a local anesthesia with no other oral medications or IV medications.
Should I try avoiding touching the nose as best as possible after rhinoplasty surgery?
Do not pick at the sutures, or tapes on the nose. If you have to sneeze, you should sneeze with mouth open. This allows for less pressure in the nose when sneezing.
What activity should I refrain from after rhinoplasty?
You should refrain from any kind of contact sports from the first 6 weeks after a rhinoplasty surgery and high impact workouts that elevate the blood pressure.
Costs
What is the average cost for rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty cost varies depending on the intricacies of the surgery. During your consultation, pricing specific to your case will be provided.
What is the average cost for Tip Plasty Surgery?
The cost of rhinoplasty varies depending on what needs to be done to achieve the patient’s goals. Tip Plasty (where just the tip is being operated on) pricing varies depending on what type of anesthesia is being used, and the amount of work that needs to be done to achieve the intended results.
What is the average cost for Complete Rhinoplasty?
A Complete Rhinoplasty can have a significant price range depending on the complexity of the case. Complete Rhinoplasty may be performed for a primary rhinoplasty (first time having rhinoplasty done) or reconstructive rhinoplasty that is being performed as a secondary surgery, or in situations where there has been an injury or previous damage. It is normally more expensive with the second or third surgery, because you will likely have more scar tissue and work involved. Sometimes you need to have cartilage harvested from different areas such as the ear or even the septal cartilage to reconstruct the nose.
What is the average cost for Septorhinoplasty?
The cost for septo-rhinoplasty can also have a significant price range depending on the complexity of the case. Although some of it can be considered cosmetic, some of it may also be considered reconstructive. Thus, there may be some coverage through insurance companies for septo-rhinoplasty. Patients are recommended to be aware and take caution with insurance companies, because even if you get prior authorization, it does not mean that the insurance company will pay; they may evaluate it and determine it was cosmetic.Some patients that have done primary rhinoplasty end up with partial blockage of the airway. Thus, a cosmetic surgery might turn into reconstructive matter. Some of the patients that come in to see Dr. Bandy are patients that have had such blockage caused prior by previous surgery.
Are there financing options for rhinoplasty?
The patient has multiple financing options. For example, the patient can pay for the surgery on credit card, and make monthly payments back to their credit card. Additionally, CareCredit is a financing company specific for cosmetic surgery; patients can apply for CareCredit, and there are multiple options for CareCredit. Sometimes, patients opt to make payments directly to the office. This is a prepayment plan where a patient would pay until he or she pays the entire balance for the surgery; then, they would have their surgery.
Recovery
What is the recovery time and the healing process? (Tip Plasty)
Typically, no external splint is required if you do not need to break the bones of the nose, and are just working on the cartilage of the tip. Only tapes are required to support the cartilage. The tapes can typically be removed within three (3) to five (5) days. You will experience some mild soft tissue swelling. Patients are able to return to work as soon as they feel comfortable with their appearance. Often times, surgeries can be performed on a Friday and you can be back to work on a Monday or Tuesday.
What is the recovery time and the healing process? (Complete Rhinoplasty)
A Complete Rhinoplasty is a procedure where all the tissues of the nose are addressed. For proper healing after the procedure, an external nasal splint would be required and possibly nasal packing. If the packing is necessary, then the packing will be removed on approximately the third to fourth post operative day. The splint will be removed around the fifth (5th) to seventh (7th) post operative day. The majority of people having a Complete Rhinoplasty will require approximately a week downtime prior to returning to normal activities. Again, for a simple Tip Plasty, you only need a few days. For a Complete Rhinoplasty, you typically need a week off.
Is there a post-operative recovery facility that you recommend?
We do have a post operative recovery facility that we refer our patients to in Orange County, CA and Los Angeles, CA. In these situations, they will be picked up by the post operative care facility from our recovery room and brought to the recovery center where they are recovered overnight, and then brought back the next day for their follow up appointment.
– Dr. Amy Bandy, Over 20 Years of Experience
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is rhinoplasty?
Not only can rhinoplasty involve the external nose, it can involve correcting the internal nose as well, such as the septum and turbinates. Reconstructive nose surgery, on the other hand, is generally a procedure to correct breathing difficulties (from injury, from birth, or complications from a prior rhinoplasty).