PLASTIC SURGERY 101
Let your nose grow up
Posted on Tue, Feb. 05, 2008
By DR. CARLOS WOLF
Q: I'm a teenager considering rhinoplasty to refine my large nose. Is there such a thing as my face actually growing to the point where it matches the size/shape of my nose?
A: I certainly hope not! What you may have heard is that you should not have your nose operated on too early because it can continue to grow as you get older. Rhinoplasty -- a nose job -- is done at different ages for men and women because they mature at different stages. (I did not need to tell you that!) Men's surgeries are usually done at 16 years of age and older. Women's are generally done at ages 15 and older. Under certain circumstances the surgery might be done earlier. The problem of doing surgery at a young age is based on the assumption that the nose may not be fully developed and may continue to grow after surgery. If the nose were to continue to grow, the patient would need further surgery in the future. Another potential problem is that the growth plate of the nose may be ill affected, preventing the nose from growing to its normal size. (Isn't that the point?)
So, what should you do? See at least two facial plastic surgeons or plastic surgeons who do a lot of nose surgeries. Get your surgeon's opinion, look at before and after pictures and ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable. Ask how often they do rhinoplasty surgery, how often they need to revise (redo) their nose surgeries and what the risks entail. Nasal surgery is generally a safe and satisfying procedure.
Dr. Carlos Wolf is a board certified facial plastic surgeon practicing in Miami. E-mail:
carloswolfmd@aol.com.
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