What is different about rhinoplasty in men
Most men who consult me want a nose that looks like it has not been operated on. That usually means a straight, strong bridge rather than a scooped one, and a tip that is refined but not narrowed or turned up. Those features are what make a nose look feminine, and avoiding them is part of the plan from the first consultation.
Men more often have thicker nasal skin. Thick skin covers fine detail, so the tip shows definition more gradually, and swelling takes longer to settle. The result is judged at twelve months or more, not at six weeks.
Breathing and old injuries
Breathing matters as much as shape. Many men I see broke their nose playing sport or in an accident, sometimes years earlier, and a nose that is crooked on the outside is often bent on the inside too. I assess the airway at every consultation, so the inside and the outside of the nose are planned together.
Where there is a breathing problem, part of the operation may attract a Medicare rebate if the criteria are met: a NOSE Scale score above 45, or a significant acquired, congenital or developmental deformity. Your health fund may then contribute if your cover is adequate. Changing the shape of the nose for appearance alone is not covered.
Common reasons men consult
- A bump on the bridge. See nasal bump.
- A nose that is crooked after an injury. See crooked nose.
- A large nose or a drooping tip. See large or long nose.
- A blocked nose. See septoplasty and functional rhinoplasty.
- Unhappy after a previous operation. See revision rhinoplasty.
How I approach it
I use ultrasonic instruments for every rhinoplasty, and preservation techniques where the anatomy suits them. The first consultation is a full examination, including the airway with a small camera. At the second, we use photo morphing of your own photographs to agree what change you are after, and I will tell you honestly what your anatomy allows.
A referral, two consultations and a cooling-off period of at least seven days after consent are required before cosmetic surgery in Australia. Surgery cannot be booked, or a deposit taken, until that period has passed.
Recovery, work and sport
The splint comes off at seven to ten days, and most people take ten days to two weeks off work. No nose blowing for three weeks, and saline washes three to four times a day for the first three weeks.
Getting back to the gym is graduated, because raising your blood pressure raises the risk of bleeding and swelling. Gentle walking only for the first two weeks, then light cardio, then light lower-body work from about four weeks, with nothing above shoulder height. Most exercise, including weights, can resume after six weeks once I have cleared you at your review.
Non-contact sport returns fully after twelve weeks. Contact sport, and anything with a risk of a blow to the face, waits at least six months, again once cleared. No swimming for six weeks, and no flying for two. The full table is on the recovery page.
More detail is on the rhinoplasty page, the recovery page and the cost page. The full set of male cases is in the male before and after gallery. When you are ready, send an enquiry or call my rooms on (07) 3202 4636.
Before and after
Male patients, with the time since surgery stated on each photograph.
