Human beings tend to be fairly judgmental creatures, and never more so than with our own selves. If you sit five minutes in front of the mirror, you’re apt to come out with more than a handful of conclusions, and one of those may just be “I need a nose job!”. In this article, however, we set out to explain your average rhinoplasty in Orange County procedure, to give you a better idea of what you might expect. Often, we misjudge the complexities of such a procedure, and that’s rarely a wise idea, since it’s our face (and our health) we’re talking about here.

So here are some things to keep in mind about rhinoplasty procedures! 

1. Rhinoplasty is one of the most complex cosmetic procedures available.

Reconstruction of the nose is an understandably difficult undertaking, one that very few cosmetic surgeons truly master. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t be able to successfully perform the operation on you, just that you might be disappointed by the results.  

First of all, you need to get the idea of a perfect nose out of your mind. Since this is such a complex procedure, it’s practically impossible for the result to be exactly the same as what you hoped for. The sooner you understand this, the easier it will be to avoid disappointment. Even though most surgeons will show you a digitally generated estimate of what your new nose will look like, you should leave some leeway and understand that the results will vary a little. 

It is because of rhinoplasty’s complexity that we recommend seriously considering your decision before going through with the procedure.

2. You will need some downtime from social events.

This includes work, even though we don’t consider that a particular social event. The truth is, your worst nightmares about post-op recovery are possibly true. You will look a little like a mummy when you come out of the operating room, and for a few days after that. For this reason, you’re advised to avoid work, or attending social functions for up to 7-10 days after your operation.

3. It is not usually a painful recovery, but an uncomfortable one.

It’s normal to worry that the procedure, as well as the recovery itself, will be highly painful for you. After all, the nose is a sensitive area, and most people have a natural aversion to the idea. However, rhinoplasty recovery is usually ranked as non-painful, but highly inconvenient because of the severe congestion you will experience. Be assured that this goes away on its own in a few days, so you’ll just have to bear through it.

4. Rhinoplasty might alter the way you speak.

One consequence of rhinoplasty that most people neglect to think about is that it might temporarily alter the way you speak. After all, our voice is heavily connected to our nose, and if you tend to have a nasal voice now, a rhinoplasty procedure will affect that. However, while the change may be noticeable, it won’t be drastic – you won’t sound like Mickey Mouse, so you’ve got no reason to worry!