New Patient Information
Is this your first rhinoplasty?
If this is your first rhinoplasty, allow us to put you at ease. If you have not had an injury or previous surgery to your nose, your rhinoplasty becomes easier and you can certainly achieve your goals. The deformities of the nose can be corrected by altering the structures that cause these deformities. In rhinoplasty the structures beneath the skin can be reshaped, resized or repositioned to alter the appearance of the nose.
Have a look (appraise / analyze) critically at your nose before you seek an opinion.
Every person who wishes to see a rhinoplasty surgeon should be able to clearly express whether the problem is with breathing or with the appearance of the nose. If the appearance is an issue it would serve everyone concerned to be able to analyze and express what it is in the nose that they dislike.
How to analyze the nose
In these next few lines, I will attempt to help you to analyze your nose…
Use a mirror or a printed photograph to look at your nose. Each of these versions have their own story to tell. So, you can use either or both.
One of the best ways is to divide the nose into three parts – the upper, middle and the lower third. The upper third is hard to feel and touch and made up bones. It can either be straight or crooked and low in some and high in others.
The middle third, as well as the lower third, are soft and pliable to touch as they are made up of cartilage. The middle third of the nose most commonly lends to the orientation of the nose. It mainly contributes to making the nose appear straight or crooked and narrow or wide.
There is a bump on the top of the nose in this location which is called the hump. Many individuals prefer removal of the hump.
The lower third of the nose is referred to as the tip. The common deformities noticed in the tip are the size (narrow or large) position (tall or short) and projection (up or down).
Another important feature to evaluate is the nature of the skin on the nose. Again, unique to the South Indian population is the presence of thick skin with sebaceous quality (oily).
So, if you have analyzed your nose then you are ready for your first consultation with the doctor, please contact us.
Your first consultation
Please feel relaxed during your first interaction with surgeon, be assured for this is only a discussion. The battle is half won when you have made the decision to have a correction to your nose and chosen the right surgeon to accompany you on this journey. Also, when you have thoroughly analyzed and understood what parts of the nose you do not like or wish to be altered, your goals are fixed.
The doctor routinely uses photographs to analyze your nose and to mark progress. These photos are taken from different angles and positions to achieve the best possible results. The common angles are the front, the sides, and the base angles. The photograph is used to draw and mark the deformities. Of course, confidentiality of your images is our prime concern, and will only be used… ( “With your consent” ) …The doctor mostly concurs with the patient’s ideas but would also give his opinion or suggestions to obtain the ideal outcome. Please keep in mind, he is specialized and experienced with his vast knowledge from many surgeries
When in doubt....
In your first consultation you will be able to express yourself as to which the parts of the nose that you did or did not like. Some may be able to express what they do not like in their nose; however, they may find it difficult to visualize what they eventually want their nose to look like and the surgeon is always there to help. The surgeon may or may not agree with you, however, listen to him carefully for there is always a scientific and sensible reason for his disagreement. Your surgeon will spend a lot of time trying to explain the deformity to you and what correction he proposes. He may give you an idea of what the final outcome will be, but a 3D picture is very hard to paint.
The decision to go ahead with rhinoplasty should be made only after you have visited your surgeon a minimum of two or more times. You must be clear in your mind as to what you expect from your surgery. If you are unsure, schedule a visit to your surgeon and clear all your doubts.
After this, you may be instructed by the doctor’s office to follow some preoperative routines. For most of the advice is in relationship to improving the quality of the skin and medications to reduce the post-operative swelling and bruising, you may be prescribed nasal drops to help you with breathing. If you have not taken photographs as prescribed by the doctor, you will be required to do so before surgery.
The final decision
Congratulations on taking the last step towards the final goal of the beautiful nose you desire. The final decision is a team effort of your thoughts and the doctors experience. We will have you prepared and will walk with you till the finish line.
The doctor operates in a variety of hospitals catering to the financial needs of the patient. You can choose one that fits your budget. Functional rhinoplasty may be covered by your health insurance policy however cosmetic rhinoplasty will not be entertained through insurance. Fix an appointment to visit the hospital for your inspection and your anesthetist (who will perform your anesthesia) .There are anesthetist practices in a few centers in different parts of Chennai. His contact information is available in this web site.
