At Swartout Facial Plastic Surgery, Dr. Benjamin Swartout skillfully performs rhinoplasty in Beverly Hills, CA to help patients improve their facial aesthetics and regain their confidence.
As the most dominant facial feature, we naturally draw our eyes to the nose — especially when it is out of proportion with the other facial features. The nose is a source of self-consciousness for many people. Fortunately, rhinoplasty can help correct any aesthetic issues and improve facial harmony.
What is Rhinoplasty?
A prominent nose can detract from a person’s natural attractiveness, drawing attention away from the eyes, lips, and other facial features. The nose can also contribute to poor facial balance, making other features, like the chin, appear weak. Other issues can throw off the overall facial aesthetics, such as:
- hump or bump on the bridge of the nose
- crookedness or asymmetry
- unattractive nasal tip
Rhinoplasty is a versatile procedure that can correct a wide range of aesthetic and functional concerns in the nose. By surgically reshaping the nasal bones and cartilage, a plastic surgeon can permanently transform the nose and create a more appealing aesthetic. Surgery can help correct facial balance issues and make changes that help patients gain self-esteem and feel more confident in social situations.
Related procedures: Eyelid Surgery, Otoplasty.
Types of Rhinoplasty Surgery
Cosmetic rhinoplasty is the most common type of nose surgery. However, there are several specialized types of rhinoplasty that may better suit certain patients’ needs. These include:
Ethnic Rhinoplasty
Skilled modern plastic surgeons like Dr. Swartout understand the importance of keeping each patient’s ethnic identity when making adjustments to the nose. Instead of attempting to “Westernize” the nose, Dr. Swartout takes his patients’ unique rhinoplasty goals and incorporates them in such a way as to keep their heritage while still delivering desired results.
African American, Asian, Latin, Middle Eastern, or other backgrounds may all have different skin thicknesses, nasal structures, and tendencies for scarring. Dr. Swartout’s training allows him to adapt and customize his techniques for each patient to create the most optimal result possible, regardless of ethnicity or nasal structure.
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Functional Rhinoplasty
Although many rhinoplasty procedures are solely cosmetic, functional rhinoplasty is also a common procedure. It can correct structural issues in the nose that may cause breathing issues, such as a deviated septum. Many patients combine functional and cosmetic rhinoplasty, choosing to have both aesthetic and practical changes made at the same time.
Revision Rhinoplasty
Occasionally, a primary rhinoplasty procedure does not go as planned. Whether it was the surgeon’s lack of skill, poor healing, or miscommunication, some procedures require a revision. This is a complex and difficult surgery that requires the skill of an experienced facial surgery specialist. Working with a skilled surgeon from the beginning can help prevent complications and optimize results.
Why Choose Rhinoplasty (Nose Job)?
Choosing rhinoplasty is a personal decision, but most people who interested in a nose job have similar reasons for choosing the surgery. Many of our Beverly Hills rhinoplasty patients have disliked the appearance of their nose from a young age. Although the nose does not stop growing until the mid- to late teens, facial balance issues, a dorsal hump, or crookedness are often present from adolescence.
Many patients see Dr. Swartout to address similar complaints. These include:
- A nose that is too small or too large
- A prominent nasal hump or bump
- A flat bridge
- A crooked nose
- A poorly shaped nasal tip
- A deviated septum
Dr. Swartout strives for a natural, un-operated appearance using techniques designed to create a nose that looks great with the patient’s other features yet maintains or improves functionality. His philosophy is “beauty by birth,” meaning that his patients appear to have been born with their new features. A “cookie-cutter” nose job approach is where a doctor performs the same changes to each patient’s nose. This technique is outdated, and Dr. Swartout subscribes to newer aesthetic ideals that promote uniqueness and customization.
Before & After Rhinoplasty Photos
* All patients are unique and individual results may vary.
Are You a Candidate for Rhinoplasty?
If the appearance or function of your nose dissatisfies you and you would like to make permanent changes, rhinoplasty could be a good option for you. Prospective patients should be adults in good health who do not smoke (or are willing to quit well before and after the surgery).
It is important for rhinoplasty candidates to have realistic expectations of what the surgery can accomplish. If you’re not sure what to expect after rhinoplasty, looking at before and after photos can be helpful for setting your expectations.
Your Rhinoplasty Consultation in Beverly Hills
Prospective patients dissatisfied with their nose should attend a rhinoplasty consultation in Beverly Hills with Dr. Swartout to learn more and discuss their goals with an expert. During the consultation, Dr. Swartout asks each patient about their unique concerns and goes over the procedure in depth.
The doctor may also provide photo imaging to show three-dimensional transformations possible from multiple views. He may ask patients to bring photos of their ideal nose to the appointment so he can determine whether the look will suit their facial anatomy. Dr. Swartout will establish candidacy during the patient’s consultation and encourages prospective patients to bring him their questions and concerns so he can address them prior to the procedure.
Preparing for Rhinoplasty Surgery
Before the day of your rhinoplasty surgery in Beverly Hills, Dr. Swartout will give you some preparation instructions. If you smoke, you will need to quit a month or two before surgery. You will also need to stop taking certain medications and supplements a week or two prior to the procedure. Dr. Swartout will provide you with a detailed list.
On the night before surgery, you can not eat or drink anything after midnight. This is because we give patients general anesthesia during most rhinoplasty procedures and eating or drinking can cause complications. You should also have someone drive you home and stay with you during the first few days of recovery.
The Rhinoplasty Surgery Procedure
Typically, Dr. Swartout performs rhinoplasty procedures in Beverly Hills under general anesthesia. This is a fairly invasive surgery and general anesthesia helps to ensure our patients’ comfort. Once the patient is asleep, Dr. Swartout will make the incisions. He may place them inside the nose (closed approach) or externally in the skin between the nostrils (open approach).
Dr. Swartout may place and shape cartilage grafts, break and reset the nasal bones, straighten the septum, and use other techniques to achieve the patient’s desired nose size and shape. We then place dissolving or traditional sutures to close the small incisions.
A friend or family member can drive the patient home once Dr. Swartout & staff has released them. Most procedures last around 2-3 hours.
Recovering From Rhinoplasty Surgery in Beverly Hills
After surgery, we fit patients with a nasal cast or splint. Occasionally, nasal packing may be necessary for a few days. The splint will help the nose maintain its new shape during healing and will remain in place for about a week to 10 days. Patients will notice bruising under the eyes and swelling in the mid-face that can last up to a few weeks.
Patients may use prescribed pain medication to reduce any discomfort. They should sleep with their head elevated to reduce swelling. To encourage proper healing and optimal rhinoplasty results, it is important for patients to follow all of Dr. Swartout’s post-operative instructions as closely as possible.
Residual swelling remains for up to a year or longer, and the nose will gradually settle into its final shape. Patients should avoid strenuous activities for around 4-6 weeks after surgery. Nasal breathing is typically difficult for about 3 weeks after the surgery because of swelling.
Risks and Complications of Nose Surgery
Although safe overall, rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that involves some risk. And you reduce risk by choosing a skilled rhinoplasty surgeon in Beverly Hills to perform your procedure. Complications and risks may include:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Anesthesia complications
- Unfavorable scarring
- Poor cosmetic result
- Breathing problems
Why choose Dr. Swartout
- Fellowship trained sub-specialist in Facial Plastic surgery who attended college at Harvard University.
- Attended medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
- Interned in general surgery at New York University, followed by a specialty residency in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck surgery at New York University.
- Completed a fellowship in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he worked with Dr. Dean Toriumi.
- A member of the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery and the American Rhinologic Society.
- Teaches nasal surgery to residents at Harbor UCLA both to contribute to the education of future doctors and to give back to an underserved community.
- Special interests include the development of rhinoplasty techniques to create long lasting, favorable nasal shape and good nasal breathing.
Complementary Procedures
For some patients, a combination procedure can yield the best results. Cosmetic nose surgery pairs well with chin augmentation, a procedure in which we place a permanent synthetic implant to increase chin projection. By creating modest changes to the nose and balancing the side profile with a chin implant, a plastic surgeon can dramatically improve a patient’s facial harmony and balance. Sometimes, chin or jaw implants can also change the facial shape from a frontal view, creating a more central nasal position.
Cosmetic lip injections draw attention to a patient’s mouth, enhancing the volume of the upper and lower lips. Because we often modify the nose to make the lips more apparent, this extra step can further increase facial attractiveness. While many still perform lip implants, most facial plastic surgeons favor Restylane injections to enhance their volume as the results appear more natural.
Related articles
- Romo T, Swartout BG. Reduction Structured Rhinoplasty
- Toriumi D, Swartout BG. Asian Rhinoplasty. Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics
- Swartout BG, Toriumi DM. Rhinoplasty. Current Opinion in Otolaryngology
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no ideal age for rhinoplasty surgery though it’s recommended only after a patient’s nose has stopped growing. Intervening too early can impact the growth of the nose and affect the long-term results of the procedure. Girls’ noses typically stop growing around age 15-16, and boys’ around 17-18.
Patients under the age of 18 will need parental consent to undergo rhinoplasty. It is important for teenage patients to be psychologically mature to undergo nose surgery.
When Dr. Swartout uses the closed (endonasal) rhinoplasty approach, he hides the incisions inside the nose. This makes any scar tissue almost impossible to see.
With the open approach, there is a small incision along the columella (the skin between the nostrils) on the undersurface of the nose. When this heals, it is typically difficult to see. Prior to surgery, Dr. Swartout examines each patient’s nose and discusses surgical goals to determine which technique will best suit each procedure.
Dr. Swartout may achieve certain areas of correction (like straightening the upper third of the nose or removing a hump) using the endonasal approach. Other corrections, like straightening out the middle section of the nose (the soft, cartilage part) or improving a crooked tip, may require the open approach.
The septum is the wall between the two nostrils that divides the nasal passages into a right and a left side. Some people have a crooked (or deviated) septum. This means that the twisted cartilage is taking up more space in the nose and preventing the passage of air, typically on one side.
If a septum is crooked and the patient has trouble breathing, a septoplasty can straighten it out. This improves air passage through the nose, allowing for easier nasal breathing.
Swartout Facial Plastic Surgery
Benjamin G. Swartout, M.D. of Swartout Facial Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, CA is a board-certified Southern California facial plastics expert. After earning his undergraduate degree at Harvard University, Dr. Swartout completed his medical degree at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Dr. Swartout’s Beverly Hills practice dedicates all efforts to facial plastic surgery and non-surgical procedures to enhance the aesthetics of the face.
You can reach Swartout Facial Plastic Surgery for more information about rhinoplasty in Beverly Hills and the surrounding Los Angeles area. Schedule a consultation at (310) 274-6005.
