When the nose needs cosmetic plastic surgery enhancement (ie. to augment & define a flat nose) or functional improvement (to give structural support to tissues destroyed by a previous nose job surgery, trauma, or genetic irregularity) an implant may be the answer. Not to be confused with grafts which herald from natural cartilage, skin, mucous membrane or muscle, implants are derived from synthetic material or from donated and banked biological material.
While using your own natural cartilage and skin might sound preferable to a synthetic implant or donor tissue, there are certain situations where an implant is actually a better choice. First, biologically sourced implants, unlike your own, are available in unlimited amounts. Second, synthetic implant materials, unlike biologically sourced ones, don’t get reabsorbed over time and don’t change shape or break down. Most synthetic implants, made from materials such as silicone and Gore-tex® are inert and therefore ignored by the body. Others like Medpor integrate with your body as does an artificial hip, knee or shoulder joint. Biologically sourced implants include rib cartilage and Alloderm, which comes from harvested cadaver skin, that has had all of the cells stripped out of it so your own cells and blood vessels can grow into it.
There are risks and benefits associated with the use of any kind of graft or implant in rhinoplasty surgery. Although synthetic implants have a long track record of safety (think of joint replacement and trauma reconstruction), there are still risks associated with their use in plastic surgery. Risks include infection and the possibility that the implant might shift. Since some synthetic implants integrate with the surrounding tissue, they usually do extrude in the presence of infection. However, because of this integration, they may be difficult to remove on an elective basis. During your cosmetic surgery consultation, facial plastic surgeon Dr. Yagoda of New York City/NYC/Manhattan will discuss all of your options—the risks, benefits and alternatives of each — and ultimately she will offer her recommendations.
The Procedure
Rhinoplasty or nose job surgery with implants or grafts can be performed in Dr. Yagoda’s New York City/NYC/Manhattan office-based surgical facility or in a NYC hospital, under local anesthetic with IV sedation or under general anesthesia. This plastic surgery procedure takes between 45 minutes and two hours. The exact surgical technique is uniquely tailored by the plastic surgeon for each patient but most of the time, all incisions are made internally and there are no visible scars. Sometimes, an incision is made at the base of the nostrils and the incision is carefully hidden.
Recovery
You can return to work in about a week after your cosmetic nasal plastic surgery and you’ll be able to use a stationary bike or treadmill by the second week. By the third week, you can return to full activities. Although you’ll see immediate improvement, your nose’s shape and your profile will continue to refine over the next 12 to 18 months.
Risks
Like all cosmetic plastic surgery, rhinoplasty with grafts and or implants has certain risks including infection, bleeding, and reaction to anesthesia. Other risks include structural damage to the nose. Dr. Yagoda will discuss these potential risks as well as the benefits of this rhinoplasty procedure in full during your consultation in her New York City/ Manhattan office.
To determine if you might benefit from rhinoplasty or nose job surgery, call Dr. Yagoda today to schedule your personal comprehensive plastic surgery consultation in her New York, NY office.
Read about Dr. Yagoda’s Integrative Post Operative Care Program
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