Rhinoplasty surgery is considered to be one of the most difficult procedures performed by plastic surgeons. The procedure requires that the surgeon have multiple skill sets. He or she must be an anatomist, physiologist, psychologist, architect, and engineer. Most importantly, the procedure requires that the surgeon be an artist.
Many factors must be considered when choosing a rhinoplasty surgeon. These include the surgeon’s experience, reputation, certification, training, and ability to communicate with patients.
When performing rhinoplasty surgery, the analysis of the problem is critical. The surgeon must look at the nose from multiple perspectives. The nose should be evaluated based on its individual characteristics as well as its relationship with surrounding facial structures. It’s important to achieve facial harmony, balance, and proportion to obtain optimal aesthetic results.
It’s also important to consider how nasal surgery will interact with the patient’s gender, ethnic background, and nasal physiology. Finally, every patient has unique aesthetic goals and it’s important that these be understood by the surgeon as well. Although this type of analysis is important, the ability of the surgeon to communicate with patients is even more important.
For these reasons, several factors should be considered when choosing a rhinoplasty surgeon. These include:
- The ability to evaluate and form a treatment plan for your nose
- The ability to communicate the game plan so that it’s understandable
- The use of computer imaging to help you visualize the proposed endpoint
- Before and after pictures to demonstrate prior work
- Board Certification
- Training
- Experience
- Reputation
Careful evaluation of these parameters should point you in the right direction. Don’t hesitate to get multiple opinions and most importantly, trust your instincts.