Teenage Rhinoplasty in NYC

Are Teens Able to Get Rhinoplasty?

Teens are not supposed to get rhinoplasty surgery until their nose has reached adult size. Normally, this occurs during the age of 15 or 16 for girls and approximately a year later for boys.

What Types of Teen Rhinoplasty Surgery Are There?

There are different types of rhinoplasty surgery. During such a surgery, the surgeon can remove a hump on the nose, can reshape the nose’s tip, can straighten the bridge, can increase, or decrease the size of the nostrils, can correct the nose after an injury, can open breathing passages, or make the nose smaller or bigger.

A nose job is done either for cosmetic purposes or medical reasons. Some people might not be satisfied with the way their nose looks or might need surgery to repair an issue with the cartilage, which divides one nostril from the other and can lead to breathing issues.

Is Rhinoplasty Right for My Teenager?

Any type of cosmetic surgery is a major decision. For teens and their parents, it is vital to consider all the aspects of undergoing rhinoplasty. This includes ensuring the nose has stopped growing, which can be as young as 13-14 for girls or 16 or older for boys. At our plastic surgery center in NYC, Dr. Linkov has spent many years helping his patients improve their appearance, and he always offers his honest recommendations for any procedure. He takes the time to meet and discuss the pros and cons of teen rhinoplasty with both the parents and the child. Dr. Linkov, MD will help determine whether it is the right procedure at the right time for each circumstance.

Can Teenage Rhinoplasty Lead to Risks and Complications?

All types of surgeries are associated with certain risks. Risk factors of teenage rhinoplasty include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• An allergic reaction to anesthesia
• Swelling
• Numbness
• Nosebleeds
• Scarring at the base of the nose
• Bursting of small blood vessels on the surface of the skin
• A need for a second or third operation

Before getting a rhinoplasty surgery, teenagers and their parents or guardians need to speak with the surgeon and question all the risks and benefits of the surgery. It is especially important to communicate with your surgeon about the surgery openly, which is seen as a big step toward the operation’s success.

In most cases, the specialist will take a lot of time to speak thoroughly to teenagers before the surgery. The teenager needs to be mature enough to handle the change, have realistic expectations about the surgery results, and do it for the correct reasons. For example, it is unrealistic to believe that rhinoplasty surgery can change your life completely or make you more popular amongst your peers.

What Does Recovery From Teenage Nose Jobe Look Like?

Recovery after teen rhinoplasty surgery will require a lot of patience and support from friends and family. You must keep your head elevated during the first 24 hours after the surgery. This might make it more difficult to get a good night’s sleep during the first night after the surgery. It is also normal for patients to experience some pain or swelling. Some only experience mild pain, while others develop more severe symptoms. Pain and swelling can be managed with the use of cold compresses and medication.

Some people get discouraged due to the swelling and how they appear right after the operation. However, the swelling goes down with time, the redness disappears, and the nose fully heals. It takes up to one year before the rhinoplasty results can be seen.

Is There Anything I Can Do To Shorten the Recovery Process?

Some tips to help to speed up the healing time include:

• Get plenty of rest. It might be difficult to find the right sleeping position, and it might seem impossible to fall asleep. However, resting is an especially important part of recovery.
• Eat a balanced diet. Eating healthily can speed up your recovery as it provides your body with the nutrients that it needs to heal itself. You must eat proteins, which are important for building skin, muscle, cartilage, and blood. Eat nuts, meat, eggs, yogurt, fish, and other types of foods that are rich in protein.
• Get plenty of vitamins. Vitamins you should consider include vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A can help boost your immune system and fight infections after the surgery, while vitamin C is important for the regeneration of collagen, which is a protein that connects the tissue of the skin.
• Avoid strenuous activity. Try not to exercise for at least two weeks, and don’t put pressure on the nose, such as sleeping or laying on it.
• Avoid being in the sun. Sunscreen should be used all year to protect the skin from UV radiation, but it is especially important just after surgery when too much sun might alter the pigmentation of the healing skin.
• Avoid smoking. Quitting this bad habit, at least for a while, it’s one of the most crucial things you can do. Nicotine reduces blood circulation, which makes it harder for the body to recover itself and, in rare instances, can result in tissue necrosis.
• Avoid hot baths and showers. Shower or bathe using only lukewarm water for the first two weeks following surgery to avoid inflammation and increased swelling.

If you are considering teen rhinoplasty, you want to ensure you have the top facial plastic surgeon for the procedure. Take the time to view the before and after results from our past rhinoplasty patients on our website. Schedule your consultation with Dr. Linkov today.

Dr. Linkov is a double board-certified by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. A native of New York, Dr. Linkov graduated as a salutatorian from Cornell University and received his Medical Degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Linkov conducted advanced head and neck cancer research at the world-renowned Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Linkov is a former Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University (NYU), where he taught Rhinoplasty.

Dr. Linkov is a top-rated facial plastic surgeon in New York who specializes in lip lift, facelift, rhinoplasty, and hair transplant. He has been named one of the top 5 lip lift surgeons in the United States, is listed in the prestigious SuperDoctors New York™ registry, and has appeared on the Dr. Oz Show, where he discussed the state-of-the-art hair transplantation procedure.

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