Dr. Taylor & Dr. Sullivan, Nose Surgery Specialists.
Board-certified Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons in Boston, Massachusetts
The nose is the centerpiece of facial balance and harmony and must be properly aligned for normal breathing. The nose is also the most frequently broken facial bone leading to facial imbalance and impaired breathing.
Many of us can remember being struck in the nose during sports or activities and suffering some pain as well as a bloody nose.
Although the nose may not have changed much in appearance at the time, it likely suffered a break or disruption of the nasal bones, nasal cartilages or nasal septum. Over time, the result of even small nasal breaks may change your appearance or ability to breathe comfortably.
Others, inherit or develop undesirable nasal appearance. Children born with a cleft lip or cleft palate, are born with a nasal deformity which may persist despite repairing the lip and palate. The range of concerns can include a bump, wide nose, bulbous tip, droopy tip, long nose, short nose, crooked nose, big nose, hooked nose, or wide nostrils. Regardless of the cause Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan can evaluate your nose for both cosmetic as well as functional (breathing) concerns and determine if our Boston Rhinoplasty procedure is the right procedure for you.
Nose Surgery (Rhinoplasty, Septoplasty, Turbinate removal) can improve breathing and improve appearance.
The goals of nose surgery are a natural appearance, facial balance, and harmony, as well as normal breathing. These goals can only be obtained with meticulous surgical care, careful planning, and experience.
In addition to being board-certified plastic surgeons in the Boston area, Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan are both fellowship-trained in Craniofacial Plastic Surgery, which includes the most complex nasal surgery. Dr. Sullivan has a passion for performing precise nose surgery or "nose job", and it is one of the most common operations he performs.
Each patient is carefully evaluated and the approach is customized based on your goals and symptoms. Some operations may be covered by your medical insurance while others may be considered cosmetic. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan to learn more about Rhinoplasty in Boston.
Closed Rhinoplasty - all scars and incision are hidden inside the nose.
Open Rhinoplasty - incisions are made inside the nose as well as across the columella.
Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty - improves the contour of the nose and softens the appearance of bumps or deformity.
Septoplasty - to correct impaired nasal breathing by straightening the septum.
Turbinectomy - to improve nasal breathing by removing swollen and overgrown tissue.
Ethnic Rhinoplasty - preserving and enhancing the natural facial features of Asian and African American patients
Improving the shape and function of the nose and septum can be performed through an open technique with a small incision disguised on the undersurface of the nose or a closed technique with incisions limited to inside the nostrils. While each individual’s nose is different and every operation is customized, Dr. Sullivan most commonly performs closed rhinoplasty.
Through incisions hidden inside the nose, the structures can be carefully sculpted and refined for a natural appearance. Cartilage grafts can be harvested from the septum to provide soft natural tissue for improved nasal tip definition or projection or to smooth the depression from the eyebrow to the nose. Cartilage grafts are also often used in Rhinoplasty to smooth the contours of the nasal dorsum, improve dorsal aesthetic lines, and improve breathing with internal nasal valve grafts. Most rhinoplasty operations take 2-3 hours with general anesthesia and patients are able to comfortably leave the hospital on the same day.
Septoplasty treats impaired nasal breathing, nasal obstruction, sleep apnea and can provide relief from using a CPAP machine. The nasal septum separates the left and right nostrils. The front of the septum is made of soft flexible cartilage while the back is made of thin rigid bone.
When cartilage is damaged it can bend, warp or tear and when a bone is damaged it can break and form bone spurs. Septoplasty or nasal septum surgery is usually performed to restore or improve nasal breathing. Cartilage is often harvested from the septum to create natural “breath right strips” for use as internal nasal valve grafts or flaps to improve breathing and nasal shape.
When indicated, the procedure is covered by your health insurance company. Septoplasty and turbinectomy can be performed in approximately 1.5 hours. At the time of turbinectomy and cartilage harvest, many patients will also elect for simultaneous cosmetic nasal reshaping (Rhinoplasty), which takes additional time and recovery. Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan can evaluate your septum and internal nasal valves to determine if you are a candidate for surgery.
Turbinectomy helps to correct nasal obstruction. Nasal turbinates hang from the walls inside the nose – there are three on each side. The turbinates are responsible for warming and moistening the air you breathe. They have a normal cyclical rhythm of swelling and shrinking. This cycle alternates from one side of the nose to the other and can be responsible for the annoying intermittent obstruction that is often made worse when you have a cold.
Allergies can temporarily irritate and inflame turbinates and nasal tissues, which is treated non-surgically with nasal steroids, antihistamines, and nasal saline irrigation. Sometimes the turbinates can become persistently enlarged and cause nasal airflow obstruction and in severe cases, sleep apnea. This is made worse with nasal septum deviation. If the obstruction is persistent, you may be a candidate for surgery on the lowest and largest turbinates, the inferior turbinates.
Surgical options include inferior turbinate out-fracturing, reduction, or excision, with tremendously improved nasal breathing. A turbinectomy is typically performed in conjunction with septoplasty. Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan can evaluate your turbinates to determine if you are a candidate for surgery.
“Dr. Taylor was amazing! She is so humble which is such a redeeming quality that you won’t find in many other surgeons. I was beyond nervous for my closed reduction nasal surgery, had it been another surgeon, I might have ran out of the hospital! I couldn’t be more thankful for Dr. Taylor if I could give her one hundred stars, I would!”
”Dr. Sullivan operated on me late last year after I broke my nose. He explained my options clearly, surgery was scheduled quickly and his follow up was great. His office staff is efficient and pleasant. Hopefully I will not need his services in the future, but if I do I will return to him.”
IDEAL NOSE SURGERY CANDIDATE
WHAT NOSE SURGERY DOES
DURATION OF NOSE SURGERY RESULT
Years
LENGTH OF NOSE SURGERY PROCEDURE
2-3 hours
TYPES OF ANESTHESIA
General Anesthesia
RECOVERY FROM RHINOPLASTY
TIME OFF SCHOOL OR WORK
5-7 days
TIME OFF ACTIVITIES
With a closed rhinoplasty, the incisions and scars are all placed inside the nose and the scars are not visible. If an open rhinoplasty or narrowing of the nostrils is performed, the scars will be placed in the most inconspicuous locations so that others will not easily see the scars.
If you have severe nasal obstruction, your insurance policy may provide coverage for functional problems related to impaired breathing such as septoplasty or turbinectomy. At the same time, cosmetic refinements of the nose can be performed though these are not covered by insurance.
The operation is usually outpatient, meaning that you are able to return home on the same day and recover comfortably. Most of the swelling will resolve within the first few weeks and Boston rhinoplasty patients can quickly return to work and most activities. The final outcome of nasal surgery is usually one year for the tissues to soften, the sensation to return, and the swelling to completely resolve.
The ideal candidate is healthy and at least 14 or 15 years of age, with a lack of nasal harmony, realistic expectations, and otherwise normal facial proportions. Very commonly a patient will have a concern about their nose being too large, when in fact the nose is beautiful, but the chin is deficient and the best change could be a chin surgery.
The Müller-Lyer illusion explains how the appearance of a central facial feature such as the nose appears distorted in virtue of other facial aspects such as the chin. As craniofacial plastic surgeons and specialists in Rhinoplasty Boston plastic surgeons Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan will evaluate facial harmony and proportions.
Rhinoplasty is a procedure that can cause some discomfort after surgery. However, most patients report mild to moderate pain that can be managed with medication.
Like any procedure, there is always a risk, even if rare. For Rhinoplasty, there is a risk of infection, bleeding, scarring, and excessive or unsatisfactory results.
Rhinoplasty is generally intended to be permanent. However, changes in the shape of the nose may occur over time due to natural aging, weight changes, or other environmental factors. This is why it's important to discuss your desired results with your doctor and ensure you have realistic expectations for the outcome.
Depending on the individual, some patients may be ready to wear lightweight glasses as soon as 1-2 weeks after Rhinoplasty surgery. Others might need to wait 4-6 weeks until they can slip them back on.
Yes, you will need someone to drive you home after your rhinoplasty procedure. You will experience some discomfort and drowsiness due to the anesthetic used during surgery, so it's important that you arrange for a close friend or family member to be available to assist you with daily tasks.
Generally, you should wait at least one to two weeks before sleeping on your back following a rhinoplasty procedure. You can also use pillows to prop up your head and shoulders, which can help reduce swelling and improve comfort.
There is no definitive age to get Rhinoplasty. However, The ideal age for the procedure is between 18-40.
The cost of rhinoplasty varies depending on the complexity of the procedure and other factors.
Download our Nose Surgery (Rhinoplasty) Instructions
Call Today 617.492.0620
To schedule a private consultation with Dr. Taylor or Dr. Sullivan, please call the office or request an appointment using our form. We welcome your visit and your questions.
300 Mount Auburn St. Ste 304, Cambridge, MA 02138
300 Mount Auburn St. Ste 304, Cambridge, MA 02138
Monday - Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm — 617.492.0620
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