Nose Job | Rhinoplasty| Quaba Plastic Surgery Edinburgh Scotland

You may be self-conscious about the appearance of your nose. A rhinoplasty or “nose job” is an operation that can help improve the shape of the nose.

Plastic surgeons describe a nose job or rhinoplasty as one of the most difficult cosmetic surgery operations. It requires experience and judgement, and there is little scope for error. A good understanding of patient wishes and expectations, technical possibilities and underlying anatomy is needed.

Mr Quaba has been performing rhinoplasty surgery in Edinburgh Scotland for 30 years. On average he performs over 100 procedures a year. You will find answers to many of the questions you might have about rhinoplasty on this page. Additionally, we have an extensive range of typical before and after images in our photo gallery.

Our nose forms one of the most defining features of our face and can have a disproportionate influence on how we or others perceive our appearance. Surgery is most often requested for refinement (for example the tip of the nose) or reduction (for instance a hump on the nose). Rarely an operation is required to augment a small nose. When minimal deformity exists or in situations where the patient finds it difficult to express what it is they don’t like about their nose, correction can often be very challenging. Surgery may be carried out using a closed or open approach.

We see rhinoplasty patients from all over the UK, including Glasgow and Aberdeen.

If you have had a rhinoplasty with us or are considering it – please find some detailed instructions and advise on aftercare following rhinoplasty.

Closed rhinoplasty

The closed approach leaves no visible scars and can be used for nasal hump reduction and narrowing of the nose as well as refinement of the nasal tip.

This patient had a closed rhinoplasty as her main request was for reduction of the dorsal hump on her nose. There was no need for any intricate tip work (results will vary from patient to patient).

Open rhinoplasty

An open rhinoplasty is used when intricate work is needed on the tip of the nose, and this leaves a small scar on the undersurface of the nose (you will find examples of the location and kind of scar in our before and after photos).

This patient had an open rhinoplasty to correct a dorsal hump as well as for work on the nasal tip. All views are available in our photo gallery (results will vary from patient to patient).

Chin enhancement

Nasal reshaping is often combined with chin enhancement. A weak chin exacerbates the appearance of a prominent nose, particularly on the side profile and it is essential that patients are aware of this as nasal surgery alone in this setting, leads to unsatisfactory results.

Correction of septal deviation

Rhinoplasty can also be combined with a procedure to correct nasal septal deviation (septorhinoplasty).

Our experience and revision rhinoplasty

Mr Quaba has performed over 1000 rhinoplasty procedures in his career and is well versed in the use of the closed and open approaches. He also has extensive experience with revision rhinoplasty (secondary rhinoplasty).

Non-surgical rhinoplasty

Some patients wishing to avoid surgery may be candidates for a non-surgical rhinoplasty using dermal fillers (injections). Candidates include patients with small bumps or unevenness. Reversible fillers can be used to ‘even out’ bumps, build up flat noses, increase tip projection or to straighten a nose. While the results of fillers are not permanent, they can give patients an idea of what surgery could achieve, or they can be repeated to avoid surgery altogether.

For a detailed account by one of our patient’s about her experiences of rhinoplasty with us you can view her blog. She discusses many aspects of her decision to have surgery, the preoperative consultations, the operation and her post-operative recovery. The blog can be found at Diary of a nose job.

Commonly asked questions on rhinoplasty

For commonly asked questions and answers on rhinoplasty, please click on the sections below:

What is rhinoplasty?

A rhinoplasty or nose job is a surgical procedure designed to reshape the nose. Common indications include making the nose smaller, reducing the bridge (hump) of the nose, narrowing the nose, making changes to the nasal tip, reducing the length of the nose or lifting a droopy tip. Rarely surgery is requested to augment a small nose. Surgery is often requested by patients who have previously fractured their nose

I don’t like my nose, but I’m not sure why?

As mentioned above, it is easier when you are clear about what it is you don’t like about your nose and when your concerns match the examination findings. We appreciate that it can be difficult to express specific concerns in many cases and we will often take photos during the consultation and upload them and have a discussion about what may or may not be correctable.

I have difficulty breathing through my nose

This is a common complaint and is usually correctable if a deviated nasal septum causes it. The septum is easy to assess during the consultation, and any problems will be pointed out to you. Correction of a deviated nasal septum along with a cosmetic rhinoplasty is known as a septorhinoplasty.

Is there an optimal age to have a rhinoplasty?

We prefer to wait until patients are at least 18 years old and have completed the growth of their facial skeleton. It is crucial to consider an individual’s emotional and social maturity and to make sure that they fully understand the implications of rhinoplasty surgery.

Is there an upper age limit for rhinoplasty?

No, as long as you are in good physical and mental health, age is not a factor. Rhinoplasty in the 40s and 50s is relatively common. However, it should be noted that the recovery period and swelling may last longer in older age groups.

Am I a good candidate for rhinoplasty?

If you do not like the way your nose looks and are willing to undergo a surgical procedure, and if you are in good physical and mental health, then it is worth having a consultation to discuss your concerns. During your consultation, we will talk with you in detail and examine you. If we feel we can fulfil your expectations, then we will let you know what can be achieved and what that involves.

How many rhinoplasties do you perform?

Currently over 100 rhinoplasties a year.

Do you operate on ‘ethnic’ noses?

The majority of patients who have rhinoplasty surgery with us in Edinburgh are of Caucasian background, but we also have a significant number of patients of Middle Eastern and Asian background.

What is your approach toward rhinoplasty?

We take a conservative approach to rhinoplasty avoiding the ‘done’ look and aiming to give a natural ‘unoperated’ appearance. We will be realistic and aim to give you the best idea of what can be achieved.

Will I see examples of your work?

Yes. Some patients have kindly agreed to allow us to use their images on the website (rhinoplasty photos) and many more patients are happy for their images to be viewed during the consultation. You will see a range of results.

Is there any visible scarring?

If an open rhinoplasty is performed then there is a small scar visible on the under surface of the nose (across the columella). Scar quality varies from patient to patient and scars can take up to 18 months to settle. With closed rhinoplasty, there are NO visible scars at all as surgery is performed via incisions on the inside of the nose.

How should I prepare for my first visit?

You should have some idea about what you would like changed about your nose. It may be useful to write down any questions you may have. We will need to know your past medical history, including any previous nasal surgery. Some patients do bring photos of the kind of noses they like. Photos can be useful in helping to assess your needs and expectations.

How long do I need to stay in the hospital?

If your surgery involves tip work only (no bony work) then usually it is carried out as a day case, and you can go home the same day as your surgery. If your rhinoplasty requires work on the bridge line (bony work), then you will require an overnight stay.

What kind of anaesthesia is used?

A general anaesthetic is used in our practice.

How long does a rhinoplasty take?

Depending on the complexity, 1-2 hours.

nose job Glasgow Edinburgh - before and after photos

Is a rhinoplasty painful?

Not usually. Typically there is not much in the way of pain postoperatively. Most of our anaesthetists use total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) and generally there is little in the way of postoperative nausea.

Do you use nasal packing?

Yes. This is a commonly asked question, and the concern is about pain when the packs are removed. We use soft packing which is removed 12 hours after surgery and causes little in the way of discomfort when removed at this stage.

Will I have a splint on my nose after surgery?

We use a low profile aluminium splint whenever structural work has been carried out. If you only require work on the tip of the nose, then a splint is not required. We remove the splint after seven days.

How long does it take to recover?

We suggest that patients take 7-14 days off work depending on what they have had done (tip work only – few days; in fractures – 2 weeks). For most patients, recovery is uneventful. Small amounts of bleeding are common, and your nose will be stuffy. Most patients are presentable in public after removal of the splint (7 days).

How long does it take to see my final result?

The final result is usually present at six months. The obvious major changes will be apparent immediately while the more subtle changes do take time to become apparent. Minor degrees of swelling can take months to settle down fully.

Do you perform rhinoplasty on patients from Glasgow or other parts of the UK?

We are increasingly performing rhinoplasty on patients from Glasgow and Aberdeen as well as other parts of the UK. Rhinoplasty is a very specialised procedure, and prospective patients are taking time to research where they feel the best place to go is regarding consultation/ surgery.