Nose

There can be a bias in the media toward a sloped, small Caucasian nose as the ideal nose; however, the notion of a balanced and harmonious nasal profile can vary from one person to the next. “Ethnic rhinoplasty” refers to the idea that a patient may understandably want to preserve his or her ethnic nasal features while subtly refining the nose.

Dr. Cabin has extensive experience across various patient ethnicities – from African-American, to Middle Eastern and Hispanic – with the ability to subtly correct nasal imbalances while maintaining strong ethnic features. Part of Dr. Cabin’s comprehensive consultation is a discussion about a patient’s specific goals, and only addressing the areas of the nose that the patient desires.

Many patients will first seek out rhinoplasty during their teenage years, as an asymmetric or disproportionate nose can unfortunately lead to peer ridicule and self-consciousness. By making subtle changes to the nose, the patient can feel more confident in their appearance, allowing them to thrive in school and in their personal life.

Dr. Cabin is particularly sensitive to the younger patient, spending time listening to their unique needs and crafting a plan that addresses the patient’s concerns. If under the age of 18, this process is coordinated with parental support. The ultimate goal is to address the patient’s concerns naturally, preventing peers from knowing that any surgery was performed. The office reserves certain procedure times during school transitions, summer break or holidays, to help accommodate to the scheduling needs of these patients

Please note that, depending on the patient’s particular growth pattern, patients must be between the ages of 15 – 17 at the youngest to qualify for surgery. This allows the surgery to be performed safely, without risk of interference with facial growth.

The nose is critical in providing an open passage for air to enter the body. Certain patients have structural abnormalities which can lead to blockage of air, congestion or snoring. Functional rhinoplasty/septoplasty can improve the passage of air without necessarily changing the appearance of the nose. In many patients, however, functional rhinoplasty will be combined with cosmetic rhinoplasty to improve both breathing and nasal aesthetics.

A nasal fracture typically occurs as a result of trauma to the face and can affect both the bone and cartilage of the nose. Unlike a broken arm or leg, there is no requirement to fix a nasal fracture unless it has made breathing worse, or otherwise changed the appearance of the nose.
Swelling from nasal trauma usually lasts a week. During this time, it can be hard to tell whether the nose has been impacted structurally, or whether it needs to be fixed. It is always a good idea to seek medical attention immediately in the setting of a possible nasal fracture, to ensure there are no urgent medical issues.

It is best to meet with a highly specialized facial plastic surgeon like Dr. Cabin for evaluation. In some cases, a quick surgical adjustment can be performed to set the nose back into place, avoiding long term deformities. This adjustment generally needs to be performed within 3 weeks of the trauma, otherwise the bones have healed too much.