The teenage years in the household can be one filled with joy, growth, learning of self-identity, and lots of change. During this time frame, teenagers may begin to ask their family if they could change the shape of their nose. As parents and guardians, we love all of our children exactly the way they are, and it may be surprising to know that their child is self-conscious about their nose. I believe it takes a lot of courage and a strong sense of self-identity to be able to articulate this concern by a teenager. It can show a new level of maturity and another step in a teenager learning how to make important decisions for themselves. In this blog, I want to go over the considerations the family should take in considering a family member undergoing a rhinoplasty during their teenage years.
Is a Rhinoplasty Safe?
Safety is first and foremost in all aesthetic surgery. A teenager must be in excellent physical health to undergo a rhinoplasty. If a teenager does not have any medical problems, then no additional testing would be needed. If a teenager any medical problems, they would need to be evaluated by their primary care physician or specialist to ensure they would be able to undergo the surgery. Another key point of safety is the location of the surgery. All teenage rhinoplasties completed at Carolina Facial Plastics are performed at our AAAASF-certified surgical suite. At the surgical suite, we maintain the highest level of safety, cleanliness, and care. Our team is dedicated to solely performing facial plastic surgery procedures with rhinoplasty being one of the most, if not the most, common procedures we do. We believe specializing in facial plastics equals improved safety and excellent results. Additionally, the person performing the anesthesia is important to ensure the highest level of safety for your teenager. At Carolina Facial Plastics, we choose to use board-certified anesthesiologists (doctors that give the patient medication during the surgery) to perform our anesthesia.
Is Your Teenager Emotionally Ready?
Almost equally as important, we must ensure that the teenager is emotionally fit to undergo a nose job. We must be sure that the motivation to undergo a rhinoplasty is secondary to an inner voice, and not from an external factor. Signs that point towards emotional maturity are that the teenager has been thinking about this procedure for quite some time and that the patient is not seeking a rhinoplasty secondary to pressure from friends or other extraneous factors, such as social media. I believe most parents and guardians have a good sense of the maturity of their child, and they will know if they are ready for rhinoplasty.
The Timing of The Rhinoplasty
Another factor to consider is the timing of a rhinoplasty. Teenagers today are busier than ever and don’t want to have to take lots of time off from school and extracurricular activities. The downtime from a teenage rhinoplasty is approximately one week. During this week, they will have a cast on their nose, but they will be able to perform work on the computer, read, and do homework. They are not sick during this time and should not need to be in bed all day. Most students take a week off from school and go back to school next week. This is why spring break, winter break, and Thanksgiving break are very good times for a rhinoplasty procedure. Light exercise or activity may be resumed two weeks after surgery, and they should be back to full strength exercise approximately one month after surgery. Another very common time for teenagers to undergo a rhinoplasty is the summer before going to college. This is a time where there are new beginnings happening, and this can be a common time to create a more harmonious nasal shape.
Having Realistic Expectations
A key moment in undergoing a rhinoplasty procedure is the creation of the expected goal. I believe a rhinoplasty should create a nose that blends with the rest of the facial features and looks like a nose that the patient was born with. To me, this is the definition of a natural result. I believe the best way to define the goal and to set appropriate expectations is during a rhinoplasty consultation. During a rhinoplasty consultation, we will undergo a process called imaging morphing. During this exercise, the patient’s nose will be placed on the computer, and it can be changed to create the goal of the new nasal shape. I believe this process is invaluable for both the patient and the facial plastic surgeon to ensure clear communication of the expected results.
Choosing a Rhinoplasty Surgeon
Finally, the last but equally important decision is the nasal specialist that you choose to trust with your teenager/your nose. Rhinoplasty is commonly considered the most challenging facial plastic surgery procedure because small changes can make the difference between a good result and a great result. The only way to become a rhinoplasty specialist is through dedication and experience in the field. As a facial plastic surgeon that is solely focused on the face, I’ve dedicated my entire career to focus on the face and nose. Rhinoplasty is the most common or second most common procedure I have done every single year I have been in practice in Charlotte. I would suggest that you look at my before-and-after pictures to see my aesthetic results and also look at the multiple review sites online from real patients sharing their experience undergoing rhinoplasty at Carolina Facial Plastics. To learn more about rhinoplasty, visit medlineplus.gov
Contact Our Charlotte Facial Plastic Surgery Office
If you have further questions regarding a rhinoplasty, please feel free to call our office in the South Park area of Charlotte at (704) 323-5090 or fill out the online consultation request form here. Having three children of my own, I understand the depth and seriousness of your child undergoing surgery. I assure you that I will do everything in my power to ensure that your child has not only a great result but a great experience to ensure that they gain a new sense of self-confidence.
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