Seattle Rhinoplasty Surgeon | Expert Dr. Philip Young wants you to have the answers to all your questions. If you have any more questions, please contact us, and we can also add them to this list of FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions.
Frequently Asked Questions Rhinoplasty
How much does a rhinoplasty cost?
It depends on what you want done. If it is something simple in the tip, it could range from $5,000 to $7,500, more or less. If you want a regular rhinoplasty, we would charge between $6,500 and $9,500. Revisions are more time-consuming and risky and are more than the regular rhinoplasty, depending on what needs to be done. Ultimately, how long it takes is a good general guiding principle.
Do you like the open or closed approach?
I prefer the open approach, as you can see the structures in their native position, and working with the structures is much easier. I was trained in Beverly Hills at the University of Southern California. Some of our teachers were Dr. Paul Nassif, Dr. Mark Berman, Dr. Stephen Pincus, Dr. Francis Palmer, Dr. Adrian Yi, etc. Most of these professors preferred the open approach. The disadvantage of this approach is the scar at the columella and the prolonged healing that most closed approach advocates cite. I think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. The closed approach uses the transfixion, marginal, and intercartilaginous incisions to expose the nasal tip. This approach is too constraining, and results are sacrificed.
How long does it take to heal?
We mostly say one week. From the literature, the tissues have about 20% healing at 2 weeks, 60% at 6 weeks, and 80-90% at 6 months. Externally, most of your bruising and swelling will be resolved within one week. We have less bruising because you use special instruments to reduce the trauma. Our specialized instruments reduce the damage to the surrounding structures, especially with the nasal bone shaping.
When do the sutures come out?
We usually take them out at 5-7 days, usually 6 days. If your cleaning is exceptional, you can get them removed in 5 days, but we generally recommend at least 6 days.
How bad is the pain after Rhinoplasty?
The pain really is variable. Some people have more pain than others. Some have very little pain, surprisingly. We usually prescribe Percocet for pain. The other medications we prescribe are an antibiotic like Clindamycin or Keflex, depending on your allergies. Usually, people do not use all of the pain medication that we prescribe. We have had many people not take any of the Percocet.
What kind of anesthesia do you use?
Usually, we use IV sedation or anesthesia through your veins. General anesthesia is another option. We discuss all the options with you. With IV sedation, we give the medications that will help sedate you through your veins. You will not need to be placed under general anesthesia and have a breathing tube placed. The advantages of IV sedation are that you don’t need a breathing tube, which can have many complications with the airway; your chance of deep vein thrombosis will be lower; your chance of nausea can be much lower; and your recovery can be much faster. The disadvantages are that you will not be completely out of it compared to general anesthesia. Almost all people, however, do not remember a single thing during the procedure, and most of what people remember is during the recovery period.