What is rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty is surgery that changes the shape, size or proportions of the nose. It is performed through incisions that are either entirely inside the nose or, in the open technique, with one small additional incision between the nostrils.
The operation is often described as purely cosmetic, but in practice the two sides are hard to separate. The structures that give the nose its shape — the septum, the cartilages of the tip, the bony walls — are the same structures that carry air. A plan that ignores the airway can produce a nose that looks better and breathes worse.
| Aspect | What it addresses | Typical reason for surgery |
|---|---|---|
| Aesthetic | Dorsal hump, wide or drooping tip, asymmetry, nasal width | The shape does not sit well with the rest of the face |
| Functional | Deviated septum, enlarged turbinates, collapsed nasal valve | Persistent blockage, mouth breathing, disturbed sleep |
| Combined (septorhinoplasty) | Both of the above in one operation | Shape and breathing problems occur together |
| Revision | An unsatisfactory or unstable result from earlier surgery | Residual deformity, new breathing difficulty, contour irregularity |
Op. Dr. Sunay Cafer is an ENT surgeon, and nasal surgery in his practice is planned from both directions at once. Where a breathing problem is found during examination, it is discussed as part of the plan rather than left for a second operation.
Who is a suitable candidate?
Suitability is decided at examination, not from photographs alone. Broadly, the operation is considered when facial growth is complete, general health allows anaesthesia, and the person has a specific and realistic idea of what they want changed.
- Facial growth complete — normally around 17 in girls, slightly later in boys.
- General health — uncontrolled bleeding disorders, poorly controlled diabetes and active infection all need addressing first. Smoking impairs healing and should be stopped well before and after surgery.
- Realistic expectations — surgery can change proportions; it cannot make one person's nose look like another person's face.
- Understanding of the timeline — the nose that leaves the operating room is not the final result. Swelling settles over months.
Someone whose main complaint is blockage rather than appearance may need septoplasty alone rather than a full rhinoplasty. That is a different operation with a different recovery, and it is described on its own page.
Open or closed — which technique?
Both techniques reach the same structures; they differ in how much is exposed and how much soft tissue is disturbed. Neither is better in every case, and the choice belongs to the anatomy rather than to fashion.
| Closed (endonasal) | Open (external) | |
|---|---|---|
| Incisions | Entirely inside the nose | Inside, plus a small incision across the columella |
| External scar | None | A fine line that usually fades |
| Exposure of tip cartilage | Indirect | Direct, under vision |
| Typical use | Hump reduction, moderate reshaping, limited tip work | Complex tip work, marked asymmetry, most revision cases |
| Swelling in the tip | Generally settles sooner | Generally takes longer to settle |
In a series of consecutive secondary rhinoplasty patients, Constantian reported that the two approaches were associated with different patterns of residual deformity, which is one reason the technique is chosen case by case rather than applied uniformly.
Both approaches are described in more detail on their own pages: closed rhinoplasty and open rhinoplasty. Where the bone needs reshaping, piezo rhinoplasty describes the ultrasonic instruments used for that part of the operation.
How is the operation performed?
- Anaesthesia. Rhinoplasty is carried out under general anaesthesia. An anaesthetist reviews you beforehand and stays with you throughout.
- Access. Incisions are made inside the nose, with the additional columellar incision if the open technique has been planned. The skin is lifted from the underlying framework.
- Reshaping the framework. The dorsum is lowered or straightened, the tip cartilages are reshaped or repositioned, and cartilage grafts are added where support is needed. Graft cartilage is usually taken from the septum.
- The airway. If the septum is deviated or the turbinates are enlarged, they are corrected at this stage.
- The bony walls. Where the width of the nose is being changed, controlled cuts are made in the nasal bones. These can be made with classical instruments or with ultrasonic (piezo) devices.
- Closure and support. Incisions are closed with fine sutures. A splint is applied to the outside of the nose, and internal silicone splints are used in many cases; unlike traditional packing, these usually allow you to breathe through the nose.
What does recovery look like?
Recovery is gradual, and the visible part of it is much shorter than the biological part. The table below describes a typical course; individual recovery varies and your own timetable is given to you after surgery.
| Period | What is usual |
|---|---|
| Days 1–2 | Blocked feeling, pressure rather than sharp pain, swelling around the eyes begins |
| Days 3–5 | Bruising most visible, then starts to fade. Sleeping with the head raised helps |
| Day 6–7 | Splint and any internal splints removed; the nose looks swollen but recognisable |
| Weeks 2–3 | Most bruising gone; many people return to office work and social life |
| Weeks 4–6 | Light exercise usually resumed. Contact sport and heavy lifting still avoided |
| Months 3–6 | Swelling continues to settle, particularly around the tip |
| Month 12+ | The shape is considered settled; the tip is the last area to refine |
Practical points during this period: sleep with your head elevated for the first week or two, avoid knocks to the nose, keep the nose out of direct strong sun while it is still healing, and do not wear glasses resting on the bridge until you are told it is safe.
What are the risks and complications?
Every operation carries risk, and rhinoplasty is no exception. The list below is not exhaustive; the risks that apply to you personally are discussed at consultation and again during the informed consent process.
- Bleeding — usually minor, occasionally requiring intervention.
- Infection — uncommon. In a large single-surgeon series, postoperative infection after rhinoplasty was reported to be infrequent but not absent.
- Anaesthetic complications — assessed and discussed by the anaesthetist beforehand.
- Persistent swelling — normal in the first months; prolonged in some patients, particularly with thick skin.
- Breathing difficulty — can occur if internal support is weakened, which is why structural support is part of the plan.
- Contour irregularity or asymmetry — small irregularities may be felt or seen as swelling settles.
- Numbness of the nasal tip — common in the early months and usually temporary.
- Need for revision surgery — a proportion of patients seek a further operation, normally considered no earlier than a year after the first.
Results vary from person to person. No surgeon can guarantee a specific outcome, and this website makes no such promise.
What affects the price of rhinoplasty?
No prices are published on this site, and any figure given before an examination would be a guess rather than a quotation. What a plan involves — and therefore what it costs — depends on:
- whether functional surgery (septum, turbinates) is part of the operation;
- whether it is a first operation or a revision, which usually takes longer and may need cartilage from outside the nose;
- the technique and instruments planned for the bony work;
- the hospital, the anaesthesia team and the length of the operation;
- the follow-up schedule, which for international patients may be partly online.
Price information given over the phone or by message is indicative only and is not a binding offer. See the Medical Disclaimer for the full statement.
What does the process look like for patients travelling to Izmir?
| Stage | Where | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| First contact | Online | Photographs and a description of what bothers you; general information, no diagnosis |
| Consultation | Izmir | Examination of the outside and the inside of the nose, discussion of goals, agreement on a plan |
| Pre-operative tests | Izmir | Blood tests and anaesthetic assessment |
| Surgery | Hospital, Izmir | Usually one night in hospital |
| Splint removal | Izmir | Around day 6–7 |
| Follow-up | Online and in person | Reviews spread over the following months |
Consultations are held in Turkish, English, Bulgarian and Russian by the surgeon himself. A stay of roughly seven days in Izmir covers the usual sequence from surgery to splint removal.