What would you do if you did not like the shape of your nose?  Many would consider a Rhinoplasty, it's a common cosmetic surgical procedure first practiced in India, dating back some 2500 years ago.

What is it?

A Nose Job is the more common used term for Rhinoplasty which is a type of plastic surgery that repairs or changes the look of the nose.  A nose job is actually an ancient procedure first practiced in India over 2500 years ago.  Early rhinoplasty was an attempt to rebuild the nose structure for people who had been sentenced to nose amputation as a form of criminal punishment.  The actual techniques for nose job surgery have virtually remained the same however, the operating procedure, instruments and anesthesia have changed for the better in today's world.

Why Would Someone Want a Nose Job?

That's a good question.  Why would anyone want to alter the size or shape of their original nose?  Actually, there are a variety of good reasons why someone would get a rhinoplasty or nose job.

* Bad Break - Some people accidentally break their noses and in the healing process, they were left with a crooked nose

* Breathing Problems - Usually this is because of what is called a deviated septum.  A deviated septum is an irregular arrangement of the cartilage that separates the two sides of the nasal cavity.  The septum is the wall that divides the nasal cavities.  Many people have problems breathing properly due to the septum being deviated or not in the correct position.

* Congenital Defects of the nose - This would be another reason why someone would seek a rhinoplasty, a birth defect affecting how your nose looks or even how you are able to breathe

* Aesthetic - When a person does not like the shape or size of their nose, they may seek a nose job to change it's appearance.  Aesthetics may be combined with necessity if damage to the nose exists and a person would also like a different looking nose.

What Could Go Wrong?

As with any surgery, whether it is cosmetic, a biopsy, exploratory or a laparotomy, all surgeries carry some

measure of risk.  Your doctor should make you aware of as many complications that could go wrong as he or she possibly can.  One of the main things that many plastic surgeons deal with on a regular basis is revision rhinoplasty; basically, fixing other doctor's mistakes.  Here are a few things that can go wrong in the hands of either a good or not so good cosmetic surgeon:

* Numbness and nosebleeds, sometimes scarring appears at the base of the nose, especially if the surgery is an "open rhinoplasty".  Small blood vessels on the surface of the skin may burst.  There also may be excessive swelling as well as permanent nerve damage.

* Under or over correction that results in secondary/revision rhinoplasty: Some doctors are not as careful as they should be resulting in the patients' nose being under or over corrected.  If your nose is too far to the right...it gets corrected too far to the left.  Or if you ask the doctor to rid your nose of a hump, he takes out too much cartilage and you end up with a "scooped" nose.  At that point you will find yourself looking for another surgeon to fix what the other surgeon messed up.

* General - These things can go wrong in any surgery: Bleeding, infection, hematoma and a bad reaction to the anesthesia.  A hematoma is when the blood collects under the skin...it must be removed surgically.

Feeling Low?

Immediately after their nose surgery, many patients feel discouraged with the results of their procedure.  Generally this is normal because there is a considerable amount of swelling. The initial effects of the rhinoplasty may not be apparent for weeks, and the final results will not be attained for several months.  Most patients begin to feel that their rhinoplasty goals have been met as the swelling goes down and and the nose heals.  This requires patience and an understanding of Rhinoplasty Recovery Time.  The real problem arises when after the nose heals and the swelling goes down and you are not satisfied with the final outcome.  A feeling of ultimate disappointment is not one you would want to have after you've spent a considerable amount of money for this procedure.  The key is to research your procedure, research your doctor and the facility where you plan to have your procedure.  There is already a measure of physical pain with this procedure.  Avoiding the emotional pain will help make your rhinoplasty a better experience for you regardless of the reason why you are having it done.