How much does rhinoplasty cost?

Rhinoplasty (nose jobs) vary in cost depending upon the surgeon, the type of surgery that is being performed and the location of the procedure. Rhinoplasties are one of the most gratifying surgeries performed by plastic surgeons today because of the prominent place the nose has on the face. It’s one of the first things others see when they look at us. We also associate something of our personality and ascribe some personality traits to our nose and so, when the nose becomes obvious we feel it is “too much’ and wish to diminish the effects of the shape to match more the shape of the average nose.

Most patients seek consultation for nasal surgery because they feel their nose is simply too large for their face. Women may especially have smaller faces and sometimes their nose grows to resemble the shape and size of one of their relatives. There may be other aspects of the nose that bothers patients and it is also often the case that the nose simply does not “go” with the rest of the face. For example, some patients have a long and angular nose that seems to droop and point downward, especially when they smile. They may see that this shape simply doesn’t match other features of their face that may be more round. Rhinoplasty surgery goals include not only reshaping the nose to gain improvement but also viewing the nose artistically to see how the nose relates to the face. In this fashion, changes can be made that appear most natural because the nose then becomes part of the face and blends in better.

Closed Rhinoplasty

Most procedures to reduce the size of the nose and make other changes are done as closed rhinoplasty. All incisions are made inside the nose and the structure of the nose is altered (bone and cartillage) through these inside incisions. Closed rhinoplasty is often the least expensive option when considering what type of rhinoplasty is best but sometimes open rhinoplasty is necessary to get patients to their goals.

Open Rhinoplasty

There are some shape issues for which open rhinoplasty is a better choice. These shape problems invariably involve the nasal tip, whether it be deficient (doesn’t stick out far enough), or is irregular or asymmetrical. In these situations, the incisions located inside the nose are extended across the columella (the part of the nose at the bottom between the nostrils) and the skin of the lower part of the nose is lifted so that the surgeon can see the tip directly to make changes in the cartilage of the tip.

There are other situations where open rhinoplasty is the preferred choice and also, there are surgeons who do all of their rhinoplasties open. Open rhinoplasty takes, on average two to three times longer depending on what needs to be done and so are significantly more costly.

Breathing Problems

Some patient who wish to gain cosmetic improvement with rhinoplasty may also have difficulty breathing through their nose. They may have a deviated septum which blocks air flow through one or both sides of the nose or they may have other cause of blockage that can be addressed at surgery. In these cases, rhinoplasty can be combined with airway surgery. Medical insurance never pays for cosmetic rhinoplasty but it does pay for airway surgery and the rhinoplasty surgeon can apply to a patient’s insurance carrier to see if they will cover such surgery. Some surgeons will discount the cost of the airway surgery when it is performed with rhinoplasty because when airway surgery is performed in a patient that is a good candidate for it, the patient can have very significant functional improvement in their breathing. It is very important to remember that cosmetic rhinoplasty generally doesn’t affect a patient’s breathing when it is performed by itself. That is because inspired air flows downward after entering the nostrils. So removal of the bump on the nose doesn’t decrease air flow.