Rhinoplasty Q&A

80%

WORTH IT RATING

1,005 Reviews

Ask a Question

View Before and Afters

Average Rhinoplasty Cost: $5,975

Learn about Rhinoplasty

5,055 people and 803 doctors are talking about Rhinoplasty

Get Free Email Updates

Choosing Rhinoplasty Surgeon with Aesthetic Sensibility?

asked 2 years ago by Anna Paula in Vienna
Latest answer by Shepherd G. Pryor, MD
Question viewed 1,020 times
Tags: nose, facial plastic surgeon, plastic surgeon

I want to travel to the USA for Rhinoplasty Surgery and am choosing a Surgeon. Experience and Qualifications play certainly an important roll in my decision, but it is also important to me that the Surgeon has a profound and cultivated sense of aesthetics.

I don´t like the typical too small, too upturned and too thin American nose job nose. I'm not only looking for a surgeon, but also an artist. I have seen many pictures but somehow, they say not very much about it.

How can I know, if at all possible, if the surgeon isn't an artist? How can I know, if a surgeon and I share the same sense of aesthetics? Or should one just take the risk? Thanks for your advice and help.

PS: I know there a good surgeons in Austria and Germany but I want to travel to the USA because I work here in the public eye

15 answers to Choosing Rhinoplasty Surgeon with Aesthetic Sensibility?

You should have the same aesthetic goals as your rhinoplasty surgeon

Choosing a rhinoplasty surgeon in the United States is a very difficult decision. Search for a rhinoplasty surgeon who is board certified in facial plastic surgery and has performed thousands of rhinoplasty surgeries. Look for a surgeon who is board certified in ear, nose and throat surgery (otolaryngology) so they understand the breathing dynamics through the nose as well as the cosmetic and aesthetic component. Most serious rhinoplasty surgeons do have an excellent aesthetic eye and... more

William Portuese, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattlefacial.com

Choosing the right rhinoplastic surgeon

Choosing the right surgeon for rhinoplasty is no easy task. Looking for an artist in the literal sense is also a difficult task, and having both of these skill sets in the same individual is really a terrific combination. First, I think that you would find that most reputable rhinoplastic surgeons share your distaste for the tiny and upturned nose that you have referred to. It is infrequently requested by patients as most of us consider the appearance the telltale sign of rhinoplastic... more

Philip S. Schoenfeld, MD
Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgeon

You should choose your Rhinoplasty Surgeon wisely.

You should find a certified, experienced Rhinoplasty Surgeon with many favorable photos. I'm not sure why you don't find photos of others with simillar noses helpful. My Rhinoplasty teacher described the art of Rhinoplasty Surgery as more of a carpenter's job than an artist's job, and I completely agree. Getting your nose done by a carpenter doesn't sound glamorous, but well-done Rhinoplasty Surgery involves reconstructing the underlying bone and cartilage of your nose to achieve a desired... more

Eric M. Joseph, MD
West Orange Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.ericmjoseph.com

The nose is not simply an artistic endeavor.

Rhinoplasty is a complex operation. As one of my professors use to say, "if you were made of clay, I could guarantee you a perfect result." Unfortunately, you are not. The nose is a complicated anatomic structure with functional aspects that limit the scope or surgical interventions that can be performed. Successful aesthetic outcomes and possibilities are limited by functional and anatomic considerations.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Artistic Rhinoplasty

I fully understand your concerns BUT I THINK you are making a major mistake in trying to pick an artist first and a surgeon second AND by assuming that the USA has the monopoly on the Best rhinoplasty surgeons in the world. What you need MOST of all is a close mental and emotional understanding and trust in your surgeon. You CANNOT get that from a website or in a fast trans-Atlantic flight. I am sure Vienna has AT LEAST several, if not more, gifted rhinoplasty surgeons. (After all this is... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Personal consultation for Rhinoplasty is the best way

The art of plastic surgery is not something that you can present it to the patient in few words. The use of the before and after picture is a good start as you would do with any artist. Look at the picture in web sites and check other procedures too.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Choosing Rhinoplasty surgeon with aesthetic sensibility

Hi Anna Paula, You can see some of my works in the Louvre...if my patients are visiting Paris. You ask a great question, and the most important one that should be answered for a prospective rhinoplasty patient. Your nose is in the center of your face for the rest of your life. A beautiful nose should fit the face, and not distract from the eyes and other facial features. It is most important to choose your surgeon carefully. I would advise you to email your photos (frontal, both profiles, bot more

Michael A. Persky, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplasty and the surgeon/artiste?

The first step is to find a surgeon(s) whose before and after photos reflect at least some of the aspects you like in a nose. Second, when you then meet with that surgeon for a consultation, see what he/she is able to simulate for you with computer imaging. The imaging will give you a sense of both the surgeon's aesthetics as well as a sense of whether you and the surgeon share the same vision for your nose. (If the surgeon doesn't offer any sort of pre-op imaging, you may want to look... more

David C. Pearson, MD
Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon

Prepare for your rhinoplasty consultation

There is tremendous variation in nasal shape and across cultures beauty can be in the eye of the beholder. Each individual surgeon may have a particular view of nasal aesthetics, balance and form, though his plan may not exactly fit your own. The first step in deciding about rhinoplasty you have made as you have committed interest in changing your nasal shape. You are looking at what you don't like. The second step is an exploration into what you do feel is graceful and attractive, and how... more

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Choosing Rhinoplasty Surgeon with Aesthetic Sensibility?

All skilled and truly talented Rhinoplasty surgeons have an artistic eye. As this is the single most difficult aesthetic operation to perform, and one where your results are impossible to hide, if they did not have a good eye for the optimal result, that surgeon would not last long in a busy and demanding market. With that being said, I agree that you also need to find one that has inherent and indepth knowledge and experience in both the form and the function of the nose. ... more

Shepherd G. Pryor, MD
Scottsdale Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.valleyfacialplasticsurgery.com

Aesthetics of a Rhinoplasty Surgeon

Certainly aesthetic tastes are critical in selecting a rhinoplasty surgeon. Technical ability is also necessary to achieve the desired results. The best way to evaluate all of this is to see before and after pictures. Having said that, surgery must be individualized because all noses are different. E-mail pictures to selected surgeons and then discuss proposed changes with those individuals.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Choosing the best surgeon for Rhinoplasty

Finding the right surgeon for rhinoplasty can be a difficult task. Determining whether their aesthetic sense matches yours is can be even more difficult at times. Your best bet is to review before and after pictures on their website and in their office -- many times, patients that are more discreet do not want their pictures on the web and will okay the use in the office. If you happen to know someone that has had a rhinoplasty and you like their result, that surgeon should be included in... more

Jennifer Parker Porter, MD
Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgeon

Artistic Rhinoplasty 2

I completely agree with Dr. Aldea's comments. Certainly, a top rhinoplasty surgeon is an artist, and a sculptor. However, even the best rhinoplasty surgeon can only do so much with the "material" your nose presents him/her with. Consequently, your question actually raises many red flags about you as a potential patient. It is highly likely that you will never find the surgeon who is artistic enough for you and highly likely also that you will never get the result you... more

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Website

Looking at pictures on a surgeon's website is till the best way of determining whether a surgeon shares your aesthetic sense or not. Then an in person consultation will confirm this for you.

S. Randolph Waldman, MD
Lexington Facial Plastic Surgeon

Aesthetic Sensibility

Hi Anna Paula, The best way to know if a plastic surgeon has your aesthetic sensibilities is to see his/her work. Make sure the before and after pictures are truly the work of the surgeon. Also a consultation with the surgeon by phone is very important. In the end, you just have go with the surgeon you feel most comfortable with. Best, Dr. S.