How Do You Know when Nose is Done Developing?

This is an excellent question. There is no magic number as you can see from the various posts. The take home message is simple: rhinoplasty is ok once your growth spurt has finished. Boys can use their brothers and father as a general guideline as to the timing of surgery. Girls can compare themselves to their mother and sisters. Also, girls generally complete most growth prior to menses. The most important point is seek out an experienced board certified plastic surgeon who can guide you through this decision process.

Research studies have shown that the nose continue to grow and change throughout life. The nose, as with everything else, never stops changing. The rate of growth, however, is greatest during puberty. Once the nasal growth rate slows down, plateaus and becomes stable, then one may consider proceeding with nasal surgery. Generally, this occurs at age 16 for girls and 17 for boys.