Will It Be Obvious if a Patient Had a Rhinoplasty?

It’s not unusual for patients who undergo rhinoplasty surgery to be concerned about privacy. Under these circumstances, patients should feel no obligation to discuss their medical history with their peers.
                The vast majority of patients who undergo this procedure would like to look better without looking different. They want subtle changes that improve harmony balance and proportion. When this situation arises, maneuvers that draw attention away from the nose are helpful. For example a new appearance might be attributed to a new hair style rather than a change in the nose.

                Unfortunately, when major alterations are made in the nose disguising the procedure can be difficult. Under these circumstances it might be impossible to hide the fact that you’ve had a rhinoplasty.

Whether or not you wish to tell your peers about an upcoming nose job is completely up to your discretion. An experienced surgeon will design your new nose to look as natural as possible, making sure the changes suit your surrounding facial features and avoiding a look that is too overdone or “fake.” That being said, depending on the specifics of your rhinoplasty, it is indeed probable that your peers may notice that some work has been done. In any case, a nose job is primarily designed to make the patient feel more comfortable in his or her own skin so you shouldn’t devote too much attention to others’ reactions to your decision.

There is no way someone would know if you got rhinoplasty if the results achieve a proportionate improvement and there is overall harmony. You don't have to tell anyone that you had surgery unless you want to. However, if the change is very noticeable, then some people might wonder. Of course it's totally up to you if you want to tell them.   

When rhinoplasty has good aesthetic balance, others will think you look better for other reasons, a new haircut, losing weight, etc. It is only when rhinoplasty is overdone with a skin slope bridge, pinched tip, and pig like upturned nose that people will be clued in.

If you are already scheduled to have a rhinoplasty, these are questions that are best answered by your operating surgeon. If you are in the process of getting consultations in preparation for choosing your surgeon, these questions should be addressed. It depends on what you are looking to achieve with your rhinoplasty, whether or not it will be noticible. Subtle changes that you have done for imperfections that bother you but others do not notice, will likely not draw attention to your nose after surgery. But even is some cases where a dramatic change is made to the nose, sometimes even close friends cannot put their finger on what looks different in their friend! Good luck with your surgery!

Over aggressive surgery of any type, especially nasal surgery, is very noticeable. The sides pinch in, the skin fails, the tip droops, the top becomes depressed and shows irregularities, not to mention what happens with the breathing.
So not every rhinoplasty ends well. Every patient should research their surgeon carefully, see many before-after pictures, and have the feeling that they trust the decision making of their doctor.
Most patients who have had a fabulous result with their rhinoplasty only are complimented on their appearance overall. Did they lose weight? Is their hair different? Even patients with amazing before-after pictures should not be pegged as having had a rhinoplasty.

You'll likely be able to return to work 10 to 14 days after your nose job surgery without anyone noticing. You'll benefit from a good concealer to cover any bruising. 

Even if you're having significant changes in the appearance of your nose, most colleagues may not notice anything except an overall more pleasing appearance.



I hope this is helpful for you.

 Even when a large bump is removed, you will be surprised that very few people will notice--IF it is done well. That should be the basis of which surgeon one picks.

From a practical standpoint, there will be a 10-14 day period after the surgery when bruising under the eyes or swelling of the nose will be noticeable to others. For the next 1-2 weeks after that early timeframe, only your friends and family should be able to tell that something is different. A month or so after surgery, the nose is well settled and will not typically look like something was done to it.
Down the line, a well performed Rhinoplasty should not be noticeable to others. Noses that are overdone, overworked, or overgrafted are easy to spot as having an operated appearance. The nose should have no sharp edges and should have a certain height to the bridge. When the profile is over-reduced, patients get an unnatural look where the nose is all tip. This is a fairly obvious sign (the ski slope nose). The tip itself can also produce obvious visual changes that people will notice. If done right, the tip should retain smooth and rounded contours, not be over-lifted, and not produce extra nostril visibility.
There are several different types of tip-plasty techniques, each one having a specific indication based on a patient's own anatomy. Using the right technique for the right patient, as well as having a conservative eye towards volume removal should result in a natural result.
Best of luck!

In most cases, I suggest changing something else about yourself - like your hair style or color or wear glasses or contacts. This way, people focus on these other things instead of if you had surgery.