My nose only looks the same in pics/mirror as real life w/ hard-lighting/shadows - Can drs. account for this in their pics?

Question

Whenever I photograph/look in mirror at my nose, esp tip, under full light, like sunlight or room light, my nose looks significantly aesthetically dif. in mirror/pics than in real life. If I use hard light/shadowed light, where one half of my face is illuminated, & the other part isn't, & I take a pic/look in mirror on the shadowed side, then I'm able to see how my nose/tip really looks. I don't see this really in dr. pics online. (My nose/tip - mid eastern - has lot of irregularities btw)

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

I think we see ourselves differently in photos than we do in the mirror.  Also straight on rhinoplasty photos tend to flatten the image since they are two dimensional and sometimes don't show a true image.

Manish H. Shah, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello Sim47,Thanks for your question.Shadows can change the way the nose looks from different angles.Proper medical photographs are intended to decrease shadowing irregularities to better evaluate asymmetries properly.I hope this answers your question.Good luck,Dr. Shah

Jason Roth, MBBS, FRACS · Answer

There is no doubt about it, different cameras in different lights make the nose and face look completely different. Studio photography looks very different to a selfie taken on a iPhone. Shadows can highlight different convexities and concavities that are not visible with balanced studio lighting. You can ask your surgeon to take some simple flash photos or use the photos that are bothering you in their simulation. The good news is that your nose does actually look like it does in the good photos as well as the bad. In real life people will never analyse your nose as much as in a photograph so it's important not to focus too much on them.

Robert Kotler, MD, FACS · Answer

Dear Sim47 in Orange County California:

The most important photographs are those that your
surgeon will take.  Because physically
experienced cosmetic facial surgeons have excellent photographic setups whereby
shadowing and distortion is eliminated. 
Medical photography is not the same as social photography.  Remember, the iphones and other devices do
not have portrait-quality lenses. 
Typically on front views of noses the tip is disproportionally larger
because of the nature of the lens. 
Profiles tend to be a little more accurate.

When you go for your consultation a set of photographs
will be taken and they will be shared with you. 
They can be emailed to you the next day after the consultation.  Of course, you want to have computer imaging
to see the predicted result of the procedure. 
That is very important.

Do your homework before you visit.  Have several consultations.  Prepare a written agenda and notes.  Bring friends or family with you.  Review the various doctors’ websites.  Look carefully at the before and after photos
and look for sites that are rich in knowledge and photographs, of course.  Read patient reviews and testimonials very
carefully.  A consensus is generally
correct.  You will get the right picture
of the practice if you study those, guaranteed.

The prospects for success and satisfaction will be
directly proportional to how much you prepare and study prior to your
consultations.

Best wishes,

Robert
Kotler, MD, FACS

Over
4,500 nasal procedures performed

William Portuese, MD · Answer

When photographing the face and the nose, there are many variables which include lighting, distance from the camera, the lens used the camera, and angle from which the photograph was taken of the nose. In our practice, we  are very consistent with our before and after photographs which are all taken at the same position with the same  lighting with the same camera  and the same lens setting. For many examples of rhinoplasty, please see our photo gallery  link below

Arian Mowlavi, MD, FACS (license on probation) · Answer

It is definitely true that lighting will affect the appearance of complex structures such as the nose; As plastic surgeons, we try to make our lighting as uniform as possible so that all photos can be judged at an equal playing field; I would encourage you to chose a surgeon who is familiar with your ethnic traits and to make a consultation so that you can share your concerns regarding your nose based on the lighting. you may even have a morphing done on your nose to make sure that you will be satisfied with your surgeon's design,etc.

Frederic H. Corbin, MD (license restricted) · Answer

Thank you for the question and it is not unusual for ones face or nose to look different in different lighting.  That said if you have concerns about your appearance, see an expert in your area and discuss your concerns.Dr. Corbin

Michael Elam, MD (retired) · Answer

Dear sim47, It is not uncommon that your nose looks different at different angles and with different lighting. This is why models and photographers use lights and shadowing to make a persons face or nose look more aesthetically pleasing. When you have a consultation the surgeon can see the irregularities in person and put a surgical plan in place to address your concerns if you decide to have rhinoplasty surgery. During consultation multiple angles of the nose are used for pre-operative photographs and digital imaging specifically for this purpose. I have attached a link below of many before and after ethnic rhinoplasty patients to give you an idea of what can be acheived with surgery. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.

Richard W. Fleming, MD (retired) · Answer

We know that different lighting, angles, and camera lenses will influence the appearance of the face. This is why professional photographers spend a small fortune on equipment to make their models and celebrities look as good as possible.

My nose only looks the same in pics/mirror as real life w/ hard-lighting/shadows - Can drs. account for this in their pics?

Answers (9)

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