How accurate are rhinoplasty consultations? How well can a surgeon make a prediction on how a rhinoplasty will go?

 A rhinoplasty performed by an experienced and skilled rhinoplasty surgeon who is sub specialized in the procedure can be quite predictable. However, there is always an element of unpredictability with the results of any type of cosmetic surgery, particularly in a rhinoplasty sub-millimeter of changes can make a difference. Such a difference can be either positive or negative.  Image processing softwares that are used during a consultation are more of a communication tool and should not be confused as a promise to exactly match the results. 

Hello and thank you for your question.   Make
sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of real patients
who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and not just a computer
animation system.  It is very
important that you thoroughly research your surgeon before committing to
surgery. It is a good idea to research your surgeon's educational background, board
certification, online reviews, before & after pictures, and speak with
anyone who you may know who has had surgery with that surgeon. During your
consultation, make sure that you don't feel rushed and make sure that you have
adequate time with your surgeon and not just their patient coordinator or nurses.
If the majority of your consultation is spent with someone other than the
surgeon, this is usually not a good sign. The most important aspect is to find
a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend that you seek consultation with
a qualified board-certified expert surgeon who can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.  FACS
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

The correlation of imaging and the actual rhinoplasty result is highly dependent on the actual surgeon doing the imaging and done so in a conservative or least expected outcome prediction. Imaging should reflect what the surgeon thinks is the least possible outcome that will happen not the best possible outcome...given that the imaging can be the main impetus for the patient undergoing the procedure. This also allows for the possibility of the surgical result being better than predicted.

  Surgeon experience with this procedure is  very important, since rhinoplasty is the most difficult operation to perform correctly in the entire field of cosmetic surgery.  Digital computer imaging can be helpful in the communication process to understand what can and cannot be accomplished with your nose upon your facial features.  Thick skin in the tip of the nose prevents refinement in that area.  In our practice, digital computer  imaging works better from the side profile than from the frontal profile.   In addition to board certifications, make sure your surgeon has dedicated a significant component of their practice to the discipline of rhinoplasty and performs them often on weekly basis.  Study your prospective surgeon's before and after rhinoplasty photo Gallery which should be extensive

Thank you for the question and I use digital photography to show patients what can be accomplished and how it might be done and then have them look at a photo album where there are photos of patients prior to surgery, with the projected digital image and how they actually looked after surgery.  And yes many look better then the projected imageDr Corbin

Dear greeneyes85, In the hands of  an expert surgeon the predictability of rhinoplasty is great . I have imaging photographs and then a final photograph on all of my patients and the final results in most cases almost exact or close in proximity . Please Seek out a Board Certified Plastic surgeon

Dear greeneyes85, In the hands of  an expert rhinoplasty surgeon the predictability of rhinoplasty is very high. I have before photographs and imaging photographs and then a final photograph on all of my patients and the final results in most cases are extremely close in proximity if not better. See an experienced surgeon and have them show you the proposed results and final results of their patients and you can determine then the likelihood of your projected results. See an example of imaging, proposed and final results in the video below. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.

When consulting with a experienced rhinoplasty surgeon results are predictable. Having said that, there are risks with any operation which should be thoroughly explained to you. Ask to see results in multiple patients who looked like you; don't rely on computer imaging.