For rhinoplasty, should the doctor provide you with a mock-up photo of what you will look like? Is it fine if they do not?

Question

Looking to confirm whether a doctor should provide you with a mock-up or not. I trust my doctor and he does not provide mock-ups, but I have anxiety with not having a "visual" . . . thoughts?

Mark K. Markarian, MD, MSPH, FACS · Answer

Hello and thank you for
your question.  I think before-and-after photographs are more telling, realistic, and predictive of your own outcome than virtual photographs. In my opinion, the keys of your
rhinoplasty consultation should be for your surgeon to address all your aesthetic goals
and concerns specifically, discuss the surgery details including the
position and size of the incisions used (with actual photographs and not just
digital animations), the risks and benefits of the procedure, recovery time,
and post-operative course.  Also, be sure to see plenty of
before-and-after pictures in patients who have a similar nose appearance to yours,
and preferably at different time frames (3 weeks out, 3 months out, etc) to
more accurately predict your own surgical outcome.  
After seeking out a
board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in aesthetic plastic surgery, I
think the most important component of the consultation is to establish a good
connection with your plastic surgeon.  It’s the connection that allows you
to clearly define your desired nose outcome goals, the first step of this whole
process. If you don’t feel you have a good connection with your plastic surgeon
after your consultation, he/she may not be the best surgeon for you.
For more information on
rhinoplasty, please refer to the link below.
Good luck.
Mark K Markarian, MD, MSPH, FACS
Harvard-trained Board Certified Aesthetic
Plastic Surgeon

Steven M. Denenberg, MD · Answer

It's not good enough for the doctor to say I'll elevate your tip or I'll bring the tip back closer to your face, or I'll lower that bump, or I'll give you just a teeny-tiny scoop. The words are great, but you need to see the mock-up so you *know* what's in *his* mind when he says those words.
The mock-up can give you more reassurance that you and he have the same goals. If he draws something that's waaay too short, you have the opportunity to tell him it's too short, and to change his goal for the operation.
If he draws something and you say that's not nearly enough change and he says "Well more change than that isn't realistic," or "I can't make more change than that," then you know you better not have him do your surgery, because you won't get what you want.
And there are a million other things the morph can show you, like how the main change you want affects other parts of the nose, and what else then has to be done to the nose so it looks natural.

Suleyman Tas, MD, FEBOPRAS · Answer

Hello and thank you for a good question. Providing mock-up photos or not is a choice of each doctor. We provide simulation photos to show the patient what kind of changes he could probably come up but not the exact outcome. So the patient could easier adapt to his post op appearance.

Thuy-Van Tina Ho, MD · Answer

Dear franklin28,
Thank you for your question. While morphing imaging to show a possible anticipated rhinoplasty result is often help in setting realistic expectations for both the surgeon and patient, not all surgeons use this method in their consultation. Not having this modality available does not take away from the expertise of the surgeon. Surgeons who do use morphing imaging software also make sure to emphasize that the morphed images are not a guarantee of results. I recommend you seek an in-person consultation with a facial plastic surgeon or plastic surgeon who is an experienced rhinoplasty specialist who can perform a thorough evaluation and discuss with you the best surgical options to meet your goals.

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

I would not choose a surgeon on the basis of whether they do computer imaging.  I don’t do computer imaging but do something different which I feel is more helpful.  I take a profile of the person using my cell phone then have it printed off.  I then use a pencil to give the person an idea of what I plan to change.  Much simpler and easier to help the patient understand what I plan to achieve.

For rhinoplasty, should the doctor provide you with a mock-up photo of what you will look like? Is it fine if they do not?

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Answer: Rhinoplasty: Morphing Imaging Software

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For rhinoplasty, should the doctor provide you with a mock-up photo of what you will look like? Is it fine if they do not?

Answers (9)

Answer: Rhinoplasty: Morphing Imaging Software

Answer: Rhinoplasty: Morphing Imaging Software

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Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.