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Teens and Nose Jobs (Rhinoplasty)

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Because the nose is at the center of your face, it naturally attracts lots of attention. It's hard to miss when you look in the mirror. But what about teens who see only imperfections when they look at their noses? The shape and size of the nose seem to have a more negative effect on self-image than any other physical attribute. That may be the main reason why the "nose job" or rhinoplasty, is one of the most requested surgical procedures for teens.

Rhinoplasty describes a whole group of surgical procedures performed on the nose. According to the America Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), rhinoplasty was done on 38,136 teen patients (aged 19 or younger) in 2008, by far the most common cosmetic surgical procedure done in this age group.

Rhinoplasty is usually an outpatient procedure, done under general anesthesia. This means you go to the facility for the surgery and return home the same day. Rhinoplasty can be very simple or very complex. When done accurately by an experienced surgeon, it can help teens avoid years of self-image problems and emotional distress.

When Can Teens Have Rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty should not be done on teens until the nose has reached its adult size. This normally occurs about age 15 or 16 years in girls, and a year or so later in boys.

What Are Some of the Types of Rhinoplasty?

Some of the various types of rhinoplasty do the following:

Remove a hump
Straighten the bridge
Reshape the tip
Increase or decrease the size of the nostrils
Correct the nose after an injury
Open breathing passages
Increase or decrease the size of the nose

Not all rhinoplasty procedures are cosmetic. For example, surgery to repair a deviated nasal septum (the cartilage that divides one nostril form the other) may be needed for health reasons.

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