Rhinoplasty, also called nose surgery or a “nose job,” is an operation that changes the shape of the nose. People have it to change how the nose looks, to improve breathing, to repair an injury, or a mix of these.
Key takeaways
- Rhinoplasty reshapes the nose to change its look, improve breathing, repair an injury or a mix of these.
- Recovery is gradual: ASPS says the contour may take up to a year to refine, and BAAPS says the final result may take 12 to 18 months.
- Risks include bleeding, infection, difficulty breathing, asymmetry and the possibility of revision surgery.
- Choosing who operates matters at least as much as choosing a technique.
What is rhinoplasty?
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) describes rhinoplasty as surgery that enhances facial harmony and the proportions of the nose, and that can also correct impaired breathing caused by structural defects. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) says it can increase or reduce the size of the nose, change the tip, the bridge and the nostrils, and change the angle between the nose and the upper lip. A clinical guideline from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation describes it as an operation that alters the shape of the nose while preserving or enhancing the airway, and reports that more than 200,000 rhinoplasties were performed in the United States in 2014. (ASPS, BAAPS, Ishii and colleagues, 2017)
Two limits are worth knowing from the start. BAAPS says there are limits to how much a nose can be altered, and that the result depends on the size of your nose, the condition of your skin and your age. ASPS reminds readers that everyone’s face is asymmetric to some degree, so results may not be completely symmetric.
Why do people have rhinoplasty?
- Appearance. The most common concerns BAAPS lists are a hump on the bridge, the shape of the tip, the length or width of the nose and the width of the nostrils. ASPS adds a nose that looks out of balance with the rest of the face, and asymmetry.
- Breathing. A deviated septum, the wall inside the nose that separates the nostrils, is one of the most common causes of breathing problems, according to ASPS. Straightening it is called septoplasty, and it can be done alone or at the same time as reshaping the nose.
- Injury. BAAPS notes that some people have surgery because the nose has been broken or bent. It classes rhinoplasty after injury, and for breathing problems, as reconstructive, and calls most other nose operations cosmetic.
Is rhinoplasty “necessary”?
Cosmetic rhinoplasty is elective, which means no one needs it medically, and BAAPS goes as far as saying nobody needs urgent rhinoplasty. The line between cosmetic and functional can blur, because the same operation may do both. In the UK, the NHS says cosmetic surgery is not routinely provided, but it may fund nose reshaping if you have breathing problems. A 2024 meta-analysis of 16 studies with 971 patients found that functional rhinoplasty improved patients’ quality-of-life scores, although the authors called for larger, higher-quality studies (Chen and Zhou).
Surgery will not fix everything. BAAPS cautions that surgery alone does not solve emotional or social problems you may feel your nose causes. The NHS suggests asking yourself why you want a change, and talking it through with a professional, before you commit (NHS).
How is the operation done?
ASPS and BAAPS describe the same broad steps:
- Anesthesia. ASPS lists intravenous sedation or general anesthesia, and your doctor recommends the choice. BAAPS says rhinoplasty is usually done under general anesthesia and takes about two hours.
- Incisions. In a closed procedure the incisions are hidden inside the nose. In an open procedure there is also a small incision across the columella, the narrow strip of tissue between the nostrils, so the skin can be lifted for access. Which approach fits depends on what is being changed, and surgeons differ on preference. Our open versus closed rhinoplasty guide goes deeper.
- Reshaping. Surgeons can remove bone or cartilage to reduce a nose, or add grafts to build one up. ASPS says cartilage from the septum is used most commonly, with cartilage from the ear occasionally and from the rib rarely. BAAPS adds that bone from other places, or an implant, may also be used.
- Septum. If the septum is deviated, it can be straightened to improve breathing.
- Closing. The skin is redraped and the incisions closed.
According to BAAPS, you might go home the same day or stay overnight.
What recovery usually looks like
Recovery is gradual. The table below shows ranges reported by professional associations, not a schedule. Surgeons set their own instructions, so ask yours.
| Stage | What the associations report |
|---|---|
| First days | A splint or bandages on the outside, and sometimes packing or splints inside, support the nose for a few days (ASPS). The nose feels tight and sore (BAAPS). |
| About 1 week | Outside stitches, if there are any, are usually removed 5 to 7 days after surgery (BAAPS). When the nose bones are broken as part of surgery, bruising around the eyes lasts about 7 to 10 days, with yellowing for 10 to 20 days (BAAPS). |
| Flying | The NHS advises waiting 7 to 10 days before flying after facial cosmetic procedures. See flying after a nose job. |
| About 2 weeks | BAAPS says most patients take at least two weeks off work, depending on the job. |
| Weeks to months | Initial swelling subsides within a few weeks (ASPS). Stiffness and numbness can last for months (BAAPS). |
| Up to a year or more | The contour may take up to a year to fully refine, and swelling can come and go during that time (ASPS). BAAPS says the final result may not appear for 12 to 18 months. |
| In common practice in Turkey | The open technique is widely used, and a primary operation takes 2 to 3 hours. Patients arrive a day before surgery for blood tests and stay 7 nights after it, 8 days in total, and the splint comes off on day 7. Showers start on day 3, with the splint kept dry. Sleeping with the head raised continues for the first 1 to 2 weeks, makeup is added after 2 weeks, hair dye and all sport after 6 weeks, and glasses stay off the nose for 6 weeks. Direct sun is avoided for the first month (editorial note, October 2026). |
What are the main risks?
ASPS lists anesthesia risks, changes in skin sensation, difficulty breathing, infection, a hole in the septum (rare), poor wound healing or scarring, skin discoloration and swelling, an unsatisfactory appearance, and the possibility of revision surgery. BAAPS adds bleeding, asymmetry, a change in the sense of smell that can be permanent, and damage to deeper structures, which it calls rare. It also says breathing can be harder in the first week and, in some cases, permanently. Your surgeon should go through these with you before you sign a consent form.
Revision surgery is a real possibility. In one practice’s records of 369 cosmetic rhinoplasties, 9.8% were revised (Neaman and colleagues, 2013). That is one center, so treat it as an example and not a national figure. See revision rhinoplasty.
Setting realistic expectations
A computer image is a conversation tool, not a promise. Our guide to nose simulations before surgery explains their limits. ASPS says you should have the operation for yourself, not to fulfill someone else’s wishes or to fit an ideal image.
Questions to ask your surgeon
- What exactly will you change, and what will you leave alone?
- Open or closed, and why for my nose?
- Where would any graft come from, and what are the downsides?
- How will you protect my breathing?
- How many rhinoplasties like mine do you perform each year, and may I see dated results?
- What is your revision policy?
- What aftercare is included, and who do I contact if I have a problem?
Planning and choosing
Choosing who operates matters at least as much as choosing a technique. Start with how surgeon experience helps, and where it stops, then finding your rhinoplasty surgeon. If you are thinking of traveling for surgery, read is Turkey safe for cosmetic surgery and our total trip budget.
Sources
All pages were opened and checked on 9 October 2026.
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Rhinoplasty and its subpages on candidates, risks and safety, procedure steps, recovery and results.
- British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, Rhinoplasty.
- NHS, Is cosmetic surgery available on the NHS? (last reviewed 17 April 2023) and Before you have a cosmetic procedure (22 May 2023).
- NHS, Cosmetic surgery abroad (last reviewed 14 December 2022): flying after facial cosmetic procedures.
- Ishii LE, Tollefson TT, Basura GJ and others. Clinical Practice Guideline: Improving Nasal Form and Function after Rhinoplasty. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 2017;156(2 suppl):S1-S30. PubMed 28145823.
- Chen K, Zhou L. The Effect of Functional Rhinoplasty on Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2024;48(5):847-854 (published online 2023). PubMed 37173413.
- Neaman KC, Boettcher AK, Do VH and others. Cosmetic rhinoplasty: revision rates revisited. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2013;33:31-37. PubMed 23277618.
