Rhinoplasty is well known as being one of the most difficult and challenging of all plastic surgery operations. The obvious reason is that the nose is the most prominent feature on just about anyone’s face and it is easily judged and critiqued. While this is certainly true, it is not the only reason that good rhinoplasty results are hard to achieve. The main reason is the complexity of the anatomy of the nose. There are more contributing elements to the structure of the nose than any other aesthetic facial feature. There are over a dozen pieces of anatomy that contribute to the numerous shapes and facets of the shape of the nose¦and changing one can influence how all the other works. It does not help that all these pieces of anatomy are packed closely together and must be accessed for change with limited visibility. The largest piece of nasal anatomy, the skin, often poses an aesthetic barrier as its thickness can hide no matter what it is done underneath it.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana