Teenage Rhinoplasty

The number of plastic surgery procedures performed on teenagers doubled between 2002 and 2010. The most popular procedure today is teenage rhinoplasty. There remains some controversy on this topic, with people typically falling into two opposing camps. On one side, people assert that juveniles are simply too young for plastic surgery, that the psychological state of young people is too in flux for a responsible decision to be made about the appropriateness of teenage rhinoplasty. On the other side, people argue that a) this procedure is extremely effective at addressing certain health issues, from sports injuries to congenital defects that cause pain and respiratory problems, and b) with careful deliberation, a teenage nose job can dramatically improve a young person’s quality of life. The nose is the center of the face and takes up a lot of real estate. As a teenager is finally transitioning to adulthood, a large or imbalanced nose can really take away from the rest of the facial harmony and from a teenager’s self-esteem.

Dr. Ashkan Ghavami performs nose surgery, including revision rhinoplasty and teenage rhinoplasty, on a routine basis. As an invited rhinoplasty expert for numerous conferences and professional publication, his recommendations on this controversial topic have helped countless teenagers and their parents to make a fully informed decision. He believes that teenage rhinoplasty can be a powerful tool for restoring an adolescent’s self-esteem. At the same time, as a responsible medical practitioner, Dr. Ghavami also strongly believes that teenage rhinoplasty should be pursued for the right reasons. To ensure that happens, the decision should be made in collaboration with parents, with advice from the surgeon, and in rare cases, with counsel from a psychologist. A prospective patient may come in looking to get a “celebrity nose job,” but Dr. Ghavami will explain that the best results are obtained when the nose is sculpted and “customized” to blend seamlessly with the patient’s own particular facial features, as opposed to emulating someone else’s. The idea here is to allow the young patient’s facial features to become enhanced and in balance by taking a disproportionate nose out of the equation. The typical age in Dr. Ghavami’s practice for undergoing this procedure is between 15 and 17.

Contact Dr. Ghavami today for an initial consultation.

Rhinoplasty is the most frequently requested cosmetic plastic surgery procedure amongst teenagers. Plastic surgery performed on teenagers can be controversial, as some professionals argue that a teenager is not mature enough to understand all of the implications of surgery. With proper patient selection and by involving the parents in the consultation and surgical process, the results can be rewarding and very well accepted. Rhinoplasty can also save teenagers from having to endure continual teasing and bullying from cruel classmates as reported in the media. Dr. Ashkan Ghavami is a proponent of teenage rhinoplasty after careful evaluation and discussion with the individual patient and his/her family. Often, teenage patients have their nose surgery performed during school vacations, such as winter, spring or summer break. The splint (cast) needs to stay in place for 6 to 10 days after surgery, so this is very feasible. However, any discussions regarding contact sports need to be addressed during the consultation to ensure a safe healing period.

Ideal Candidates

One of the most important criteria for having teenage rhinoplasty is that the nose has stopped developing, and experts claim that this happens at around age 13 or 14 for girls and 15 or 16 for boys. Los Angeles rhinoplasty expert Dr. Ghavami typically helps teen nose job patients between the ages of 15 and 19. Dr. Ghavami will evaluate the septum and other facial bones and cartilage to see if the surgery can be performed without having to anticipate a second procedure. According to Dr. Ghavami, “I always strive to reduce the revision rates for all my rhinoplasty patients to zero. There are strategies that can be used to do this successfully. This is the holy grail in rhinoplasty.”

There are two reasons that teens seek rhinoplasty surgery: either to improve the appearance of an oversized nose or to correct a nasal breathing issue (e.g., a congenital defect or a post-traumatic injury).

While the majority of patients are female, more and more teenage males are coming in to have their noses re-shaped and return to school with the nose issues out of the way. There is no reason to not have a rhinoplasty, which can so easily put the nose out of the equation when it comes to growing up.

Dr. Ghavami: “These days, it seems that simply going through the rigors of peer socialization is harder than ever. While everyone recalls, tough times here and there in high school and/or college, the internet and social media has made it even more challenging to simple just “be” as a teenager. For me it is an honor to help in this process in any way, with the right patient.”

Having a large or out-of-proportioned nose can make a teenager susceptible to the teases and bullying of classmates. This verbal abuse can severely impact a teen’s self-confidence around their peers. Bringing the nose into better proportion with the rest of the face can have a very positive impact on their confidence and overall quality of life.

Evaluating Candidates

It’s important for Dr. Ghavami to establish that a particular candidate has appropriate and realistic expectations of the surgery. It is by no means a cure-all, but when performed on the right candidate, it can tremendously improve self-confidence.

As a responsible medical practitioner, Dr. Ghavami is careful to screen his teenage rhinoplasty candidates. He works closely with the candidate, his or her parents and, in some cases, a psychologist to determine whether the teen is seeking rhinoplasty for the right reasons. It’s important that the teen patient understands the risks and benefits of the surgery and be psychologically mature enough to handle the experience. With the proper support system, some teenagers have said that their experience was better than when they had their wisdom teeth pulled.

One of the benefits of teenage rhinoplasty is that a teenager’s young skin is able to recover from rhinoplasty more easily at a young age. The skin is stronger and more elastic than an adult’s skin, so it is easier to adapt to the new framework underneath. This is one of the unique benefits and considerations that Dr. Ghavami discusses with the teen and his/her parents during a surgical consultation.

Schedule a Consultation Today

If you or your teenager or “young adult” would like more information about teenage rhinoplasty, it’s best to sit down with a board-certified rhinoplasty specialist and talk about the procedure. Schedule your consultation with Dr. Ghavami by calling or sending us an email.