Beverly Hills: (424) 453-1047 Sacramento: (916) 467-8229

Rhinoplasty is a wonderful procedure where we sculpt the nose and every patient should get an individualized consultation to determine what can be done to improve the appearance of this feature.

What’s different about rhinoplasty for a wide nose? 

The difference between wide-nose rhinoplasty and other rhinoplasties depends on the location of the excessive width on the nose which may require altering bone or only altering cartilage. We recommend that the patient meet with the doctor to identify the area where their nose is wide and to discuss what can be done to narrow it. Width in the upper third of the nose requires that we alter the bone, but if the nose is wide in the middle third, lower third, or base of the nose, then it’s cartilage that needs to be reshaped or removed. Regardless of location, all of these areas can be narrowed with rhinoplasty surgery.

The first thing we need to do, for any part of the nose that’s wide, is to have an individualized diagnosis. If we’re going to narrow the bone, we have to do a little osteotomy which is a cut in the bone allowing us to move the bones together to narrow the vault or boney vault of the nose. If we’re working on the middle vault of the nose, we narrow it by altering the cartilage, whereas for the tip, we remove some cartilage and use sutures to narrow the angle between the two sides of the tip, bringing it closer together to make it narrower and more angulated. If we want to narrow the base of the nose, which is not commonly done, we actually make a separate cut where we bring in the L, bringing it closer and making the nostrils narrower. 

How much does a nose job or rhinoplasty cost for a wide nose? 

The cost of rhinoplasty for a wide nose depends on the individual patient and what type of surgery we’re doing. It also greatly depends on the skill of the surgeon and where they’re located.

A wide nose rhinoplasty is not much different than any other rhinoplasty, but I charge more for secondary or revision rhinoplasties than I do for primary or first time rhinoplasties. For me, a first-time rhinoplasty is about $13,000 to $15,000 while a second-time rhinoplasty, depending upon what I need, is about $16,000 to $20,000. A lot depends on whether I need cartilage from the rib or the ear. 

Can a nose grow back after rhinoplasty?

As a general rule our noses do not grow. It may look like it’s gotten wider because the ligaments that hold it up get a little loose and everything falls down. However, if we narrow a wide nose, it is not going to re-widen. 

Do nose jobs last forever?

Nose jobs do last forever, unless there is new trauma to the nose. Rhinoplasties are different from a lot of procedures that we do. Typically, if the final outcome of a nose job is good, and we don’t have new trauma, the result is going to last.

If I operate on a twenty year old woman and at twenty two years old they love the result, and assuming they’re not in a basketball game or doing MMA and get hit in the nose, they likely will never need another surgery. This is different from breast augmentation or facelift surgery, where the patient is going to continue to age, so many years after later sagging skin may result in the need for another surgery. If a nose job is done well, a patient won’t usually need more surgery. The real issue is that the final result of a rhinoplasty can take up to two to three years to see.

Is a nose job painful? 

If you talk to most of my patients, they’re surprised at what little pain there is. On the night following surgery, there’s usually some pain, particularly if we do bony work, but after a couple of days, a vast majority of my patients are off of pain medicine and are only taking acetaminophen. The nose may be a little tender and they may feel a little pain if they touch it, but it is not independently painful. Overall, after about two days, the pain is mostly gone.

If you have questions about rhinoplasties, call me, email me, or come in for a consultation. I’ve done six thousand rhinoplasties in my long career and I’d love to see you and talk about your nose, or about any other part of your face. 

Have questions?

Email Dr.Sykes at [email protected]

Read More

Rhinoplasty Swelling and Healing Stages

About Dr. Jonathan Sykes

Dr. Jonathan Sykes is a world-famous expert plastic surgeon who performs all cosmetic and functional plastic surgery procedures on the face and neck. He is a past president of The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and served on their Board of Directors for over 10 years. He is also a Professor Emeritus in Facial Plastic Surgery from UC Davis Medical Center, and the former Director of Facial Plastic Surgery at that institution.

He is known as the expert’s expert, and is often called to consult and advise other plastic surgeons in both Northern California and Beverly Hills. He has a special interest in eyelid and browlift surgery, facial rejuvenation surgery including facelifts, and rhinoplasty. He also has a particular interest in facial feminization surgery. Have questions? Email Dr.Sykes at [email protected].


Back to Blog
Contact us media
Accessibility: If you are vision-impaired or have some other impairment covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act or a similar law, and you wish to discuss potential accommodations related to using this website, please contact our Accessibility Manager at 424-453-1047.
Contact Us