What Can I Expect During a Rhinoplasty Consultation?

The point of a consultation is to get to know each other. I want to learn about all the necessary medical and surgical history and about your medications and allergies, of course. But two of the most important questions I want to know about are:

#1) What brought you in? It is for just for cosmetics or are there functional sinonasal issues that need to be addressed as well? Functional issues may include nasal congestion or obstruction, facial or sinus pain or pressure, postnasal drip, runny nose, allergies, snoring, etc. Cosmetic issues may include a large bump or hump, a wide nose, a bulbous or large nasal tip that may or may not plunge downward when you smile, a crooked nose, or even just a nose that doesn’t fit your face or your personality.

#2) What are your goals and expectations of the surgery and of me, as your potential future surgeon? I don’t do the same nose for everyone. It’s important that I understand what you are looking for – aka ‘nose inspo’ as some patients say. Part of answering this question is through the process of photo simulation. During your consultation, professional, standardized photos will be taken. Those photos will then be edited and later sent to you for your review. That is an opportunity to be honest with me – you’ll never hurt my feelings! If you like what you see or want to see something different, this provides the avenue for those conversations. Also, during your consultation, you will meet with our patient care coordinator who will provide you with additional information – scheduling, pricing, logistics, supplementary services, etc. Most times, I will meet with patients again to review the simulated photos, review any other details, answer more questions etc.