At what age is it best to get a nose job?

A nose job, or rhinoplasty, is a procedure commonly gotten by people concerned about the size or shape of their nose. This popular surgery can change the nose’s appearance by altering or removing the bone and cartilage.

While many patients get a nose job because they are unhappy with the appearance of their nose, others may have breathing problems they want to fix. Summarily, the nose is one of the central features of the face, and how it looks can affect one’s appearance and self-confidence.

Some of the things your surgeon can do during a nose job are:

• Alter the size, shape, or angle of the nose
• Straighten the nose bridge
• Reshape the tip
• Narrow the nostrils

If you are thinking about rhinoplasty, below is some information to consider regarding the best age for the procedure:

Most surgeons say a nose job can be gotten when the nose has finished most of its growth during adolescence. Which can happen at either age 13 or 14 for girls and 15 or 16 for boys. However, if the procedure is gotten too soon, further development of the nose may affect the results. However, plastic surgery may be suitable for some children and teenagers when necessary. 

It is crucial to consult a skilled plastic surgeon to determine if the patient’s facial and nose growth is far enough along to consider surgery. Also, the patient’s maturity is an important consideration before going through the procedure. Young patients need to be ready for recovery, which takes a few weeks and involves considerable swelling and bruising.

Some patients also wonder if they are too old to have a nose job. Many people 40 and older may have considered having the surgery for years but chose not to. The good news is that there is no upper age limit for rhinoplasty. However, recovery time can be more prolonged for patients in their 50s, 60s, and older. This is because incisions do not heal like years ago, and swelling takes longer to fade.

Healing from a nose job

It can take about a month for most of the swelling and bruising to fade, and up to six months before all swelling is gone.

Some of the activities to avoid for a month after a nose job are:

• Swimming
• Blowing the nose
• Running
• Weightlifting
• Smiling and laughing
• Pulling a shirt over your head
• Putting glasses on the nose
• Toothbrushing vigorously
• Sun exposure