The Changing Face of Rhinoplasty

When most people think about rhinoplasty, they think of 1950’s-era Hollywood starlets going under the knife, and then having to hide away for weeks while the swelling and bruising heal. That is, however, an outdated stereotype. 

To begin with, rhinoplasty is not only for those who wish to improve their aesthetic appearance. For many people, such as burn victims or those born with severe birth defects in the nasal area, it’s not a cosmetic procedure at all, but rather a necessary medical intervention. Additionally, thanks to recent advancements in medical technology, having nose surgery done no longer means hiding away from the public eye while the affected area heals.

In these important respects, the practice of rhinoplasty has changed a great deal over the past few years, becoming much more precise and much less invasive. When compared with nose surgeries performed in the mid-20th century, recovery times have been dramatically reduced across the board—in some cases, even halved.

“These days, technology has completely changed the way we approach nasal surgery,” explains Dr. Zahi Abou Chacra, MD FRCSC, the Medical Director and Principal Surgeon of Montreal’s Clinique 7. “Today’s surgeons have a wealth of fantastic new tools and techniques at their disposal to facilitate better patient outcomes in several meaningful ways.”

Gone are the bad old days of nose surgeries that rely solely on a plastic surgeon’s keen eye and steady hand, says Dr. Chacra, now that advanced equipment such as hyper-realistic facial imaging software, 3D printing for surgical models, and ultrasonic technology for precision bone reshaping have been brought into the mix.  “It’s definitely an exciting time for rhinoplasty surgeons and patients,” he muses. “We can now plan and execute procedures with a previously undreamt-of level of accuracy, thanks to all this wonderful new technology.” 

One of the biggest breakthroughs in modern rhinoplasty is the use of 3D printing for surgical models. This technology allows surgeons to create a replica of a patient’s nose before the procedure, giving them a physical model to study, plan, and even practice on. 

“With 3D printing, we can now customize each surgery to a degree that simply wasn’t possible before,” says Dr. Zahi Abou Chacra, who is widely acknowledged as one of Canada’s top facial plastic and reconstructive specialists. “We can visualize tiny structural details, anticipate problems, and even show patients what their results will look like with incredible precision.”

These models are particularly useful for complex cases, like patients who have suffered trauma or require extensive revision surgery. “When you’re reconstructing a nose after a bad injury, whether it be a car accident or some sort of blunt force trauma, there are so many variables at play—scar tissue, asymmetry, and breathing function, to name only a few,” Dr. Chacra explains. “Having a 3D model to reference allows us to plan around these factors before making a single incision.”

Another groundbreaking innovation is the use of ultrasonic technology for bone reshaping. Traditionally, rhinoplasty involved using hardware like chisels and rasps to manually shave and break nasal bones, which could sometimes lead to unwanted fractures, excessive swelling, and much longer recovery times. Ultrasonic technology, however, enables facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons to sculpt bone with extreme precision using high-frequency sound waves.

“With the capabilities that ultrasonics give us in rhinoplasty, we can shape the nasal bones with millimeter-level accuracy, all while preserving surrounding soft tissue,” says Dr. Chacra. “This type of treatment is beneficial for those undergoing functional rhinoplasty, where improving airflow is just as important as refining aesthetics. In those cases, excess bruising and swelling can be very harmful, so mitigating that as much as possible is important.”

When taken together, these advancements are serving to revolutionize the practice of rhinoplasty. The days of chisel-and-rasp nose jobs are all but gone, replaced by a new era of personalized, precise, and minimally invasive procedures. 

“The goal has always been to create results that look natural, function well, and bring balance to the entire face,” says Dr. Zahi Abou Chacra. “And thanks to these three technological breakthroughs, there has never been a better time to achieve that goal.”