Rhinoplasty

In Washington D.C. &. Baltimore

Unveil a new level of confidence as Dr. Landford combines surgical precision with an artistic touch to sculpt the ideal nose that harmonizes with your facial proportions. Proudly providing Rhinoplasty procedures for patients in Washington D.C. & Baltimore.

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  1. Gallery
  2. Candidates
  3. Preparation
  4. Techniques
  5. Recovery
  6. Cost

What is a Rhinoplasty?

A Rhinoplasty, or Nose Job, includes a variety of aesthetic and reconstructive techniques. Rhinoplasty is performed to improve the symmetry, nasal shape, and size for a better nasal appearance.

Nose surgery can be performed as a Closed Rhinoplasty or an Open Rhinoplasty. In general, patients seeking smaller changes in their nose, like correcting a drooping tip or a dorsal hump, can be treated with a closed technique (ie. incisions limited to the inside of the nostrils). When patients need more extensive changes, an open approach is used.

Using either technique, the skin is elevated, and the nasal bones and cartilage are reshaped. Septal extension grafts, tip grafts, spreader grafts, alar rim grafts, and columella grafts are often used. Rhinoplasty often includes septoplasty, turbinate reduction, and removal of deviated bone from the inside of your nose. In addition, a lip lift, midface or chin augmentation with implants or fat grafting can be combined with a Rhinoplasty procedure.

Who is a Good Candidate for a Rhinoplasty?

As a popular practice for facial plastic surgery in both DC and Baltimore, Dr. Landford has helped patients achieve a more balanced and pleasing facial appearance. Many of the candidates we see firsthand for Rhinoplasty surgery meet the following criteria:

  • Completed facial growth
  • Maintain realistic goals for surgery
  • Non-smoker
  • Physically healthy
  • Unsatisfied with the appearance of their nose

A Rhinoplasty procedure can be performed on both women and men and while the procedures use similar techniques, the aesthetic surgery goals are a bit different for each. Dr. Landford will consider your facial features and goals when creating your procedure plan.

Curly haired woman gently touching the side of her face

How Much Does a Rhinoplasty Cost in Washington DC & Baltimore?

The cost of Rhinoplasty procedures performed in Washington DC and Baltimore will vary depending on many factors, including the procedure being performed, the complexity of the reconstruction, and the time needed for surgery.

The best way to determine the cost of your surgery is to meet with Dr. Landford for a rhinoplasty consultation and make a list of your surgical goals. Once your goals have been identified, Dr. Landford will be able to define the necessary steps to achieve your goals and create a personalized surgical plan. Once this is done, our Patient Coordinator will be able to provide you with a complete breakdown of the cost of the procedures.

What Should I Expect During a Consultation for a Rhinoplasty?

If you are looking into a Washington DC nose surgery, the first step is to contact our office and schedule your initial consultation. When you come into our office, you will meet with Dr. Landford who will listen to your cosmetic goals and answer any questions that you may have.

She will examine your nose and the shape of your face to determine the best method for your Primary Rhinoplasty, or if she needs to correct a previous nose job with Revision Rhinoplasty, Dr. Landford will ask you questions about your medical history and plastic surgery history (if applicable). After figuring out every minor detail, Dr. Landford will create your procedure plan. If you agree with the plan, our Patient Coordinator will help you schedule the day and time for your operation.

How Do I Prepare for a Rhinoplasty Procedure?

Any cosmetic surgery will have certain tips to follow prior to going in the day of, and while you will get instructions that have been tailored to your Rhinoplasty Washington DC or Baltimore surgery, we have included some basic tips that you will need to follow so your nose job can be the most successful.

  • Fill your prescriptions beforehand
  • Hydrate yourself
  • Get plenty of rest
  • Keep your face clean
  • Plan ahead by requesting the appropriate amount of days from work and having a relative or family member lined up to give you a ride home and possibly aid you during the first few days of your recovery.
  • Prep your meals so that it’s one less thing to worry about

What are the Benefits of a Rhinoplasty?

We have seen our Rhinoplasty Washington DC and Baltimore patients enjoy the following benefits from their Nose Job surgery:

  • Corrects a deviated columella or elongates a short columella
  • Improves facial balance by changing the size, length, and shape of the nose
  • Improve nasal breathing
  • Increases projection of a droopy nasal tip
  • Lengthen a short nose by manipulating the nasal tip for a more balanced profile
  • Relieves any nasal airway obstruction by straightening a deviated nasal septum and reducing enlarged turbinates
  • Removes a hump or corrects a depression in the bridge of the nose
  • Reshapes a poorly defined, uneven, and wide nasal tip
  • Straightens a crooked nose or narrows a wide nose

What are the Steps of a Rhinoplasty Surgery?

On the day of your cosmetic nose surgery, you will begin being administered either local anesthesia with some mild sedation or general anesthesia depending on what is discussed during your consultation. Dr. Landford will begin your nasal surgery by utilizing advanced plastic surgery techniques to achieve your desired look.

If she performs a closed Rhinoplasty, the incisions will be hidden inside your nose, whereas an open procedure will require an incision to be made across the narrow strip of tissue that separates your nostrils, which is called the columella. When performing the open procedure, the skin that covers your nasal bones and cartilage will be gently raised to allow access to reshape your nose’s structure.

For our patients with overly large noses, they can be reduced by removing bone and cartilage, or even possibly adding cartilage grafts. If this is required, it is very common to use cartilage from the septum (the partition in the middle of your nose). If there is not enough cartilage within the septum (due to previous surgery or trauma), then Dr. Landford will need to turn to other potential sources, such as ear cartilage (without changing the look of the ear) or rib cartilage (often from a tissue bank). If you suffer from a deviated septum, it can be straightened to improve breathing.

After the underlying structure of your nose job has been sculpted to its desired shape, your nasal skin and tissue are redraped and the incision is closed. If required, additional incisions can be placed in your nostril’s natural creases to alter their size. Although nasal packing was normal for patients recovering from nose jobs, nowadays, Dr. Landford will use a nose splint and some bandaging to protect your new nose.

A Rhinoplasty procedure will take two to four hours to complete, depending on the extent of correction required.

Surgical Techniques for a Rhinoplasty

As a skilled and highly trained plastic surgeon, Dr. Landford uses a variety of techniques and methods to help her create your new, better-contoured nose with this surgical procedure.

Open Rhinoplasty

Open Rhinoplasty begins with a small incision across the columella, which separates the two nostrils. From here, Dr. Landford will elevate the skin to assess all of the various nasal tissues and structures. At this point, she will have full access to perform corrections such as removing excess tissue, reshaping the cartilage and nasal bones, or placing cartilage grafts. Once her corrections are finished, the skin is repositioned and sutured for healing.

An Open Rhinoplasty will result in a scar at the incision site, however, this is usually well concealed. As time passes, the scar will fade and remain minimally visible.

Closed Rhinoplasty

The Closed Rhinoplasty technique is reserved for those patients requiring minimal nasal correction. This nose surgery performed by Dr. Landford begins by making a small incision inside each nostril. From here, she will make nasal corrections as needed, such as sculpting the cartilage and nasal bones, eliminating excess tissue, or adjusting the shape/size of the nostrils. When complete, Dr. Landford will use dissolvable sutures to close the incisions.

There is no visible scarring after a Closed Rhinoplasty, however, since access is limited with this technique, it is not recommended for all patients.

Revision Rhinoplasty

When performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, Rhinoplasty surgery can produce some wonderful results; unfortunately, there are instances in which a Rhinoplasty patient has previous nasal surgeries that do not produce the results they want or need.

A Revision Rhinoplasty (a.k.a. secondary Rhinoplasty) is considered to be a more complex cosmetic surgery by many plastic surgeons as Rhinoplasty patients have high expectations. Because of this, many Rhinoplasty surgeons aren’t able to achieve the results that their patients are looking for.

Ethnic Rhinoplasty

Individuality and uniqueness are one of the most beautiful aspects of humanity, so in the world of plastic surgery, that means that not every technique works the same way for everyone. Dr. Landford offers variations on her Rhinoplasty procedures to allow every Washington DC and Baltimore Rhinoplasty patient to alter their appearance while maintaining their ethnic identity. With an Ethnic Rhinoplasty, extra care and attention to detail make it possible to create a more pleasing nose aesthetic for her non-Caucasian patients.

This particular Rhinoplasty procedure helps minimize nasal flaws, improving the overall size, shape, and symmetry bringing out facial harmony, all while preserving your unique beauty and heritage.

Male Rhinoplasty

Dr. Landford uses a special approach for her male patients who want to alter their nasal shape and size or remove that “bump” in their nasal anatomy. Male Rhinoplasty is geared towards keeping a powerful, prominent nose—with a less rotated nasal tip—but one that fits a masculine face. You’ll be able to maintain your square, well-defined jawline and adjust some of the more nuanced defects that you may not like about your nose.

Dr. Landford takes everything about what makes a male nose unique into consideration when performing this procedure. These characteristics are usually your nose width, the angle of the nasal tip, your facial shape and structure, and finally, the angle of your nasal bridge. As a highly trained rhinoplasty surgeon in the area, you can rest assured that no matter what your genetic makeup is, you are in qualified hands with Dr. Wilmina Landford.

Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is a surgical technique, so Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty may sound a bit like an oxymoron. Nonetheless, this minimally invasive option (aka. liquid rhinoplasty) can work wonders for some patients with small contour deformities. Using fillers similar to the products used for cheek or lips augmentation, dorsal depressions or flat nasal tips can be treated to smooth the contour or improve tip projection. While the fillers are only temporary, they can be a great option for someone not ready for surgery or as a quick fix for an upcoming event (i.e. wedding, graduation, reunion, etc).

Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty is an office-based procedure that takes about 45 minutes. If you are considering this option to get ready for an upcoming event, give yourself a few days to allow the filler to settle in. Dr. Landford can help you decide if this is the right treatment for you.

Transgender Rhinoplasty

Embarking on the journey to discover and express your true self involves various considerations, and Rhinoplasty frequently plays a pivotal role in the transition process. The size and shape of the nose significantly contribute to the overall masculine or feminine appearance of the face, underscoring the importance of Transgender Rhinoplasty in both FTM and MTF transitions.

**Nasal Feminization**

Facial feminization rhinoplasty holds particular significance in the MTF transition, where the objective is to minimize traditionally male characteristics of the nose. Typically, males possess broader brow ridges and more prominent noses, resulting in a pronounced dorsal ridge, wider nostrils, and a rounded, wide nasal tip. During a nasal feminization procedure, Dr. Landford concentrates on creating a less prominent nasal profile by reducing the dorsal ridge, elevating the nasal tip, and reshaping and resizing the nostrils. This surgery can be combined with other feminization procedures like cheek implants, chin contouring, and brow ridge/forehead reshaping/repositioning for a comprehensive transformation.

**Nasal Masculinization**

In the FTM transition, Dr. Landford aims to enhance facial features to reflect a characteristically male appearance. Nasal masculinization involves augmenting and often widening the nose for increased nasal prominence, achieved through techniques like cartilage grafts, implants, and fat transfer. When combined with procedures such as forehead lengthening and facial contouring, our patients in DC and Baltimore can optimize and accentuate their features, achieving a more masculine facial appearance.

Where are the Incisions and Scars for a Rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty surgery does require incisions to achieve the nose that you desire. In most instances, your plastic surgeon will make the incisions as discreetly as possible, usually around the base of your nostrils, but depending on what is being treated, incisions can be made inside the nostril, which helps hide the appearance of any scarring.

Every plastic surgery will have some scarring, however minimal or prominent. Please keep in mind that any scar tissue remaining will fade over time.

Woman receiving rhinoplasty surgery
tummytuck-recovery

Rhinoplasty Recovery

Since this is an outpatient basis procedure, cosmetic Rhinoplasty patients are able to rest and recover comfortably at home on the same day of their nasal surgery.

Your recovery will take between one and two weeks. Initially, patients can expect bruising and swelling, especially around the eyes and cheeks. A Rhinoplasty patient can expect to experience mild discomfort and stuffiness over the first week. Dr. Landford will prescribe pain medication and nasal sprays to keep the recovery period comfortable.

Your nasal bones will become more stable in around six weeks, allowing you to resume more rigorous physical activities, blow your nose, and wear glasses. Due to the swelling, patients may temporarily notice blocked nasal passages and congestion; this will diminish on its own as the nose begins to heal. Most visible swelling will fade over the first five to seven days, although residual swelling can last for 12 to 18 months.

You can gradually return to normal activities over the next 3 weeks. After 8 weeks, the nasal bones and cartilage will have knitted together, and you can return to unrestricted activities. During this time, you will notice improved nasal and facial contours as the postoperative swelling continues to fade. And eventually, the breathing will begin to improve. It will, however, take about a year for your nose to settle into its final contour as minor residual swelling resolves and the skin envelope continues to contract.

The first follow-up appointment with Dr. Landford will be five to seven days after surgery, at which time she will remove sutures and splints. Patients normally feel well enough to return to work in three or five days. More strenuous activities, exercise, and contact sports should be postponed for the first four to six weeks after a primary Rhinoplasty.

Why Choose Us?

Wilmina Landford, MD is a Johns-Hopkins-trained Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon whose meticulous attention to detail complements her keen eye for aesthetics. Her exceptional technical skill, combined with her compassionate and attentive nature, ensures that each patient achieves a stunning and seamless transformation. Dr. Landford blends expertise and artistry in her commitment to enhancing self-confidence. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Mandarin, allows her to communicate with an even broader range of patients.

Schedule a Consultation

Rhinoplasty surgery can do so many wonderful things, from improving your nasal appearance to correcting a deviated septum to allow you to breathe easier. If you are interested in this cosmetic procedure in either Washington DC or Baltimore, contact our office today to schedule your Rhinoplasty consultation with Dr. Landford, or use our website to fill out an appointment form. We can’t wait to hear from you!

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