Have you ever thought about making changes to the shape of your nose? If yes, this article will be extremely helpful for you. Probably you have already heard about rhinoplasty, which is a well-known cosmetic procedure, aimed to modify the shape of your nose. However, there is another type of cosmetic procedure, which can change the shape of your nose.
Alarplasty is a cosmetic procedure, which is highly effective for people who want to reduce the look of nasal flaring. Additionally, this nose job might be helpful for people who want to make their nose look more symmetrical. This article covers all the essential information that every person should know about this type of cosmetic procedure.
Table of Contents
Things to Know About Alarplasty
The essence of alarplasty
Alarplasty is a type of nose job that involves the removal of a small amount of skin from the wing of the nose. As a result, the base of the nose will look narrower. Alarplasty(1) involves different incision techniques and sometimes, nose surgeons might combine multiple incision techniques for the purpose of achieving the best result. During alarplasty procedure, plastic surgeons should strive to maintain a natural appearance at the base of the nose
From a medical standpoint, alarplasty is a specific type of rhinoplasty(2). Recent studies show that rhinoplasty is the most popular cosmetic procedure performed in the United States. It was estimated that approximately 220,000 rhinoplasty procedures are performed every year.
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Perfect candidates for alarplasty
People start looking for ways to change the appearance of their nose when they feel that their nose has flared appearance or their nostrils look extremely prominent and open. Your nostrils are connected to your face with the fleshy parts of your nose called the alea.
Depending on your natural face shape, they can be taller or shorter, thicker or thinner. During the alarplasty, a small portion of these alae is carved, which in turn changes how broad your nose looks.
This procedure can also be effective for people who have already had rhinoplasty and they want to improve the results of it. In general, good candidates for an alarplasty are:
- People, who are in good health condition
- People, who do not smoke
- People, who have not had recent surgical procedures in the area of the nose
- People, who do not set unrealistic goals for cosmetic procedures
If you want to find out whether you are a great candidate for this cosmetic procedure, you should schedule an appointment with a facial plastic surgeon. The shape of your nose, previous cosmetic surgeries as well as current health conditions will dictate whether you can apply for this type of nose job.
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Procedure of alarplasty
Alarplasty procedure has almost the same steps as rhinoplasty. The only difference is that alarplasty is less invasive. Due to the fact that you might be going under general anesthesia, you need to have someone to drive you home after the procedure. However, you need to keep that general anesthesia is not required during alarplasty, unless it is combined with a traditional rhinoplasty.
The first step of the procedure involves making an incision and carving out the small shape of your nose that you desire to be removed. After that, your nose surgeon will make sutures to reinforce the new shape of the alar base. Then, your wound will be dressed with a bandage and you will be given pain medication and recommendations regarding the ways to prevent infection(3).
Keep in mind that a bandage will have to be worn for several days following the procedure. Recovery time for this type of nose job is faster if compared to other types of facial surgeries. You might experience your nose to be swollen and red but it should disappear in one or two weeks. Your facial plastic surgeon will remove the stitches one week after the surgery and the whole recovery duration varies between one to three months.
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Complications and side effects of alarplasty
Just like any other surgical intervention, alarplasty entails a certain degree of risk and complications. It is normal to have swelling, redness and even bleeding from the area where your skin was changed immediately after the procedure. The most common complications are as follows:
- Infection
- Scarring
- Pus from the area of surgery
The risk of complications can be significantly decreased if you will work with a board-certified and experienced plastic surgeon.
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The average cost of alarplasty
Alarplasty is normally performed purely for cosmetic purposes. It means that it will not be covered by medical insurance. Therefore, you will have to cover the cost of the procedure itself along with the accompanying anesthesia.
The cost of alarplasty varies in the United States and it depends on your geographic location, experience, and expertise of the surgeon and the clinic itself. It is also worth mentioning that alarplasty is less expensive than a traditional rhinoplasty because it involves fewer procedures. According to recent research, the average cost of alarplasty in the United States ranges from $2,000 to $3,000.
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The bottom line
The main goal of an alarplasty procedure is to modify the shape of your nose with the use of a small incision on the side of your nostril. It is considered a relatively simple procedure but it still involves a certain degree of risk. Potential complications and side effects can be eliminated or reduced if you choose an experienced and board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Only in this case, you can be assured that you will achieve the desired results.
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