Rhinoplasty Age Limit
According to Dr. Edgar Eduardo Santos, specialist in Facial Plastic Surgery and the founder of Tijuana Rhinoplasty, as surgical techniques become more sophisticated and as young people become more and more interested in taking care of their appearance and health, it’s only natural that those seeking surgeries such as rhinoplasty would include young men and women.
However, there are certain considerations a surgeon must pay attention to before approving and scheduling this type of surgery for those under a certain age. This brings up the question, how young is too young for rhinoplasty?
What is rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty is surgery on the nose and it is usually done for one of two reasons: cosmetic or functional.
Cosmetic rhinoplasty can correct aesthetic issues such as a crooked nose or a bump on the nose or it can be used to reduce the width of the nose or reshape the nose tip.
Functional rhinoplasty addresses health concerns such as a deviated septum or nasal fracture that can reduce the flow of air and affect a patient’s ability to breathe freely.
Many times, rhinoplasty surgery can correct both aesthetic and functional issues at the same time.
Rhinoplasty Age Limit
Deciding at what age a patient can undergo a rhinoplasty surgery is important. Physically, women complete most of their nasal growth by the age of 15 and men complete it by the age of 17.
Therefore, those under these ages will normally not be good candidates for surgery as it may complicate their natural growth and development.
If it’s determined that a prospective patient has finished their physical growth, the surgeon then looks at their maturity and emotional development.
Ensuring the young patient has reasonable expectations for the result of their rhinoplasty is also important.
During his consultation, the surgeon will ensure that the patient and his or her parent do not have unrealistic expectations and that they fully understand what the end result of the surgery will be both aesthetically and functionally.
Deciding whether a rhinoplasty surgery is appropriate for a young person is not a decision that should be taken lightly. It should be a shared decision between the patient, his or her parent, and the plastic surgeon who will perform the surgery.
For more information about rhinoplasty surgery visit:
