Is It Normal To Have Swelling After Removal Of My Cast Following Rhinoplasty?
I have heard this question asked on several occasions by my own rhinoplasty patients as well as those out there in cyberspace. The answer is - yes. It is quite normal to see a slight increase in swelling of the nose following removal of the cast after rhinoplasty or revision rhinoplasty. The cast and tape help compress the skin and soft tissue during the early healing process. Once removed there is typically some degree of... Continue Reading
Widening the Narrow Nasal Tip
I just saw one of my revision rhinoplasty patients in follow-up today and it reminded me to post a quick note on management of the narrow nasal tip following prior rhinoplasty. This particular patient had prior rhinoplasty performed by a different plastic surgeon years ago. He was unhappy with the fact his nasal tip was too narrow for his face. If you look at his preoperative frontal photo below left you can appreciate that his... Continue Reading
Reconstructing A New Nasal Tip
About every 3-4 months or so, I see a revision rhinoplasty patient who needs to have the entire nasal tip reconstructed. The following patient is a great example of exactly this type of rhinoplasty procedure. If you look at this particular patient, the tip of his nose looks as if it were truncated, or removed. After consulting with our office, he elected to proceed with the surgery to reshape his nose. We performed his rhinoplasty... Continue Reading
When Do Rhinoplasty Patients Typically Become Happy With Their Noses?
This is a question often asked by rhinoplasty & revision rhinoplasty patients. The answer to this in my patient population is usually around 1-2 months out. Most people feel presentable in the public eye around 10-14 days out from surgery but still don't quite appreciate the changes made to the nose. As the swelling subsides in the first 1-2 months, a majority of patients will begin to see the new shape of their nose becoming... Continue Reading
Rhinoplasty Lecture at UCSD School of Medicine
I had the pleasure of speaking at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, Division of Plastic Surgery Grand Rounds this past Saturday. It was a great meeting of the minds with many local and regional plastic surgeons getting together to exchange ideas. I spoke about rhinoplasty pearls - various topics related to my personal approach to rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty. I was joined by Dr. Malcolm Lesavoy, a plastic surgeon from the... Continue Reading
Dr. Hilinski to Discuss Rhinoplasty at Upcoming Plastic Surgery Symposium
Dr. Hilinski was invited to be a featured speaker at the upcoming University of California, San Diego, Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Symposium this coming Saturday. Dr. Hilinski was asked to present his personal approach regarding rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty to an audience of San Diego plastic and reconstructive  surgeons. Dr. Hilinski was invited largely based on the fact he is a regional expert in complex, challenging rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty cases.
How Do You Choose Your Rhinoplasty Surgeon?
I see this exact question or some variation of it posed on forums all the time. The answer to this is actually fairly straightforward. The challenge is finding a rhinoplasty surgeon who fulfills all of the desired qualifications. Given the fact that rhinoplasty, or nose reshaping, is hands down the most difficult plastic surgery procedure to perform correctly, it is well worth the effort to research this topic carefully and thoroughly. The first thing you... Continue Reading
Stopping Blood Thinners For Rhinoplasty Surgery
I was seeing a preoperative rhinoplasty patient today in the office and we got on the topic of stopping blood thinners prior to her scheduled surgery. She raised the question of whether or not this was considered a high risk operation in terms of bleeding. I counseled her that rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty are actually not considered high risk surgeries in terms of bleeding. However, if you are taking a restricted medication that you should... Continue Reading
Steroid Injections for Thick Skin in Revision Rhinoplasty
One of my revision rhinoplasty patients from San Diego was seen in follow-up evaluation today, which reminded me to post a quick note on thick skinned patients undergoing revision rhinoplasty. This particular patient had undergone three previous rhinoplasty surgeries performed by three different plastic surgeons. Her main issue was a lack of definition along the bridge and tip as well as a persistent bump seen on her lateral view. Her last plastic surgeon told her... Continue Reading
Skype for Rhinoplasty Consultations!
An online inquiry just today reminded me to post a blog about Skype for rhinoplasty consultations. We have an increasing number of patients from out of town requesting virtual consultations for rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty. As I tell my patients, there is really no substitute for an in-office rhinoplasty consultation where we can sit down in private and perform digital imaging of the nose. However, for those patients seeking rhinoplasty who hail from out of... Continue Reading
Case Example of Hanging Columella Revision Rhinoplasty
I recently saw one of my postoperative revision rhinoplasty patients in follow-up and it reminded me of several discussions that have taken place online regarding a hanging columella. This particular patient had prior rhinoplasty surgery by another plastic surgeon. One of her remaining concerns following surgery was the position and shape of her columella. The columella refers to the column of soft tissue and cartilage that divides the two nostrils. In her particular case, it... Continue Reading
