What Makes A Great Toronto Rhinoplasty Patient?

It’s important to make sure you find a qualified and experienced surgeon when planning a rhinoplasty in Toronto, but equally important is making sure that you can be a good patient. Surgeons evaluate patients, similarly to how patients evaluate surgeons: they want to know if there is a good fit, if the patient understands the considerations involved in providing good outcomes, and if there is a good likelihood for satisfaction, among other things. The following should be considered a starting point for anyone who wants to know if they are a candidate for rhinoplasty surgery.

The Right Age

With rare exception, surgeons will want to wait until a patient’s nose has finished growing before performing rhinoplasty. This usually happens around the mid-teens, but some surgeons may err on the side of caution and want to wait a little longer before taking a youth as a patient.

Realistic Expectations

Healthy and realistic expectations are one of the best ways patients can better enjoy their outcomes when getting a rhinoplasty in Toronto. A rhinoplasty can bring a person’s face into harmony and create a more complimentary appearance, possibly with better airflow and breathing, if they had pre-existing breathing issues that were being addressed as well.

The goal is improvement, not perfection, and expecting the latter inevitably leads to dissatisfaction. The best candidates are those who understand that they will look and breathe better after their procedure, but won’t expect other changes in their life, such as relationship improvements or better interactions at work.

Specific Goals

It is important that both surgeon and patient are on the same page about what results are desired and the easiest way to accomplish this is to be as specific as possible. While you do not need to give your surgeon a detailed breakdown, making a note of specific aspects of your nose (tip, bridge, nostrils, etc.) that are bothering you and why (hump, hook, puffy, etc.) can be helpful. It can also help to provide reference photos that gives examples of the kind of nose you want.

Non-Smoker/Drinker

Alcohol and cigarettes can both interfere with the recovery process and increase the risk of complications during and after getting a Toronto rhinoplasty. Ideally, patients should not smoke for at least two weeks before or after their procedure and should abstain from drinking for at least a week before and after as well. Healthy blood flow and reduced risk of complications make this an important instruction to follow.

Healthy

As a general rule, surgeons of any type prefer patients who are physically healthy. At the most basic level, this means that the best candidates for rhinoplasty have a healthy weight and no major health concerns. Chronic conditions such as hypertension or diabetes do not automatically disqualify you from rhinoplasty and surgeons will still consider you a good candidate if the conditions are being managed well.

Prepared

Preparation goes a long way to ensuring patients have a good recovery and surgeons appreciate having patients who plan ahead. Preparing for recovery is not complicated, but it is important, and simple steps like ensuring you are able to take time off work, providing your surgeon with your medical history and ensuring them that you are committed to following their pre and post care recommendations can certainly help you achieve a positive outcome from your cosmetic surgery.