We understand there are many reasons to consider a rhinoplasty, which is often referred to as a nose job. You may be dissatisfied with the shape or proportion of your nose, or you may suffer from impaired breathing due to imperfections of or injuries to the nose. We are here to help you understand your options, set realistic expectations, and refine your nose in a way that achieves a natural-looking balance with your unique facial features. Our expert Denver facial plastic surgeons Brent J. Smith, MD and Cory D. Bovenzi, MD are experts at both primary and revision rhinoplasty. Their background in ENT makes them the most qualified to help both your nasal aesthetics and function. Our expert Denver rhinoplasty surgeons often take on challenging cases other surgeons may be uncomfortable with. Please call Smith Cosmetic Surgery’s Centennial office at 303-741-2211 to schedule your free rhinoplasty consultation.
Indications: Nasal Hump, Bulbous Nasal Tip, Nasal Breathing Difficulty, Nasal Valve Collapse, etc.
Anesthesia: Twilight
Surgery Type: Outpatient
Surgery time: 3 hours
Downtime: 1.5-2 weeks
Removal of Splint: 7 days
Techniques: Dependent on anatomy, Dr Bovenzi employs closed (aka endonasal), open, piezo, and ultrasonic rhinoplasty techniques depending on the case. Cartilage harvest is required in some cases. Cartilage harvest options include nasal septum, ear, own rib, or cadaveric rib depending on the case.
Complementary Procedures: Septoplasty is performed on nearly all cases (no extra charge), Turbinate Reduction for breathing difficulty, Chin Implant and/or Submental Liposuction can be combined for facial harmonization.
Cost: The nose job Denver cost depends on your particular anatomy, whether the surgery is a revision or primary, and whether there are special considerations for your case. In the case of breathing difficulty, the functional part of the case is routinely offered complimentary when done in combination with a cosmetic rhinoplasty procedure. To get a quote, you can contact us to set up a free consultation with Dr. Bovenzi Phone: 303-741-2211 Email: info@smithcosmeticsurgery.com
Cosmetic nose surgery can improve imperfections that include:
When you choose Smith Cosmetic Surgery & Medical Aesthetic Center for your rhinoplasty, you’re entrusting your results to Dr. Cory Bovenzi, a facial plastic surgery expert. Dr. Bovenzi has performed over 5,000 facial surgeries and has achieved incredible results for both cosmetic and functional nasal surgeries.
When it comes to rhinoplasty in Denver, the best surgeons to choose are facial plastic surgeons with a background in ENT. Dr. Bovenzi is board-certified in ENT (otolaryngology – head and neck surgery), and has done extra subspecialty training exclusively in facial plastic surgery. He routinely operates on difficult and revision cases that other ENT surgeons and plastic surgeons have referred due to their complexity.
After graduating medical school in Philadelphia in the top 1% of his class, he completed his surgical residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He also completed a prestigious facial plastic and reconstructive surgery fellowship at the Emory University School of Medicine. For context, each year there are only about 55 positions available nationwide for this type of specialized training.
When performing rhinoplasty, Dr. Bovenzi utilizes a variety of state-of-the-art techniques to achieve patients’ aesthetic and functional goals. His vast knowledge of nasal anatomy allows him to create precise and subtle results that make patients extremely satisfied. The most common reaction patients tell us afterwards is that their only regret is that they wish they had done their surgery years ago! It is amazing how life-changing rhinoplasty surgery can be- when a 3 hour long surgery can positively impact the rest of your life- whether it’s improvement of your breathing, confidence, or overall self-esteem, this procedure truly changes lives.
The ideal candidates for a nose job in Denver are people looking for a way to surgically reshape their nose. Good candidates are unhappy with the appearance of their nasal bridge, the tip of their nose, their nostrils, their columella (the area of skin between the nostrils), or their nose as a whole.
Examples of aesthetic issues that rhinoplasty can address include a crooked nose, a tension tip nose, an overly long nose, oversized nostrils, a dorsal hump, a too-thin or too-wide nasal bridge, a bulbous or sagging nasal tip, and a sagging columella (aka a hanging columella).
Patients who are having trouble breathing properly due to trauma, genetic issues, or a nasal valve collapse can also be excellent candidates for rhinoplasty. When the procedure is addressing breathing-related issues, it is considered functional.
Viable rhinoplasty candidates are nonsmokers who are in good general health and whose facial development is complete. If you are a current smoker, you may still be a candidate if you are able to quit smoking during the perioperative period. Patients should have a positive outlook about the procedure, as well as realistic expectations for its results. We will discuss the procedure’s advantages and limitations with you in detail during your consultation.
There are numerous techniques that can be utilized in rhinoplasty surgery. One of the primary choices that Dr. Bovenzi must make is whether to use open or closed rhinoplasty.
Open rhinoplasty offers more access and is often ideal for more complex cases. This technique involves creating a small horizontal incision across the columella. Once this incision has been made, the skin of the nose is carefully lifted, revealing the underlying tissues. This technique is often used to change the nasal tip and ensures the best symmetry to the nasal tip area.
Closed rhinoplasty, or endonasal rhinoplasty, is a less invasive option that typically results in more concealed post-surgical marks. Tiny incisions are created inside the nostrils, and the procedure is completed through these incisions without the columellar incision. This technique is best used when correcting small issues of the nasal bones such as a small bump or callus on the nasal bones.
Piezo ultrasonic rhinoplasty is a specialized technique that involves using a piezotome, a device that applies ultrasound waves to bone or cartilage as needed. This process creates incisions while leaving the surrounding tissues undamaged, resulting in less tissue trauma and a more comfortable recovery. This allows for a more precise cut of the nasal bones in select patients.
Grafting is a technique used to strengthen areas of the nasal architecture during rhinoplasty. Grafting involves harvesting of cartilage from the ribs, ear, or septum. This tissue is carefully shaped and then sewn into a specific section of the nose, bolstering the area. Dr. Bovenzi will, in most rhinoplasty cases, take cartilage grafts from your septum to support and shape the tip of your nose, giving structural support to your new nasal shape, ensuring long-lasting results.
Refining the Nasal Tip: Dr. Bovenzi uses specialized cartilage-grafting techniques to give the nasal tip and supratip a refined shape. These techniques include placement of caudal septal extension grafts, most commonly ANSA banner grafts (anterior nasoseptal angle banner graft). These grafts provide strong long-term support for a refined nasal tip.
This expert technique is highly advanced and is not performed by many surgeons who are not expertly trained in performing rhinoplasty on a routine basis. Other surgeons may create an over-rotated “pig nose” and then wait for the tip to “fall” over the first few months.
In contrast, the ANSA banner graft technique allows Dr. Bovenzi to set the nasal tip exactly where it needs to be. The nasal tip can be set in position early on, where it creates the strong support required to retain its position for long-term aesthetic results.
Addressing a Crooked Nose: For crooked noses, Dr. Bovenzi will commonly use cartilage spreader grafts, which allow for bolstering a straight septum with extra support.
This can be thought of as using straight supports to help prevent the recurvature of the deviated nasal cartilage, similar to using straight wooden 2x4s to straighten and strengthen warped wood in construction.
Dr. Bovenzi harnessed this technique from his background in ENT and perfected it in his facial plastic surgery training, providing optimal results in both the form and function of the nose.
Correcting Breathing Issues: For difficulty breathing, especially for patients with seasonal allergies, Dr. Bovenzi is an expert in turbinate reduction surgery.
His techniques improve nasal breathing while still keeping the function of the nasal turbinates intact (to humidify and filter the air you breathe). This balance improves breathing through the nose while preserving normal function and anatomy, avoiding “empty nose syndrome.”
Fixing a Deviated Septum: For deviated septum surgery, Dr. Bovenzi has had extensive training to deal with even the worst of cases. He is commonly sent difficult cases where one or multiple septoplasty surgeries have failed to straighten the septum or improve nasal breathing.
These complex cases are routine for Dr. Bovenzi, since he has had to deal with these complexities on a regular basis. He employs a variety of techniques that are not routinely taught to ENT surgeons in order to facilitate remarkable outcomes in even the most difficult cases.
In extreme cases, this can involve extracorporeal septoplasty (removing the entire septum, reconstructing it from scratch, and reinserting and attaching a straight septum). These extreme cases are often caused by trauma and rare genetic disorders that most other septoplasty surgeons do not have experience with.
Non-surgical rhinoplasty is a way to reshape the nose without incisions, twilight anesthesia, or a recovery period. This minimally invasive procedure involves injection of fillers into regions of the nose. The fillers create new volume in key areas, temporarily correcting cosmetic nasal issues.
Nonsurgical rhinoplasty is also known as a liquid rhinoplasty since the filler injected is a type of biological gel. This technique is best used for patients looking for certain types of small changes to their nose who are not looking for a surgical treatment. This type of procedure does come with some risks to the blood vessels of the nose and is not a permanent solution. However, it allows for immediate results with little to no down time.
If you’re interested in learning more about non-surgical rhinoplasty, please discuss this option with Dr. Bovenzi during your consultation.
Rhinoplasty in Denver begins with a consultation. You and Dr. Bovenzi will discuss your nose surgery goals in detail. He will then tell you about the results that can be achieved with rhinoplasty and whether or not the results can match your goals.
As part of this process, Dr. Bovenzi will examine your nose and face, taking precise measurements as needed. Photographs will be taken as a reference and in some cases can also be used in combination with morphing software to show you visually the changes possible to your nose with rhinoplasty surgery. He will also ask about your current medications and supplements, any past procedures, allergies, and any underlying medical conditions.
Next, Dr. Bovenzi will go over the steps involved in rhinoplasty to ensure that you are prepared for the process. Preparation will be discussed, as will the rhinoplasty recovery process. Patients are encouraged to ask questions. A date will then be set for your preoperative appointment and the surgery when you are ready to move forward. The preoperative appointment helps ensure you are healthy enough to undergo anesthesia and may include an EKG and bloodwork to ensure you don’t have any undiagnosed medical conditions and are safe to proceed with surgery.
Each rhinoplasty treatment is different based on the patient’s facial features and cosmetic goals, but there are some basic similarities among most cosmetic nose surgeries.
Rhinoplasty surgery can take around three hours to perform. The exact amount of time required will depend on the specifics of the surgery. At the start of rhinoplasty, twilight anesthesia is administered through an IV to ensure a painless procedure where you are asleep throughout the case. This type of anesthesia does not require you to be hooked up to a ventilator or have a breathing tube down your throat. You will be breathing on your own but be asleep and pain-free.
Once the anesthesia has taken effect, tiny incisions are used to raise nasal tissue and access the underlying bones and cartilage. The bone structure, cartilage and skin tissue are then reshaped to achieve appropriate form and symmetry. The exterior tissue is then repositioned, and the incisions are closed. If you are interested in the specific techniques planned for your surgery we encourage you to ask Dr. Bovenzi during your consultation process. He is happy to discuss these details in as much technical terms as you are interested in.
Most rhinoplasty patients are able to resume work and day-to-day activities within a week of surgery.1 Some swelling may linger for a few weeks as you recover, but the initial results will be noticeable soon after surgery. In the months that follow your rhinoplasty, your nose will continue to subtly refine its appearance as it heals.2 Typically, your bruising and the majority of swelling will resolve over the first 2 weeks. At 1 month postop about 80 percent of your swelling should be resolved. This progresses to 90% resolution at 3 months but can take up to 12 months to get to your final result. The trajectory of your healing depends on your anatomy, the amount of work done, the thickness of your nasal skin, and your individual genetics.
We will review your recovery guidelines with you in detail prior to your surgery, and the team at Smith Cosmetic Surgery will remain with you throughout your recovery process.
1 Sagheer, S. & Yan, Brian & Bovenzi, Cory & Nwagu, Uche & Cognetti, David & Krein, Howard & Heffelfinger, Ryan. (2021). Postoperative Opioid-Prescribing Practices in Nasal Surgery: A Prospective Study. Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine. 24. 10.1089/fpsam.2020.0532.
2 Bovenzi, Cory & Daraei, Paul & DeJoseph, Louis. (2022). Tranexamic Acid Use in Rhytidectomy: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Future Directions.
To learn more about cosmetic nose surgery or schedule your rhinoplasty consultation, please contact Smith Cosmetic Surgery today. Though based in the Denver area, Dr. Bovenzi is a nationally recognized expert facial plastic surgeon who welcomes patients from across the country and internationally. Dr. Bovenzi routinely has patients that travel from across the country (and the world!) to have surgery with him and achieve the rhinoplasty results they have dreamed of.
See why Dr. Corey Bovenzi is one of Denver’s top rhinoplasty surgeons. View our rhinoplasty before and after photos.
The total price of a rhinoplasty in Denver varies from patient to patient. Rhinoplasty cost in Denver may be impacted by a number of factors, including the specific techniques required, anesthesia fees, the patient’s nasal anatomy, and total surgical time. To help patients with the overall price of nasal surgery and other procedures, we have partnered with CareCredit for financing. CareCredit provides several options to ensure that patients from all walks of life can undergo these procedures.
Since rhinoplasty Denver is a surgical procedure that involves changes to the nasal architecture, its results are generally permanent. While the aging process and gravity can result in minor natural changes, they will be quite subtle.
Patients who are unhappy with the results of primary rhinoplasty can come to us for revision, or secondary, rhinoplasty surgery. Our revision rhinoplasty experts use this procedure to correct unsatisfactory results from other surgeons.
Typically, the nose reaches full maturity by around age 17 for boys and around age 16 for girls. After this time, patients can undergo rhinoplasty without fear of growth-related changes negatively affecting their results.
However, what’s most important to remember is that getting rhinoplasty surgery is less about a patient’s age and more about their needs and goals. Because of this, older and younger patients alike can benefit from nasal surgery.
To prevent complications from nose job denver, the best surgeons consult with patients in advance and find out more about their specific risk factors. Generally, rhinoplasty is a low-risk procedure, and patients typically do not experience many unexpected side-effects.
Potential risks of nasal surgery include swelling, numbness in the operative region, nerve damage, scarring, nosebleeds, and broken blood vessels. There is also a chance of infection, reaction to the anesthesia, bleeding, discoloration, pain, septal perforation, and breathing trouble. Additionally, there is always a chance of dissatisfaction, requiring revision surgery.
During a nose job denver, changes are made to the cartilage, bone, and/or soft tissue of the nose. When making a wide nose narrower, straightening a crooked nose, or reducing a nasal hump, the surgeon may need to make changes to the nasal bones.
In these cases, an osteotomy (a controlled break of the nasal bones) may be required. To perform an osteotomy, the surgeon uses a precise tool to create controlled cuts in the bone.
Because rhinoplasty surgery will not impair a patient’s ability to speak, patients will be able to talk immediately after their nose job in Denver without any issue.
Certain surgeons recommend that their patients avoid excessive talking, laughing, and other facial movements during the first 48 hours. However, the risk of negatively affecting one’s results with facial movements is low, so this is generally not a cause for concern.