One of the questions that patients often ask is, you know, “When am I a good candidate for a rhinoplasty?” A rhinoplasty, or a quote “nose job,” is really up to the patient, but there are some important developmental milestones and lifestyle factors we have to look at first.
When it comes to the right time to move forward, I would say a hard line to maybe not consider one is until the patient is physically mature. Certainly, mental maturity comes into play, but normally, I wouldn’t recommend operating on any female until, um, after, uh, she’s done growing.
For a young female, it’s usually 16, 17, or 18 years old, and for males, you’re looking a little bit longer, you know, maybe when they’re 18, 19, or 20 years old. On the flip side, you really shouldn’t be doing a rhinoplasty on somebody who’s still, you know, growing physiologically.
The reason why physical maturity matters so much is the nasal skeleton, especially on the inside with the septum, is made of cartilage as well as bone, so there’s still some areas of growth that could be occurring. You want to give the nose time to fully grow before you embark upon doing anything that changes the way it looks. From that standpoint on, once you are fully developed, it’s really, you know, up to the person.
When to Wait: The Impact of Contact Sports
The other time I would tell patients to maybe rethink doing rhinoplasties is if you’re going to keep doing contact sports.
You know, I had a cheerleader who was a flyer, and she was interested in getting a rhinoplasty, and I told her, “Just wait until you finish your high school career if you’re not going to do it in college, and then that’d be a good time to do it.”
It doesn’t make any sense to, you know, take the time and the money and the effort to change the appearance of your nose if you’re still going to put it at risk. If you are constantly in a position where your facial structure could take a direct hit, it is best to hold off on your surgical rhinoplasty until that chapter of your athletic career is closed.
Can You Be Too Old for a Rhinoplasty?
Can you ever be aged out of a rhinoplasty? As for the answer, it is really no. I mean, I’ve had some patients who are older who want to get a rhinoplasty because they feel that as they age, their nose tends to droop, or they don’t want to look like their grandmother or grandfather. As we get older, gravity and changes in the tissue can alter the profile significantly, so you can get a rhinoplasty, you know, pretty much up to whatever age you want.
As you age, it just really depends upon you and your overall physical wellness. Obviously, if you have, you know, health conditions, heart problems, or you’re on blood thinners, those are things that need to be addressed because you need to be healthy enough to have a procedure done with anesthesia. During your rhinoplasty recovery, your body needs to be in good shape to heal properly, so a thorough medical clearance is what matters most, not the number on your birth certificate.
Clear Guidance on Moving Forward
Other than from an age standpoint, once that male or female is mature to move forward with it the decision comes down to your personal goals and your current health. If your nose has finished growing, your lifestyle allows for a safe healing period, and you are medically cleared, you are likely an excellent candidate.
So, if you have any questions or comments, give us a call, or contact us and we’ll be happy to answer them.
