‘Desired surgery results must be feasible’

Rhinoplasty procedures are not simply a matter of choosing a new nose, cosmetic surgeons must work with the existing face structure, it has been claimed.

Dr Howard T Bellin, a New York-based cosmetic surgeon, warns that dramatic changes may not be possible and that a surgeon must choose the right technique for the best results.

He explained that with open rhinoplasty, the structure is access via the flesh between the nostrils, enabling a surgeon to see more of the nose and make more distinctive changes.

Closed rhinoplasty procedure allows surgeons to access the structure from inside of the nostrils, meaning it is harder to see the bone. However, Dr Bellin explained that this method is less invasive, less time-consuming and usually needs less recovery time.

"Your cosmetic surgeon will decide whether or not certain changes are possible and how feasible subtle or dramatic changes may be," he added.

Face and neck surgery accounted for 30 per cent of cosmetic surgery sales in 2006, with sales totaling £108 million, according to a survey by research firm Mintel.