Like many other things in life, surgery is a continuous journey of learning. This cannot be more true for Rhinoplasty. Rhinoplasty is a unique and intriguing surgery that captivates even the world masters with its variety and complexities.
It is our belief that only with such a single minded and dedicated approach, can we offer the best results and service to each and every of our patients. We believe that only in devoting and dedicating ourselves to the art and science, keeping up with the latest techniques and educating the next generation, can we achieve something meaningful in this unique and challenging field.
Rhinoplasty is in equal parts art and science, simultaneously technical and aesthetic. This is one of the reasons why it is often considered the most difficult cosmetic surgery. Failure to understand and recognize the science behind the art can lead to dysfunctional and disfiguring consequences. Failure to understand the aesthetic nuances beyond the physiology can likewise lead to an unsatisfied patient.
The nose takes centrestage on the face. A beautiful nose is one that is harmonious. “Harmony” is a term often loosely used to convey an abstract unquantifiable degree of beauty. What it really means is that the nose has to be in sync with the rest of the face. A svelte sharp nose will look odd on a strong masculine face. Similarly a strongly projected nose looks exceptionally out of place on a face with retruded chin, giving the person a bird-like appearance. Not only does a nose have to be in proportion and harmony with the face, in the same way, the ethnicity, social background and cultural influences have to be taken into consideration to give the patient a nose that is congruous to his/ her identity. Ever wondered why you could tell if a beautiful face feels “Chinese” or “Korean”? Why does a nose look “western” or “asian”? The answer is in the “invisible” details that can only be picked up through years of experience looking at, and analyzing faces and noses.
In the melting pot that is Singapore, we have a unique opportunity to appreciate the different cultural concepts of beauty. From our extensive experience working with patients of different cultural backgrounds, we had the privilege to understand these differences that cannot be easily taught in textbook and lectures.
The nose has one other important function that cannot be understated – breathing. Deprived of proper nasal breathing, quality of life suffers. You cannot indulge in your favourite activity or sport unimpeded. You may even be deprived of enjoying the flavours of your favourite cuisine. Disruption of your breathing can also cause snoring, leading to social and health problems. We thus believe that it is imperative to retain, if not improve breathing function in each and every of our rhinoplasty patients.
One of the most overlooked factor is post op care. The are too many stories of rhinoplasties gone wrong simply because of poor post op care. It is especially heartbreaking to see noses destroyed because the diagnosis of post op infection is delayed, or when noses get infected due to poor care. Rhinoplasty is challenging enough as it is, and all controllable factors must be turned in the patient’s favour — especially post op care.
Perhaps the single most important, and underrated factor is safety. Infection and bleeding are the two commonest safety complications. No matter how beautifully you nose may be sculpted, it will mean nothing if it gets infected and cause nasal cartilages to be broken down. This is compounded by the fact that these post infection cases are notoriously difficult to correct and restore.To minimize infection, we take extra pains to ensure that entire process, from pre-op preparation to post-op care is adherent to our strict sterility protocols. We also advocate use of autologous materials as much as possible as this is perhaps the single greatest determinant of your risk of developing post op infections. This means usage of your own septal cartilage, ear cartilage or rib cartilage, as far as possible, or agreeable with the patient.
Bleeding can sometimes occur in the deep recesses of the nose, and being equipped with a nasal endoscope means we can promptly and accurately diagnose and address the source of bleed.
Safety is the basis on which everything else should be considered.