Rhinoplasty reshapes the external nose so that it sits in proportion with the rest of the face. Because the nose is also the airway, Dr. İsa Dağlı approaches every rhinoplasty in Antalya as both an aesthetic and a functional operation — the septum and nasal valves are assessed in each case, and where breathing is obstructed, it is corrected in the same procedure.
The aim is not a recognisable “operated” nose but one that looks as though it always belonged to the face it sits on. Planning is done from standardised photographs, discussed with the patient before any decision is taken.
Who is rhinoplasty suitable for?
Rhinoplasty is appropriate for adults whose facial growth is complete — generally from around seventeen or eighteen years of age — and who are in good general health. Common reasons for seeking surgery include a dorsal hump, a drooping or bulbous tip, asymmetry, a nose that appears too wide or too long for the face, or a combination of appearance and blocked breathing.
Patients who smoke are asked to stop well before and after surgery, since smoking impairs healing of the delicate soft tissue envelope. Realistic expectations matter more than any single anatomical factor: the operation works within the limits of a patient’s own skin thickness, cartilage strength and bone structure.
How the operation is performed
Rhinoplasty is carried out under general anaesthesia and usually takes between two and four hours, depending on complexity.
In the open technique, a short incision across the columella allows the skin to be lifted so that the bony and cartilaginous framework is visible directly. This visibility is what makes precise, symmetrical work on the tip possible. In selected cases where only limited change is needed, a closed approach with incisions confined to the inside of the nose may be used instead.
Modern rhinoplasty is reconstructive rather than reductive. Rather than simply removing tissue, the framework is reshaped and reinforced with grafts from the patient’s own septal cartilage. This preserves long-term support, which is what prevents the collapse and pinching that older reduction techniques sometimes produced years later.
Preserving the airway
A nose that looks better but breathes worse is not a successful outcome. The internal nasal valve — the narrowest point of the airway — is easily compromised when the dorsum is lowered without reconstruction. Spreader grafts placed between the septum and the upper lateral cartilages maintain that angle and keep the airway open.
Where a deviated septum is contributing to obstruction, septoplasty is performed at the same time. Combining the two avoids a second anaesthetic and a second recovery.
Recovery week by week
An internal silicone splint and an external cast are worn for about a week. Most patients describe congestion rather than pain; discomfort is generally well controlled with simple analgesia.
Bruising around the eyes peaks at two to three days and has usually faded by the end of the second week. Once the cast is removed the nose will appear swollen, particularly at the tip. Roughly eighty per cent of that swelling resolves within three months; the remainder refines slowly across the first year, which is why final photographs are taken at twelve months.
Light activity can resume after a week. Strenuous exercise, contact sport and anything risking a blow to the nose are avoided for six weeks. Glasses should not rest on the bridge until the bone has consolidated.
Planning surgery from abroad
Patients travelling to Antalya are assessed remotely first. Standardised photographs and a video consultation allow Dr. Dağlı to give a written opinion and a proposed plan before any booking is made. An in-person examination always takes place in Antalya before surgery is confirmed.
Allow seven to ten days in Antalya so that the cast can be removed and the result reviewed before flying home. Follow-up then continues remotely on a set schedule through the first year.
If your main concern is blocked breathing rather than the shape of your nose, septoplasty may be the more appropriate operation. If you have had rhinoplasty before and are unhappy with the result, see revision rhinoplasty.
