The uppermost portion of the human respiratory system, the nose is a hollow air passage that functions in breathing and in the sense of smell. The nasal cavity moistens and warms incoming air, while small hairs and mucous filter out harmful particles and microorganisms. This illustration depicts the interior of the human nose.


 Nose, organ of smell, and also part of the apparatus of respiration and voice. Considered anatomically, it may be divided into an external portion—the visible projection portion, to which the term nose is popularly restricted—and an internal portion, consisting of two principal cavities, or nasal fossae, separated from each other by a vertical septum, and subdivided by spongy or turbinated bones that project from the outer wall into three passages, or meatuses, with which various sinuses in the ethmoid, sphenoid, frontal, and superior maxillary bones communicate by narrow apertures.

 The margins of the nostrils are usually lined with a number of stiff hairs (vibrissae) that project across the openings and serve to arrest the passage of foreign substances, such as dust and small insects, which might otherwise be drawn up with the current of air intended for respiration. The skeleton, or framework, of the nose is partly composed of the bones forming the top and sides of the bridge, and partly of cartilages. On either side are an upper lateral and a lower lateral cartilage, to the latter of which are attached three or four small cartilaginous plates, termed sesamoid cartilages. The cartilage of the septum separates the nostrils and, in association posteriorly with the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid and with the vomer, forms a complete partition between the right and left nasal fossae.

 The nasal fossae, which constitute the internal part of the nose, are lofty and of considerable depth. They open in front through the nostrils and behind end in a vertical slit on either side of the upper pharynx, above the soft palate, and near the orifices of the Eustachian tubes, leading to the tympanic cavity of the ear.

 In the olfactory region of the nose the mucous membrane is very thick and colored by a brown pigment. The olfactory nerve, or nerve of smell, terminates in the nasal cavity in several small branches; these ramify in the soft mucous membrane and end in tiny varicose fibers that in turn terminate in elongated epithelial cells projecting into the free surface of the nose.

 The 'nose cosmetic surgery' is the procedure to redesign your nose, is one of the most common of all plastic surgery practices. Rhinoplasty can lessen or enhance the size of your nose, alter the shape of the tip or the bridge, thin the span of the nostrils, or change the angle between your nose and your upper lip. Your birth defect or any of injury scar can be done perfect as well.

 Following details will give you a basic understanding of the nose plastic surgery.

 The best candidates for rhinoplasty are people who are looking for upgrading or enhancement of their appearance and not perfection, in the way they look. Those who are physically healthy, psychologically unwavering, and realistic in his/her expectations, are good candidates. Age may also be a greatest consideration. Generally the doctors prefer about 15 years for girls and about 18 years for boys. Candidates who have birth defects are also the right candidates for nose cosmetic surgery.

 Even when Rhinoplasty, the 'nose plastic surgery' is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, though complications are infrequent and usually minor, there is always a possibility of complications, including infection, nosebleed, or a reaction to the anesthesia.

 In most of the cases, a second procedure may also be required to get the right perfection. Such cases are unpredictable and happen even to patients of the most skilled surgeons. The corrective surgery is usually minor.

 You should not hesitate to ask your doctor any questions you may have, especially those regarding your expectations and concerns about the results. Though complicated nose plastic surgery would take longer, generally the duration for the surgery is not more than two or three hours. During surgery the skin of the nose is separated from its supporting framework of bone and cartilage, which is then shaped to the desired shape. The nature of the sculpting will depend on your problem and your surgeon's preferred technique.

 Tips after Rhinoplasty: After your nose plastic surgery, specifically during the first day, your face will feel puffy, your nose may be painful, and you may have a headache. You can control any discomfort with the pain medication prescribed by your surgeon. Plan on staying in bed for the first day.

 Most Rhinoplasty patients are up and about within two days, and able to return to their scheduled routine work a week or so following surgery. It will be several weeks, however, before you're entirely up to speed.

 Since nose is your most prominent facial feature, even a slight alteration can greatly improve appearance. Rhinoplasty alone cannot give you a perfect profile, make you look like someone else, or improve your individual life. Before surgery, it is very important that the patient have a clear, realistic understanding of what change is possible as well as the limitations and risks of the procedure.