Nose Implant in Portugal

Nose implant can be carried out under general anesthetic or local anesthetic with sedation, depending on the complexity of the surgery and your surgeon's preference. The procedure may be performed through a small incision inside the nostrils (closed rhinoplasty) or through a small external incision at the base of your nose (open rhinoplasty). After making the incision, your doctor will place the implant, which may be synthetic (Gore-Tex, Silicone, Medpor) or autologous (from other parts of your body, such as cartilage from your rib). The final step is placing the nose’s skin and tissue into its original position and stitching up the incisions.

If no complications arise, you should be able to leave the hospital on the same day. However, if general anesthesia is used during the surgery, you may need to stay overnight. After you are discharged from the hospital, expect to stay in Portugal for 10 to 14 days to attend regular follow-up checkups.

You may experience swelling around your eyes, but this will gradually subside within 3 to 14 days. You should avoid strenuous activity (such as heavy lifting and intense exercise) for 3 to 6 weeks, but you may be able to return to work and some light activities in 1 to 2 weeks following the surgery. The full recovery time until your nose is completely healed is normally 6 months. 

After your surgery, you will need to keep your head elevated to prevent aggravated swelling. Do not blow your nose and avoid extreme facial expressions for at least 10 to 14 days following the surgery. Your doctor will give you a recommended diet plan, which may include high-fiber foods such as vegetables and fruits to avoid constipation since constipation can cause strain to the surgery site.

Nose implant is known to have a high success rate of about 85% to 90%, particularly when performed by a certified plastic surgeon. Although the success rate is high, you need to be aware of the side effects and risks, such as bleeding, infection, difficulty breathing, permanent numbness around the nose, uneven-looking nose, pain, scarring, discoloration, septal perforation, and allergic reactions to the anesthesia.

If you do not want to undergo surgery but you want to change the appearance of your nose, your alternatives are fillers and Botox, which are non-invasive. Both are injected into the skin of your nose to change its shape.