Rhinoplasty is a popular procedure among teenagers, and has the potential to send them into the next stage of their life with confidence and healthy self-esteem. If you are a parent weighing the option of nose surgery for your teenager, we hope you will schedule a consultation with Dr. Ronald Schuster to discuss the options. It’s a significant decision and therefore requires the knowledge, skill, and compassion of an experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Schuster.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, teenagers aged 13-19 made up 13 percent of rhinoplasty patients in 2020. For teens who are good candidates, rhinoplasty has some important benefits:
- To support their self-esteem and happiness. There is a lot of bullying associated with having a larger nose, and this bullying can be at its worst during the teenage years. Your child is already dealing with the stressors of school, friends, adolescence, and growing up. The added burden of being teased for their nose shape or size can be removed with rhinoplasty.
- To improve the ability to breathe through the nose. A teen may have a deviated septum from the time of birth or as a result of an injury. This condition blocks airflow through the nose, making it difficult to breathe. Nose surgery corrects the deviation.
Knowing the right time for rhinoplasty has to do with age and facial growth. For teenage girls, 15-16 tends to be the ideal age, while teenage boys should be 16-18. At these ages, the development of the nasal structure will have progressed to the point that surgical modification will be successful. Performing the surgery on younger patients than these ages must be weighed carefully against the risk of the ongoing development of the nose altering the results.
If your teen is currently going to school remotely, it can be a good opportunity for rhinoplasty recovery. They will be able to heal with their nose bandaged in the privacy of their own home. Better yet, many teens undergo the procedure over summer vacation, so that they can heal without any teasing from peers about bandages and swelling.
Rhinoplasty completed during the latter half of adolescence provides an opportunity to set them up for success as they head to college, work, and adulthood. It provides a clean slate, freeing them from the burden of self-consciousness and low self-esteem that is often the result of getting bullied.
Is it the Right Time for Rhinoplasty?
If you live in Baltimore, Lutherville-Timonium, or the surrounding areas and would like to discuss rhinoplasty for a teenager with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ronald Schuster, please call our experienced staff at 410-902-9800.
