Cosmetic nasal surgery, also known as rhinoplasty, is intended to correct aesthetic issues of the nose that make patients feel self-conscious. Among the most common issues that Jacksonville plastic surgery specialist see in patients are:

•    A nose that appears too large for the face;
•    A bump on the nasal bridge when viewed in profile;
•    A nose that seems too wide when viewed from the front;
•    A nasal tip that droops or plunges;
•    A thickened or enlarged tip;
•    Excessively flared nostrils;
•    An off-center or crooked nose;
•    An asymmetrical shape of the nose caused by a previous injury.

Cosmetic nasal surgery isn't like choosing a new nose from a catalog. Many factors are at play, so having realistic expectations is critical.

In 2009, the fourth most frequently performed plastic surgery procedure was cosmetic nasal surgery. Jacksonville’s Drs. Philip Garcia and Roberto Garcia specialize in reconstructive and cosmetic nasal surgery. Their most important piece of advice to patients is to clearly and fully communicate with your Jacksonville plastic surgeon and to have reasonable expectations.

It has been said that the best candidates for cosmetic nasal surgery – or any cosmetic surgery – are those who want to improve, not perfect the way they look. The nose is the face’s most prominent feature and many factors affect what a surgeon is and is not able to accomplish. Patients often mistakenly believe that the process is like choosing a new nose from a catalog. Surgeons today use advanced digital imaging and morphing software to help communicate ideas and expectations prior to a patient undergoing a nose surgery procedure. However, understand that each procedure is as unique as each patient.

To assure great results with your cosmetic nasal surgery, Jacksonville’s Garcia Institute asks that you be extremely clear as to what you would like to change about your nose and why. The decision to undergo any plastic surgery procedure should be yours alone, so be sure that you are not being influenced by your family, friends or media-fed perceptions. Even the most extensive cosmetic nasal surgery won’t make you look like that movie star on the magazine covers. It will make you look like you – only better. And that’s a beautiful thing!

To plan your cosmetic nasal surgery, contact Jacksonville’s Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery at (904) 247-8522.

The nose is among the features that lend the most character to our faces, and it’s the one that causes the most angst for patients unhappy with theirs. A nose that’s too big, too wide or crooked either naturally for resulting from an accident (or a brawl – we don’t judge) can be a source of self consciousness or even downright embarrassment. When you need nose surgery, Jacksonville’s Garcia Institute can help.

Nasal surgery is performed for two reasons: to restore or improve the function of the nose, and to improve its aesthetic form. Functional reconstructive nose surgery primarily addresses cases of a deviated septum. The nose septum, made up of cartilage and bone, divides the nose into two halves. A deviation (either natural or as a result of nose trauma) obstructs airflow and can cause a cadre of symptoms including headaches, snoring, daytime sleepiness and sinusitis. Another common problem is enlarged turbinates, tiny structures within the nose that help warm incoming air and prepare the body for allergens such as pollen. When turbinates enlarge, they can obstruct airflow and cause symptoms similar to those of a deviated septum. Performed in our state-of-the-art surgical center near Jacksonville, functional nose surgery involves straightening the nose septum or reducing the size of turbinates.

On the other hand, cosmetic nose surgery – also called “rhinoplasty” or simply, a “nose job” – focuses on the nose’s aesthetic form. Drs. Garcia aim to improve the nose’s size and special balance with the rest face, so that the focal point of a patient’s face moves from the nose to the eyes. Cosmetic nose surgery primarily involves sculpting or adding cartilage to the nose’s tip or bridge to give the nose a better shape or make it less prominent.

Cosmetic nose surgery in Jacksonville typically is performed under twilight anesthesia, making it less risky than undergoing general anesthesia, which can be dangerous and leave you groggy for days. Patients have neither discomfort during the procedure or any recollection of the procedure afterward. And we use absorbable sutures that require no removal. Splints and tapes are removed seven days after nose surgery, though patients typically are able to breathe through their noses again within three days, and we’ll follow your progress for one year, performing any needed revisions.

If you have trouble breathing through your nose, or if you simply are unhappy with its shape or size, contact the Garcia Institute via our online email form or at or 800-803-0082 or 904-247-8522 to speak with a Jacksonville nose surgery specialist today.