Did you know that your nose can droop, making it appear longer as you age? Consider rhinoplasty, Jacksonville plastic surgeons say.

Did you know that after everything else on your body has hit its peak, your nose, chin and ears keep on growing, some say? That’s why plastic surgery such as rhinoplasty for the aging nose also is growing.

Candidates for nose surgery aren’t just self conscious teens and 20-somethings worried about significant “nasal protuberance.” They’re also middle-aged and older patients who feel something is “off” with their noses’ appearance. Many report being confused that their noses seem bigger or lower than in years before. Either may be true, plastic surgeons say. While there is debate in the medical community as to whether the nose actually continues to grow throughout the entire lifespan, there is no doubt that gravity takes its toll.

As we age, collagen and elastin in the skin breaks down, sapping the skin of its strength and suppleness. The pull of gravity eventually wins out. For your nose, this means a drooping effect that makes the nose look longer and lower than before. The same thing happens to our ears and jowls.

Now for the good news: If changes in your nose’s appearance have scenes from “Pinocchio” running through your mind, Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery can help with an expertly performed rhinoplasty.

“Jacksonville patients who undergo rhinoplasty of the aging nose see the nasal tip restored to its youthful position,” says Dr. Roberto Garcia, noting that treating “nose droop” typically is easier than the traditional nose job. That’s because a full rhinoplasty often involves breaking the nasal bones, whereas rhinoplasty to correct an aging, drooping nose can be done with cartilage grafts instead. This allows for a shorter recovery time.

Rhinoplasty for the aging nose often is performed along with a facelift, neck lift or eyelid surgery, as part of a total facial rejuvenation. To schedule a consultation, call Jacksonville’s Garcia Facial Plastic surgery at 904-247-8522.

Researchers surveyed 104 people who had undergone at least one rhinoplasty procedure and were seeking re-dos. For nearly two thirds of these patients, the issue prompting a rhinoplasty revision was a functional one – primarily nasal obstruction. The most common problems survey respondents reported were nasal blockage, breathing through the mouth and snoring. Facial plastic surgeons reported finding a nasal obstruction in 94% of these cases.

As for aesthetic concerns among both the patients responding to the survey and the facial plastic surgeons treating them, the most common were tip asymmetry, a crook in the middle third of the nose and an irregularity in the upper third of the nose.

Rhinoplasty revisions often require the use of cartilage taken from the patient’s septum or, on more rare occasions, from the back of the ear. Nasal implants also can be used to augment the bridge of the nose. Incisions typically are made on the inside and across the bottom of the nose to minimize potential scarring. Because the nose goes through several phases of healing most facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons recommend waiting a year before undergoing a rhinoplasty revision.

If you are unhappy with the results of your rhinoplasty, Jacksonville’s Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery may be able to help. Dr. Phillip Garcia and Dr. Roberto Garcia both are double board-certified facial plastic surgeons and Dr. Roberto Garcia’s areas of focus include advanced and revision nasal surgery. Both are highly experienced in performing rhinoplasty revisions that address both aesthetic and functional concerns of a patient dissatisfied with a prior procedure. View our Before-and-After gallery of advanced and revision nasal surgeries, then call Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery at (904) 247-8522 to schedule your consultation.

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.

Baby Boomers account for a growing percentage of cosmetic procedures performed in Jacksonville and nationwide.

A few highlights of the survey:

• Facelifts by AACS members rose 44% from 2008 to 2009, totaling 34,455 last year compared to 20,478 in 2008;
• Blepharoplasty procedures jumped 42 percent to 60,507 from 42,602;
• Rhinoplasty surgeries went up 74% to 21,730 from 12,460
• Invasive procedures showing the largest gain in the past five years are Blepharoplasty, abdomonoplasty and rhinoplasty;
• Less invasive procedures with the biggest 5-year gain are laser resurfacing, chemical peels and fillers.

The study is the first of its kind performed by the AACS and involves polling of AACS members plus randomly chosen physicians nationwide. The total number of procedures performed by AACS members has increased by eight percent since 2008.

When it comes to cosmetic procedures, Jacksonville follows the same trend that physicians and surgeons are seeing across the United States – a boom in Baby Boomer clientele. Many patients of the Garcia Institute are in their 50s and 60s and not quite ready to concede their looks. Today’s mature population is healthier, more active and more consumer savvy than any previous generation. They also are more informed about medical, plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. Jacksonville’s Boomer population is one that knows what it wants and is comfortable asking for it.

“The Baby Boomers are getting older but they still feel young and they want to look that way too,” said AACS President Mark Berman, MD. “With anti-aging procedures, people tend to feel much better about themselves afterward.”

Cosmetic procedures in Jacksonville and beyond are expected to grow as America’s economy recovers.

“The cosmetic surgery industry continues to grow at a rate many people never thought it
would reach,” Berman said. “With the aging of the Baby Boomer generation, I don’t think we’ve come close to hitting the ceiling yet. That 17 million is only going to expand.

If you’re a Baby Boomer who wants to look as great as you feel, contact the Garcia Institute at  (904) 247-8522 today.

Insurance companies typically cover reconstructive plastic surgeries that restore functionality and aesthetics lost to injury or disease. In some cases, insurance companies are required by state or federal law to cover specified procedures. For instance, Florida law requires insurance companies to cover cleft lip and cleft palate reconstructive plastic surgery for Jacksonville patients age 18 and younger. And a Congressional committee is deliberating the proposed Children’s Access to Reconstructive Evaluation and Surgery Act (CARES Act), which would require group an individual health insurance plans cover treatment of congenital or developmental deformity or disorder caused by trauma, infection, tumor or disease in minor children nationwide.

However, most laws mandating coverage of reconstructive plastic surgery in Jacksonville and elsewhere affect only minors. So, coverage of adult reconstructive procedures depends entirely on the individual’s insurance plan and unique circumstances.

No insurance company will cover what is often called “vanity-driven” cosmetic plastic surgery. Jacksonville patients and others nationwide are responsible for paying for surgical procedures performed simply to improve the aesthetics of the face. Cosmetic surgery is proven to help boost a patient’s self-esteem and almost invariably encourages patients to take better care of their health. Patients often report that their newfound confidence and a determination to prolong the positive results of their procedures encourages them to exercise more, eat and drink healthier and relax, all leading to improved emotional, mental and physical health. However, such procedures certainly are not “medically necessary,” so insurance companies will not cover them.

There do exist some “gray areas” when it comes to insurance coverage of plastic surgery. Jacksonville patients undergoing procedures that can be considered both reconstructive and cosmetic sometimes get a break on payment. For instance, a blepharoplasty procedure (eyelid surgery) that addresses a severely hooded eyelid that partially obscures a patient’s vision certainly will improve the aesthetics of a patient’s face, but can also improve his or her vision. So, an insurance company may cover a portion of the cost. A rhinoplasty (nose job) procedure that repairs a deviated septum also can address both functional and aesthetic issues. So, the portion of the surgery that improves a patient’s breathing may covered, whereas the portion that corrects cosmetic issues will not be covered.

No reputable surgeon or firm will attempt to help you get coverage for a strictly cosmetic plastic surgery – Jacksonville’s Garcia Institute included. However, we will work diligently with you and your insurance company to get coverage of reconstructive procedures that may qualify. We also accept major credit cards and work with financing companies including CareCredit and CapitalOne Healthcare Finance.

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.