Rhinoplasty: redefine your facial profile with precision and safety in Valencia

What is a rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure whose purpose is to change the shape of the nose. It can be done for aesthetic reasons, for functional ones, or both. Many patients want to correct a feature that makes them self-conscious, such as a pronounced dorsal hump, a drooping tip or a nose out of proportion. In other cases the surgery is done to resolve breathing difficulties caused by a deviated septum, enlarged turbinates or deformity acquired through injury.

There are two main types of rhinoplasty:

• Closed rhinoplasty: the incisions are made inside the nose, giving access to the internal structures without leaving visible scars. It suits simpler or more subtle changes.
• Open rhinoplasty: a small incision is made in the columella (the strip that separates the nostrils), giving a direct, wide view of the inside of the nose. It is the technique of choice in complex cases or where substantial reshaping is needed.

Either technique is chosen according to the patient’s anatomy and the goals agreed at the consultation.

The aesthetic and functional aims of rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is not only about a better-proportioned nose: it is also about improving the quality of life of people with chronic nasal obstruction. Sometimes a septoplasty can be carried out in the same operation — the procedure that corrects a deviated septum and restores normal airflow.

The commonest aesthetic aims include:

• Reducing a dorsal hump
• Refining the tip
• Correcting a deviated or asymmetrical nose
• Narrowing the bridge or the nostrils
• Better integration of the nose with the rest of the face

Who can have a rhinoplasty?

The ideal candidates for rhinoplasty are men and women whose facial growth is complete, generally from the age of 17 or 18. It matters that they are in good health, that they are not current smokers and that their expectations are realistic. The surgery should follow from a personal, well-informed decision, not from outside pressure or passing fashion.

At the first consultation we carry out a thorough assessment of general health, of the anatomy of the nose and of the patient’s goals. Photographs, digital simulations and a detailed physical examination are routine. This process allows us to design an individual surgical plan, matched to the proportions and needs of each face.

How the operation is carried out

Rhinoplasty is carried out under general anaesthetic. The operation takes between 2 and 4 hours, depending on how complex the case is. Depending on the type of surgery and the patient’s condition, it may be a day case or require an overnight stay.

The general steps of the procedure are:

• Making the incisions (internal or external)
• Reaching the nasal bones and cartilage
• Structural reshaping: this may involve filing the bone, resecting cartilage or placing grafts
• Correcting the septum, if it is deviated
• Redraping the skin and soft tissue over the new structure
• Placing an external nasal splint and, if needed, temporary internal packing

The surgeon’s precision and a deep knowledge of facial anatomy are essential to results that respect the harmony of the face.

Recovery and aftercare

Recovery after a rhinoplasty calls for patience and care. In most cases the patient can go back to normal activity within a week, although the final result is seen at six months, once the tissues have healed completely.

In the first few days it is common to have:

• Swelling around the nose and the eyelids
• Slight bleeding or nasal discharge
• A blocked-up feeling
• Mild pain, controlled with painkillers

The recommended aftercare includes:

• Keeping your head raised when resting
• Not blowing your nose
• Avoiding strenuous physical effort for at least two weeks
• Not wearing glasses that rest on the bridge of the nose for 4-6 months
• Staying out of direct sun, to prevent pigmentation

Regular follow-up with the medical team makes sure recovery is going as it should and allows any question or unusual symptom to be dealt with.

Results: beyond appearance

A well-performed rhinoplasty can change how a face is perceived, but it also affects emotional things such as self-esteem and confidence. Many patients report feeling more sure of themselves, happier with how they look and with a considerable improvement in their quality of life, particularly where persistent breathing difficulties have been corrected.

The results are stable over time, provided the medical advice is followed and there is no later injury. In some cases, particularly where a second operation is needed (secondary rhinoplasty), the approach is more complex and requires even more careful surgical planning.

Technology and medical experience

Our surgical team is highly qualified in facial plastic surgery and has a long track record in rhinoplasty, both primary and secondary.

That experience lets us take on complex cases, such as:

• Noses operated on before with unsatisfactory results
• Severely deviated septa
• Deformity from injury
• Cases needing structural grafts for nasal reconstruction

Why choose us?

Our commitment is not only to perform an operation but to be with the patient throughout: from the first consultation to the final review. In every case we offer:

• A personalised diagnostic assessment
• Surgeons expert in aesthetic and functional rhinoplasty
• Medical safety and state-of-the-art technology
• Natural results that respect facial identity
• Care that is close, professional and honest

Rhinoplasty is one of the operations with the greatest impact on the face, and also one of the most technical in plastic surgery. It should therefore not be treated as a light decision, or left to purely aesthetic criteria. It calls for an experienced medical team that understands the anatomy of the nose in depth and works from a complete perspective: health, function and appearance.

If you are thinking about a rhinoplasty in Valencia, we invite you to book a consultation at our clinic. We will answer all your questions, assess your case honestly and propose a solution that is safe, ethical and professional.

Detailed guides on rhinoplasty

This page describes the operation as a whole. Each variant and each aspect also has its own guide:

• Aesthetic rhinoplasty step by step — how the nose is shaped, stage by stage.
• Functional rhinoplasty — when the problem is breathing.
• Rhinoplasty and harmony with the chin — why the nose is assessed together with the profile.
• Profileplasty — nose and chin in a single operation.

Frequently asked questions about rhinoplasty

How much does a rhinoplasty cost in Valencia?

The price is, as a guide, between 6,000 and 8,000 € (2026). The range depends on how complex the case is: refining a tip does not cost the same as rebuilding a badly deviated septum, and reoperating on a nose that has already been operated on is always more demanding than primary surgery.

It is a guide figure and subject to individual assessment, and the quote given after the first consultation is fixed and all-inclusive: operating theatre, anaesthetist, follow-up appointments, compression garment and VAT. Nothing appears on the bill afterwards.

What it does not include are the optional post-operative treatments — radiofrequency, massage or lymphatic drainage — which are recommended according to what each patient needs and are quoted separately.

And if there is a complication or I need a revision? Who covers it?

Every case is looked at individually, but the general principle is clear. If a medical complication arises, treating it normally involves only the cost of materials and theatre, so the cost is very small compared with a standard operation: the surgery is not charged for again.

As for minor refinement procedures, they are usually included, at minimal cost.

This is not a guarantee of outcome — medicine is an obligation of means, not of results — but an undertaking that, if something requires a second operation, we will make that as straightforward as we possibly can so that any problem can be dealt with.

What is the difference between septoplasty, rhinoplasty and septorhinoplasty?

They are three different things and they should not be mixed up. A septoplasty corrects the septum from inside: it is functional surgery, to breathe better, and it does not change how the nose looks. A rhinoplasty changes the external shape. A septorhinoplasty does both in a single operation.

The distinction matters because it affects cover: the functional part can have a medical indication; the aesthetic part cannot.

Can breathing and appearance be corrected in the same operation?

Yes, and in many cases it is the sensible course: the approach is the same and it avoids two general anaesthetics. Form and function are also linked — the septum and the cartilage that support the nose are the same ones that give it its shape — so operating on only one part sometimes means touching the other anyway.

What the quote must make clear is which part of the operation is functional and which is aesthetic, because they are not paid for in the same way.

Can an aesthetic rhinoplasty spoil my breathing?

It is a real risk and it should be known about. Reducing structures in the nose can narrow the airway or weaken the supports that keep it open when you breathe in. That is why a well-planned rhinoplasty assesses function before touching form, and often reinforces structures with grafts of the patient’s own cartilage instead of simply removing tissue.

If the consultation is only about appearance and nobody examines your breathing, that is a warning sign.

When is the final result of a rhinoplasty visible?

It takes longer than people expect. The change is visible when the splint comes off, but the swelling goes down very gradually: the bulk of it disappears in the first few weeks and the rest can take up to a year. The tip is the last area to define itself, particularly in thicker skin.

This is not a minor point: much of the post-operative anxiety comes from judging the result too early.

How likely am I to need a second operation?

It is not negligible and it is worth knowing beforehand. The literature puts the need for a second operation at between 5% and 15% of cases, and the largest studies — including a series of more than 175,000 patients who had a septorhinoplasty — give figures of around 10-11%.

Rhinoplasty is one of the operations with the narrowest margin: it works in millimetres and on tissue that heals unpredictably. The existence of that possibility does not mean anything has gone wrong.

Open or closed rhinoplasty? Which leaves less of a scar?

In the closed approach all the incisions go inside the nose and there is no visible scar at all. In the open approach a small incision is added in the columella, the strip of skin between the nostrils: it is a few millimetres long and, well made, usually becomes practically imperceptible with time.

At ICPM we usually prefer the open route, because it gives far more precise control over the structures of the nose: the cartilage is seen directly and worked on exactly, rather than by feel. That precision is what holds the result in the long term, and it matters particularly in complex cases, in revision surgery and whenever grafts have to be placed.

The closed route remains a perfectly valid option and we use it where the case allows. The decision is made on the basis of what has to be corrected, not on the scar.

What is ultrasonic rhinoplasty, and is it worth it?

It uses piezoelectric instruments that reshape bone with ultrasonic vibration instead of chisel and mallet. Its real advantage is precision: it lets the bone be sculpted while sparing the soft tissue around it, rather than fracturing it.

At ICPM we offer it and use it routinely, and not because it is fashionable: it is one of the few things in nasal surgery with solid comparative evidence. A meta-analysis published in 2024, bringing together 12 randomised clinical trials with more than 600 patients, found a significant reduction in post-operative swelling and bruising compared with conventional osteotomy. Other systematic reviews also point to less pain and less damage to the lining of the nose during surgery.

That does not mean the instrument performs the surgery: the indication and the planning are still what decide the outcome. But where the case calls for it, it brings measurable advantages.

Does the Spanish public health service or my insurance cover nose surgery?

It depends on the purpose of the operation, and the criterion is stricter than people usually assume.

Where it is a strictly functional septoplasty — correcting a deviated septum that interferes with breathing, without changing the external shape of the nose — it is a medical problem and may be covered.

As soon as the operation affects the appearance of the nose, it is not. That includes combined aesthetic-functional surgery: even where there is a genuine breathing component, if the shape is changed in the same operation it is not covered.

It is worth knowing from the outset, to avoid misunderstandings: if your goal includes changing the shape of your nose, approach it as private surgery. Each insurer also has its own terms and waiting periods, so it is worth checking with them directly.

Who should not have nose surgery?

There are three situations in which the prudent course is to wait or not to operate. The first, expectations the surgery cannot meet: wanting a particular nose seen in a photograph, or hoping to resolve a distress that goes beyond how the nose looks. The second, uncontrolled illness or treatments that affect clotting. The third, current smoking, which compromises healing and must be stopped beforehand.

A surgeon can and should say no. Being offered surgery at the first consultation, without being examined and without limits being discussed, is not a good sign.

At what age can the nose be operated on?

Once facial growth has finished, which happens slightly earlier in girls than in boys: as a guide, from 16-17 in girls and 17-18 in boys. Operating earlier can interfere with the development of the nose.

The exception is functional problems or deformity from injury, which are assessed case by case and may need surgery earlier.

Sources and clinical review

The clinical statements on this page are based on the following sources, accessed on 1 August 2026:

• Revision rates in septorhinoplasty across a series of 175,842 patients: Revision Rates and Risk Factors of 175,842 Patients Undergoing Septorhinoplasty.
• Piezoelectric versus conventional osteotomy, meta-analysis of randomised trials (2024): Is Piezosurgery Associated with Improved Patient Outcomes Compared to Conventional Osteotomy in Rhinoplasty?.
• Swelling and bruising after piezoelectric osteotomy, systematic review: A Comparison Between Piezosurgery and Conventional Osteotomies in Rhinoplasty.