
How to find the right nose surgeon for a nose job or rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty, also known as a nose job, is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures in the UK. Many women and men aspire to the ideal nose shape, considering the significant impact the nose has on overall facial appearance. It is, therefore, understandable that people want to find the right nose surgeon in London to get the best results. The chances of ending up with a botched nose job are much higher when an inexperienced surgeon with minimal rhinoplasty training is chosen. In the worst cases, your nose may appear deformed and require revision rhinoplasty to be adequately corrected.
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A rhinoplasty can alter the size of the nose, improve the shape of the nasal bridge or tip, reduce the width of the nostrils or modify the angle between the upper lip and nose. Rhinoplasty can also effectively address functional concerns, including breathing difficulties. Some people may opt for a nose job to correct deformities resulting from a traumatic injury or a birth defect. Our highly experienced London plastic surgeons regularly perform all types of nose surgery. The first step in the patient journey is to have a thorough in-person consultation to examine the dimensions and proportions of your face and nose. This will guide the selection of the most appropriate treatment to enhance the appearance of your nose. Rhinoplasty surgery is always customised to the needs and desires of the individual patient. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to a nose job. Adapting the procedure to the individual patient will help achieve optimal facial harmony, resulting in a significant boost in self-confidence.
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What happens at the rhinoplasty consultation?

The rhinoplasty surgeon will take time to listen to and understand your goals for rhinoplasty. The surgeon will work with you to determine the optimal nasal appearance that enhances the overall face. 3D imaging may be used to optimise this process. Any previous surgical procedures, past medical history, and general health will be assessed, along with allergies and current medications taken, if any.
Questions which your rhinoplasty surgeon may ask you:
- Are you generally healthy without any chronic medical conditions?
- Do you have any medical conditions, such as diabetes or hypertension?
- Have you had previous surgical operations, and were there any complications?
- What medications are you taking currently? Do you have any allergies?
- Do you smoke or drink alcohol, and if so, how much?
- What would you like to achieve from the rhinoplasty procedure?
The surgeon will utilise their extensive experience to recommend the type of procedure or combination of procedures necessary to achieve the desired result. Any risks and complications will also be explained in detail. A selection of rhinoplasty before and after images can also be requested to give you a rough idea of what can be achieved with rhinoplasty surgery. These photos should be viewed as a guide, and no guarantee can be given regarding the achievement of a particular surgical result.
Here is a guide to questions you could ask the rhinoplasty surgeon:
- How do I know if a nose job is right for me?
- Which is better, the open or closed technique?
- I am not suitable for a surgical procedure; shall I have a non-surgical rhinoplasty?
- Will I have a lot of pain after the procedure?
- What level of scarring can I expect after the procedure?
- What is the recovery period like, and what should I do during the healing period to achieve optimal results?
- Am I being realistic about what I am asking to be achieved?
- With my type of concern, how many procedures have you done in the past?
- Do you have any similar before-and-after rhinoplasty images I can view?
- What should I do if the results do not meet my expectations?
In approximately a quarter of all consultations, your surgeon may not recommend a rhinoplasty procedure. This is a testament to the ethics and professionalism that all surgeons possess at Centre for Surgery. We are a medical practice, first and foremost, and all clinical decision-making is entirely detached from commercial imperatives.
The goal of the consultation is for all patients to make the most informed and intelligent decision about a potential rhinoplasty procedure. The surgeon is there to guide that process, and the consultation should be seen as a meeting between 2 experts – you and the surgeon together.
What should I look for when choosing the right nose surgeon for me?
The key to choosing the best rhinoplasty surgeon to carry out your nose job is to intensively research your options online. Significant differences exist in the quality of experience and training in rhinoplasty surgery. Choosing the ideal rhinoplasty Surgeon depends on several factors, including:
- Fully trained rhinoplasty surgeons have completed a specialist fellowship in rhinoplasty surgery.
- All surgeons should belong to the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS)
- Surgeons should have undertaken additional sub-specialist training in all types of rhinoplasty surgery
- Rhinoplasty surgeons carry out high volumes of nose surgery each year compared with less specialised surgeons.
- Request to view before-and-after photos.
- Read your surgeon’s testimonials from former patients
RELATED: How to make your nose smaller
What is the difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon?
Choosing the best surgeon for a nose job can seem challenging. Rhinoplasty surgery can significantly alter the overall appearance of your face. It is therefore vital to take time to choose a highly trained Surgeon. It is essential first to understand the difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon. Most people in the UK may not be aware of the difference between cosmetic and plastic surgeons. Plastic surgery is a recognised medical speciality that includes several subdisciplines, including hand surgery, breast surgery, Burns surgery and reconstructive surgery. Cosmetic surgery is a distinct subspecialty of plastic surgery. Cosmetic surgery involves utilising both surgical and non-surgical techniques to enhance appearance. It does not include reconstructive surgery. The NHS does not cover cosmetic surgery.
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Plastic surgeons have completed over ten years of postgraduate training following their primary medical qualification, which leads to specialist registration in plastic surgery. Cosmetic surgeons have not completed specialised training in plastic surgery, and cosmetic surgery is not a discipline recognised by the General Medical Council. We recommend choosing a specialist Plastic Surgeon who is on the GMC specialist register to perform rhinoplasty surgery.
How to choose the best rhinoplasty surgeon
Here, we present our top tips for choosing the best nose surgeon. We recommend conducting thorough online research and consulting with friends and family for additional guidance. This can help you make a well-informed decision on the best rhinoplasty surgeon.
RELATED: Is rhinoplasty worth it?
Check their qualifications and experience
The first step is to verify your surgeon’s qualifications and experience in rhinoplasty surgery. Being on the GMC specialist register gives assurance that your surgeon has completed years of training that will lead to a specialist qualification. This demonstrates your surgeon’s knowledge and skills.
You should also verify that your doctor is a specialist in surgery. There are several types of surgeons who perform rhinoplasty surgery, including plastic surgeons, ENT surgeons, and maxillofacial surgeons. All the surgeons have completed extensive training in rhinoplasty, also known as nose surgery. Choosing a surgeon on the GMC specialist register ensures your surgeon has the requisite skills to perform the surgery and generate excellent aesthetic results that align with your expectations. Ask your surgeon how many rhinoplasty procedures they perform each year, and it can also be helpful to ask what the most common type of procedure they specialise in. Many surgeons may perform certain types of procedures, including closed rhinoplasty and open rhinoplasty.
Speak to people who have had rhinoplasty surgery.
Speaking to friends and family for personalised recommendations can be very useful in helping you choose the right surgeon for your nose job. Friends can go into considerable detail about their patient experience and share with you what you should be aware of when considering the procedure. You may not have considered many areas, and speaking with trusted friends or family can help you build a clear picture of what the procedure entails. Speaking to friends can also help you form an idea of the surgeon’s interpersonal skills. It is essential to choose a surgeon who is an excellent listener. Choosing a surgeon who does not let you discuss your needs and desires may lead to a chance of achieving sub-optimal outcomes. Rhinoplasty surgery is one of the most complex procedures in cosmetic surgery, and patients’ expectations of the surgery will vary. Surgeons who fail to adequately listen to you during the consultation, despite possessing excellent surgical skills, may lead to dissatisfaction.
RELATED: How to make your nose smaller
Family or friends can help provide an objective view on choosing the best surgeon for rhinoplasty surgery. Researching the procedure online can be overwhelming. Speaking to people about their experience of surgery can help dispel many myths about rhinoplasty surgery.
Look at the nose job before and after photos
Ask to look at rhinoplasty before and after photos at your in-person consultation. Viewing before-and-after pictures will help give you an idea of the results that can be achieved with surgery. They will also help to provide an idea of the surgeon’s skill. Good surgeons will position incisions in areas that result in minimal scarring. The development of unsightly and ugly scars should prompt you to look into other options for choosing a nose surgeon.
When viewing before-and-after photos, focus on sets that are similar to your nose structure and shape. This will give you an approximate idea of what can be achieved in your individual case. You should, however, avoid becoming too fixated on before-and-after photos, as everyone feels slightly different after surgery, despite a technically proficient operation. Some types of surgeons may have particular expertise with nose surgery, such as ethnic rhinoplasty. If you feel your surgeon lacks the necessary expertise with your kind of nose, you should probably look elsewhere.
Read online reviews and testimonials.
Reading online reviews can help you gauge the quality of the patient experience achieved with a particular surgeon. The day of the procedure is only one part of your care. You will also have to have follow-up appointments. If your surgeon is noted to have a poor bedside manner, this should prompt you to consider an alternative surgeon, as rhinoplasty surgery requires a close partnership between the surgeon and the patient to achieve the best outcomes. Your surgeon should listen carefully to you during the consultation, without interrupting, and be able to provide you with medical information in a way that you can understand. A surgeon who appears unclear in the treatment recommendations may lack the necessary expertise in the procedure itself.
Choosing the best Rhinoplasty surgeon in London
The ideal nose surgeon should fulfil the criteria below:
- Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
- Is on the GMC specialist register
- Possess well-developed communication skills, with the ability to listen attentively and convey complex medical information effectively.
- Gives information on the potential risks and complications of the procedure
- Conducts a detailed physical examination to determine your suitability for a rhinoplasty.
- Regularly attends national and international conferences on rhinoplasty surgery.
- Carries out a high volume of rhinoplasty procedures each year
- Is proficient in revision rhinoplasty
Choosing a surgeon based on these criteria will help you develop a collaborative partnership and achieve the best possible rhinoplasty results.
RELATED: Non-Surgical Nose Reshaping: A Trend on the Rise
Nose Surgeon London FAQs
How can I find the best nose surgeon in London?
We recommend speaking to friends or family who may have had a nose job for their recommendations. Always carry out your own follow-up research when someone gives you a recommendation for a particular Surgeon. It would be beneficial also to review before-and-after photos and online reviews to assess the skills and reputation of your surgeon.
How can I check if my surgeon is on the GMC specialist register?
You can verify this by visiting the General Medical Council website and entering your surgeon’s name. This will display the surgeon’s entry and indicate whether they are registered with the GMC specialist register. It will also show if your Surgeon has received disciplinary action from the GMC.
Which surgeons perform rhinoplasty surgery?
Plastic surgeons, ENT surgeons, and maxillofacial surgeons are all qualified to perform rhinoplasties, as the training programs for these specialities cover rhinoplasty in detail.
Nose Surgery at Centre for Surgery
Centre for Surgery is renowned as a specialist plastic surgery clinic with years of experience in all types of rhinoplasty surgery. We are fortunate to have some of the leading rhinoplasty surgeons in the UK practising from our state-of-the-art facilities located on Baker Street in central London. If you would like to book a consultation, please call us today on 020 7993 4849 or complete the contact form below. One of our friendly and knowledgeable Patient coordinators will be in touch with you.

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