Plastic surgeons have a nose for rhinoplasty
I will briefly introduce myself for those who do not know me: my name is René van der Hulst. I studied medicine in Maastricht and did my training as a plastic surgeon in Maastricht, Paris and Rotterdam. I received my PhD in 1996, and since 2009 I have been department head and professor of plastic surgery at Maastricht University Medical Center. I also work at hospitals Zuyderland in Sittard/Geleen and at VieCuri in Venray and Venlo. From 2012 to 2015, I served as president of the Dutch Society for Plastic Surgery (NVPC). I have contributed to more than 150 international publications including reconstructive surgery and aesthetic surgery. I enjoy cycling, swimming and running. Sports I compensate by enjoying Italian food in good company, preferably pizza from my own pizza oven.
“Plastic surgeons have a nose for a rhinoplasty”
Nose job of our time?
Nose surgeries are not just of our time. A certain doctor Sushruta was already performing plastic surgery on the nose in India 600 years before Christ. Often people were punished if they had done something wrong by cutting away a protruding body part and were thus visibly disfigured. So techniques to “restore” the nose are very old. These techniques, pioneered by plastic surgeons, are being used more and more today to beautify the nose. This is also sometimes combined with improvement of the function of the nose if, for example, the nasal septum is crooked.
A harmonious nose
When we talk about beautiful, the nose is about harmony in the face. An oversized nose, small nose, rocker nose, or a bend on the back of the nose.
But what is beautiful? First, of course, it is important to listen to the client exactly what bothers the nose and whether the complaint is real. Sometimes a person is bothered by his or her nose but there are actually other issues such as chin abnormalities. What is important in rhinoplasty is to see if there is harmony in the face. In other words, does the nose fit the face? In addition, it is always very important to find out what the expectation of a rhinoplasty is, whether the face will change a lot, or whether only subtle changes will be visible.
A nose for culture
In the Netherlands, people often only want small adjustments and not too much should change. Often those around them may not even know that someone has had nose surgery. This is completely different in certain countries such as Iran or Turkey. There, people walk around with nose caps on, even if they haven’t had surgery, because a rhinoplasty is a status symbol. So the desire a person has is not only very personal but also culturally determined. The answer as to whether the desire and expectation for a rhinoplasty can be met can only be assessed in a proper conversation. The MOOI clinic in Maastricht employs plastic surgeons who have extensive experience with rhinoplasty and can give advice on this without obligation.
Read more about rhinoplasty here
If you have any questions following this blog, please feel free to contact us for advice.
