A Brief History of Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty has been around for decades with celebrities’ nose jobs being the topic of discussion in tabloids and television for years. And surprising though it might seem, this cosmetic surgery technique has been around in other forms since ancient times. Even the early Egyptian civilization seems to have been no stranger to the nose job.

Rhinoplasty May Date Back to 6 B.C.

According to the Smithsonian magazine, there are records of nose shaping as far back as 6 B.C., in ancient India. Ayurvedic physicians reference the surgical technique of using the flap of the cheek to help build a new look for the nose.

Europe Sees Resurgence in the 16th Century

Rhinoplasty came back in focus in Europe many centuries later, around the end of the 16th century. Syphilis outbreaks were leaving people disfigured from soft-tissue decay. This, among other things, could cause a huge hole to be left on the faces of those stricken, where their noses once were. Nose reconstruction became a necessity to prevent these unfortunate souls from having to carry a life-long stigma from the disease. Skin from the arm or elsewhere in the body was used to rebuild a form resembling the nose.

Wartime Brings Renewed Demand for Rhinoplasty

During times of war, injuries aren’t limited to lost limbs. Soldiers in both world wars had severe facial trauma and needed reconstructive surgery including rhinoplasty. The sheer number of people coming in for this work meant that surgeons could experiment with new techniques that were better than before. Paraffin that had been used in nasal reconstruction was discovered to have some shortcomings (including possibly causing cancer). Seeing wartime heroes with their newly reconstructed faces helped make plastic surgery more mainstream. As procedures like rhinoplasty became more acceptable, the demand for this makeover grew.

Laying Ground for Cosmetic Surgery

This was also the time that one of the biggest names in plastic surgery, Dr. Jacques Joseph, moved from being an orthopedic surgeon to a plastic/cosmetic surgeon, paving the way for this new field of medicine. Even today, some of his techniques of reducing the bone and cartilage in the nose with cuts executed with utmost precision, are in use in modified forms.

Fixing the Nose You Were Born With!

By the 1920s instances of people wanting to fix the nose they had been born with began to crop up across North America and Europe. Some wanted a correction after illness or injury. As time wore on, the methods improved and the results got better. Celebrities like actors, models, and singers began to invest in nose jobs, making the appeal grow further. The rest, as they say, is history. Today, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the number of people in the country getting rhinoplasty has swelled to 218,924 a year (in 2017).

Find Out The Latest in Rhinoplasty

If your interests are closer to home and you’re considering getting rhinoplasty yourself, a good choice in the Toronto area is the Face Toronto cosmetic surgery center. This state-of-the-art facility with its experienced and highly skilled staff will help you get a nose job worthy of the 21st century! Facial cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jamil Asaria is a board-certified professional who has conducted thousands of cosmetic surgeries and could help you get that new look too. To know more or to set up a consultation, visit the center or give us a call.