Rhinoplasty
The decision to refine your nose is often born of a desire for improved facial balance, where no single feature dominates your reflection. Cosmetic nose surgery, or rhinoplasty, is a highly personalized plastic surgery procedure that refines the nose's shape and addresses specific concerns, such as a dorsal hump, dropping nasal tip, or asymmetry, with a focus on creating a more refined, proportionate profile. This complex procedure requires both technical mastery and aesthetic nuance.
Double-board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Paige Kennedy focuses exclusively on facial rejuvenation procedures, giving her the insight and skill to deliver exceptionally natural transformations. Our boutique surgical practice welcomes patients from Breaux Bridge and beyond who seek out Dr. Kennedy for her expertise, individualized care, and beautifully natural results. Schedule your personal consultation today to discuss your goals and learn how rhinoplasty can bring the beauty of your features into focus and provide long-lasting confidence in your reflection.
Enhances facial proportions and addresses concerns like a dorsal hump, drooping nasal tip, crooked bridge, or nasal asymmetry
Outpatient surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia
Most patients wear a protective external splint for 1 week and feel comfortable returning to public settings within 10-14 days.
Provides lifelong structural modifications to the bone and cartilage that age gracefully with your facial features over time.
Rhinoplasty is a highly complex surgical procedure designed to alter the external appearance and internal nasal anatomy for cosmetic, structural, or reconstructive reasons. Cosmetic rhinoplasty seamlessly blends structural beauty with airway mechanics, ensuring that enhancing the external nose never compromises your natural nasal function.
As a reconstructive surgery, rhinoplasty can help restore form and airflow that has been affected by a past surgery, injury, or defect. The ultimate goal of this surgical procedure at our practice is to create a beautiful, proportionate profile in which the nose enhances rather than distracts from your other features.
Cosmetic nasal surgery is an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia at a fully accredited surgical facility. Dr. Kennedy may use one of two rhinoplasty techniques depending on your nasal anatomy and aesthetic goals:
Open rhinoplasty uses a tiny incision across the columella, the small strip of skin between the nostrils, allowing the surgeon to gently lift the skin and gain full visibility of the underlying bone and cartilage. An open rhinoplasty is the gold standard for complex structural changes, revision rhinoplasty, or major nasal tip reshaping, as it provides unrivaled anatomical accuracy.
Closed rhinoplasty utilizes surgical incisions placed inside the nostrils, leaving no external scarring. A closed rhinoplasty is effective for patients who require moderate modifications to the nasal dorsum or a minor reduction of a dorsal hump.
During the operation, Dr. Kennedy works meticulously to smooth down a prominent nasal hump, straighten a crooked nose, or narrow wide nasal bones. If your breathing is impaired by a deviated septum, she performs a septoplasty to straighten the dorsal septum and clear your nasal airway. In cases of revision surgery or advanced structural collapse, she may utilize a small piece of rib cartilage or ear cartilage to safely rebuild a weak nasal structure. Once the desired nasal shape is achieved, she closes the incisions with fine sutures and applies a protective external splint.
Rhinoplasty surgery can be performed to correct a wide variety of structural issues caused by genetics, trauma, or natural changes over time. Rather than treating these concerns in isolation, Dr. Kennedy considers how they affect your overall facial balance and your breathing health:
Because Dr. Paige Kennedy takes a highly customized, conservative approach to nasal sculpting, your results will blend seamlessly into your profile. Unlike temporary cosmetic enhancements that require ongoing maintenance, rhinoplasty provides permanent results that last a lifetime. The modified bone and cartilage structure serves as a stable, lifelong foundation for your profile, aging gracefully with your other features. Waking up every morning with a balanced profile can provide a massive boost to your daily confidence. After a rhinoplasty procedure, many patients report feeling as though they have the nose they were meant to have all along.
Candidates for rhinoplasty should have completed their facial bone growth, which typically occurs by age 15 or 16 for young women and by age 17 or 18 for young men. It is essential that patients approach the surgery with a healthy mindset and realistic expectations, understanding that the goal is refinement and harmony rather than absolute physical perfection. Dr. Kennedy spends time learning about your vision for your results, educates you about the benefits of various approaches, and performs a detailed nasal analysis to design a precise treatment plan that aligns with your anatomy and aesthetic goals.
Certain clinical factors mean you should delay or avoid rhinoplasty surgery. If you have unmanaged chronic medical conditions or bleeding disorders, you must postpone the procedure until your health is fully stabilized. Smoking or using nicotine severely restricts the nasal blood supply and damages your skin's ability to heal, which increases the recovery time and the risk of prominent scarring, so it is essential to quit smoking well ahead of surgery and stay quit throughout recovery.
After a brief monitoring period in a recovery room, you will be cleared to return home to rest in the care of a loved one. During early recovery, you will have temporary swelling and bruising around your nose and eyes, along with a feeling of nasal stuffiness that feels similar to a heavy head cold. Dr. Kennedy will provide detailed aftercare instructions to help swelling resolve, including resting and sleeping with your head elevated, taking any prescribed medications as directed, and keeping the external splint clean and dry.
The splint is removed at a post-op appointment about 1 week after surgery. Most patients feel comfortable returning to work after 7-10 days while continuing to avoid strenuous exercise and performing heavy lifting to protect the delicate nasal tissues as they heal. Dr. Kennedy and her team will remain a source of attentive support throughout your recovery, monitoring your healing, answering any questions that arise, and guiding you on when it is safe to resume various levels of activity.
While most patients feel perfectly comfortable returning to work and social outings within 10 to 14 days, it is completely normal for the nasal tip to retain subtle residual swelling for up to a full year. As the tissues fully settle, you will enjoy a beautifully contoured bridge, a refined tip, and a naturally balanced profile.
Because your underlying bone and cartilage have been permanently reshaped, your rhinoplasty results are built to last for the rest of your life. The new proportions of your nose will remain stable, providing a strong, beautiful framework that honors your natural facial symmetry as you age.
The central position and complex internal anatomy of your nose demand the advanced expertise of a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Paige Kennedy limits her entire boutique practice exclusively to facial plastic surgery and head and neck surgery, maintaining an incredibly precise focus above the shoulders. As the only female facial plastic surgeon in Breaux Bridge, she pairs her world-class credentials with a deeply empathetic approach and a meticulous eye for natural symmetry.
Dr. Kennedy’s clinical background features ten years of highly competitive postgraduate training at premier surgical programs spanning Houston, Chicago, and Austin. This rich background allowed her to master advanced primary and revision rhinoplasty techniques, as well as complex airway reconstructions. Recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor, she approaches every nose surgery with a dedication to safety, luxury, and beautifully natural-looking results right here in Acadiana.
A primary rhinoplasty is the very first nose surgery performed on a patient to alter the shape or improve the airway function. A revision rhinoplasty is a subsequent operation performed to correct aesthetic or functional issues that were not successfully resolved during the initial surgery elsewhere. Revision surgery is significantly more complex because it requires working through existing scar tissue and may require using rib cartilage grafts to safely rebuild a damaged nasal structure.
The goal of a well-performed cosmetic rhinoplasty is to bring your nose into a naturally attractive balance with your other features, not to make you look like a completely different person. Dr. Kennedy specializes in natural-looking results, focusing on refinements that remove distractions like a large dorsal hump while preserving your unique facial character. Your friends and social circles will notice that you look remarkably handsome or beautiful, without ever suspecting you had surgery.
To achieve the most natural-looking result while preserving optimal breathing function, a cosmetic surgeon must understand the complex nasal anatomy. The external nasal anatomy is supported by the nasal skeleton, consisting of the nasal bones and cartilage. The upper lateral cartilages and the lower lateral cartilage dictate the width of the nasal bridge and the precise rotation of the nasal tip.
The internal nose is divided by the nasal septum, which creates two individual nasal passages that direct airflow into the nasal cavity. Within these passages lie the internal and external nasal valves. A minor deviation in nasal structure or a narrowing of the internal nasal valve can cause chronic nasal obstruction, making precise anatomical knowledge vital to your long-term comfort.
Maintaining perfect function during aesthetic surgery requires the surgeon to protect the superior labial artery and posterior ethmoid artery, which provide the nasal blood supply, and the nasal innervation networks. Because Dr. Kennedy focuses her practice exclusively on head and neck surgery, she handles these sensitive boundaries with extreme care, significantly reducing post-operative swelling and protecting your natural long-term healing responses.
Yes, a rhinoplasty can be comfortably combined with a septoplasty and turbinate reduction to directly address internal nasal valve collapse or a deviated septum. During the single surgical procedure, Dr. Kennedy straightens the internal dorsal septum and clears any blocking tissue from your nasal passages to optimize your nasal airway. This comprehensive approach ensures that your nose looks beautiful on the outside while functioning flawlessly on the inside.
The total cost of nose surgery can vary based on several factors, including the structural complexity of your case, whether you are undergoing primary or revision rhinoplasty, and facility fees. If your surgery includes a septoplasty to correct a severe nasal obstruction, a portion of the procedure may be covered by your health insurance provider. We provide a transparent financial summary after your physical examination so you can plan your investment with absolute peace of mind.
Yes, you must protect your healing nasal tissues by avoiding any strenuous activity, heavy lifting, or vigorous exercise for at least three to four weeks after surgery. You must also avoid resting heavy eyeglasses or sunglasses directly on your nasal bridge for the first four to six weeks to prevent any pressure on the reshaping bone and cartilage. Dr. Kennedy will provide detailed guidelines to help you navigate your healing window safely.
As with any surgical procedure, potential risks include temporary swelling and bruising, minor nasal bleeding during the first few days, localized numbness along the bridge, or asymmetry. Serious complications are rare when your care is entrusted to an expert facial plastic surgeon working in fully accredited operating rooms. Choosing a double board-certified specialist ensures your surgery adheres to the highest medical standards of safety and technical precision.
