Cosmetic surgery
Rhinoplasty in Los Angeles: Every Type, One Expert
Primary, revision, preservation, ultrasonic, ethnic, and functional nose surgery: every type of rhinoplasty at Cosmetic Doc is planned and performed by Dr. Husam Elias, a triple board-certified cosmetic surgeon who understands the nose as part of the facial skeleton, not just a feature on its surface.
Every Type of Rhinoplasty, Under One Roof
Rhinoplasty, often called a nose job, is surgery that reshapes the bone, cartilage, and soft tissue of the nose to improve its appearance, its function, or both. There is no single rhinoplasty operation. A small bump, a wide bony base, a drooping tip, a nose that bent after an injury, and an airway that never worked well each call for a different set of techniques, and many noses need several of them at once.
At Cosmetic Doc, Dr. Husam Elias performs the full range of nasal surgery for patients from across Los Angeles. He is board certified in cosmetic surgery, facial cosmetic surgery, and oral and maxillofacial surgery, and his reconstructive training centered on the bones of the face. That background matters, because the nose sits on a skeletal foundation, and a result only looks natural when it fits the cheekbones, upper jaw, and chin around it.
Choosing the Right Approach
You do not need to know which type of rhinoplasty you need before you arrive. Your consultation begins with your goals, followed by a careful look inside and outside the nose and a review of your profile and facial balance. From there, Dr. Elias explains which techniques address your concerns and why. If you are considering a first-time primary rhinoplasty in Pasadena or Sherman Oaks, the guide below links to our detailed page, and patients unhappy with surgery elsewhere can read about revision rhinoplasty.
Types of rhinoplasty
The Rhinoplasty Techniques We Offer
Each technique below solves a specific problem. Many patients benefit from a combination, tailored to the structure of their nose and the balance of their face.
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Primary Rhinoplasty
First-time nose surgery to smooth a dorsal hump, refine the tip, straighten the bridge, or improve breathing, using an open or closed approach chosen for your anatomy and goals.
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Revision Rhinoplasty
Corrective surgery for a nose that looks overdone, uneven, or collapsed after a previous operation, often rebuilding lost support with cartilage grafts while restoring comfortable airflow.
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Preservation Rhinoplasty
A technique that lowers a hump by repositioning the intact bridge rather than removing and rebuilding it, which can help maintain a smooth, natural profile line in well-selected noses.
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Ultrasonic Rhinoplasty
Ultrasonic (piezoelectric) instruments use fine vibration to sculpt and cut nasal bone with precision, sparing surrounding soft tissue, which may allow more controlled shaping of the bony bridge.
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Ethnic & Asian Rhinoplasty
Nose surgery that refines what bothers you while honoring the features of your heritage, including bridge augmentation, tip definition, and nostril refinement tailored to your face.
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Alar Base Reduction
Removal of small wedges of tissue where the nostrils meet the cheek to narrow wide or flared nostrils, with incisions placed in the natural crease so they typically heal discreetly.
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Wide Nose Correction
Narrowing a broad nose by combining controlled bone cuts (osteotomies) to slim the bony bridge with tip refinement and, when needed, alar base reduction for a balanced width.
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Crooked Nose Correction
Straightening a nose that is bent from injury or development, typically by realigning the septum and nasal bones and reinforcing the framework so the correction holds over time.
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Functional Rhinoplasty
Surgery to improve breathing, including septoplasty to straighten the inner wall of the nose, nasal valve repair to prevent collapse, and turbinate reduction to open the airway.
Asian Rhinoplasty in Los Angeles
Asian rhinoplasty is a category of nose surgery tailored to the anatomy and aesthetic goals common among patients of East and Southeast Asian heritage. Many patients ask about a more defined bridge, a tip with greater shape and projection, or nostrils that sit in better proportion to the rest of the face. The aim is never to erase heritage or copy someone else's nose. It is to refine the features that bother you so your face looks balanced and unmistakably your own.
These goals often require adding structure rather than removing it. Dr. Elias discusses graft options openly. Your own cartilage, taken from the septum, the ear, or a rib, is living tissue that integrates with the nose and carries a low long-term risk of infection or rejection, though harvesting it adds operating time and, for rib, a small separate incision. Synthetic implants avoid a donor site and can be shaped precisely, but they may carry a higher risk of shifting, visibility, or infection over time. The right choice depends on your skin, your anatomy, and how much support you need.
Because the nose rests on the midface, Dr. Elias evaluates the cheekbones, upper jaw, and chin alongside it. His training in the facial skeleton lets him judge whether a bridge or tip change will harmonize with your profile, or whether balance depends on the underlying structure. Learn more about our broader Asian facial surgery practice.
Your Nose, Your Chin, and Your Profile
The nose and chin are read together in profile. A small or retruded chin can make a nose look larger than it is, and a strong nose can overpower a softer jawline. For some patients, the most natural result pairs rhinoplasty with chin refinement, whether a chin implant or a sliding bony genioplasty that repositions the chin itself. When the profile is shaped by the jaw, Dr. Elias can plan both at once. Explore our chin and jaw surgery options.
Why Cosmetic Doc
Rhinoplasty Planned From the Bone Outward
The nose is a three-dimensional structure. Here is what a surgeon of the facial skeleton brings to every type of rhinoplasty.
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Structural Expertise
Dr. Elias trained and practiced as a reconstructive surgeon of the facial skeleton, so he plans each nose around the bone and cartilage that determine how it looks and breathes.
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Full Range of Techniques
Preservation, ultrasonic, structural, and functional methods are all tools in one surgeon's hands, chosen for your anatomy rather than applied to every nose the same way.
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Heritage Honored
Ethnic and Asian rhinoplasty is planned to refine what bothers you while keeping the features that connect you to your family and your identity.
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Form and Function Together
Septoplasty, valve repair, and turbinate reduction can be combined with cosmetic refinement in one operation, so many patients breathe better and recover only once.
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Revision Experience
Correcting a nose operated on elsewhere, including rebuilding support with cartilage grafts, is a routine part of our practice rather than a case we refer away.
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Whole-Face Balance
Every plan considers the chin, cheekbones, and jaw, so your new nose sits in harmony with your profile instead of looking like a separate change.
Recovery After Rhinoplasty
Most rhinoplasty procedures are performed under general anesthesia in our AAAHC-accredited Pasadena surgery center or our accredited Sherman Oaks surgical suite, and you go home the same day. A small splint stays on for about a week, and bruising and congestion typically ease over the first two weeks, when many patients return to work or school. Most swelling settles over several months, while the tip can take up to a year to fully refine.
Rhinoplasty Cost and Insurance
The cost of rhinoplasty depends on the techniques involved, whether cartilage grafting is needed and where it is taken from, the type of anesthesia, facility fees, and whether your nose surgery is combined with chin or other facial procedures. After your consultation, you will receive a personalized, written quote. Cosmetic rhinoplasty is not covered by insurance, but functional nasal surgery to correct a documented breathing problem may qualify for medical insurance; our team can help verify your benefits. We accept cash, checks, major credit and debit cards, and financing plans.
Schedule Your Rhinoplasty Consultation
Whether you want a subtle refinement, a more defined bridge, easier breathing, or a correction of past surgery, Cosmetic Doc offers every option with one surgeon guiding you from start to finish. Schedule your consultation at our Pasadena office or our Sherman Oaks office to meet Dr. Elias and learn which type of rhinoplasty fits your goals.
Questions patients ask
Rhinoplasty FAQs
What are the different types of rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty can be primary or revision, open or closed, and cosmetic, functional, or both. Specialized techniques include preservation rhinoplasty, ultrasonic rhinoplasty, alar base reduction, and ethnic or Asian rhinoplasty. Most patients need a tailored combination, which Dr. Elias recommends after examining the structure of your nose and the balance of your face.
Is preservation or ultrasonic rhinoplasty right for me?
It depends on your anatomy. Preservation rhinoplasty suits certain noses with a hump and a relatively straight bridge, while ultrasonic instruments help when precise shaping of nasal bone is needed. Neither is best for every patient. Dr. Elias explains which techniques fit your nose and why at your consultation.
What graft options exist for Asian rhinoplasty?
Bridge and tip augmentation can use your own cartilage from the septum, ear, or rib, or a synthetic implant. Your own cartilage integrates as living tissue and typically carries a lower long-term risk of infection or shifting, while implants avoid a donor site. Dr. Elias reviews the tradeoffs for your anatomy before surgery.
Will my rhinoplasty change my ethnic features?
Only as much as you want it to. Ethnic and Asian rhinoplasty at Cosmetic Doc refines the specific features that bother you while preserving the character that connects you to your heritage. The goal is a nose that fits your face and still looks like you, never a result modeled on someone else.
Should I consider chin surgery with my rhinoplasty?
Sometimes. A small or retruded chin can make the nose appear larger, so balancing the chin may create a more natural profile than changing the nose alone. Dr. Elias evaluates your nose, chin, and jaw together and will recommend chin refinement only when it genuinely improves overall facial balance.
Does insurance cover functional rhinoplasty?
Cosmetic changes to the nose are not covered, but functional surgery to correct a documented breathing problem, such as septoplasty, nasal valve repair, or turbinate reduction, may qualify for medical insurance. Our team can help verify your benefits and prepare the documentation your plan requires before your procedure is scheduled.
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Your Choice for Expert Cosmetic Surgery in Pasadena & Sherman Oaks
Cosmetic Doc delivers board-certified cosmetic surgery with care, compassion, and artistry. From facelifts and rhinoplasty to body contouring, Dr. Husam Elias pairs dual MD/DMD training with an on-site AAAHC-accredited surgery center for the safest, most natural-looking results. Contact our Pasadena or Sherman Oaks office today to schedule your consultation.