Rhinoplasty in Albany NY
Rhinoplasty & Septoplasty in Albany NY
Precision nose reshaping designed for facial balance, natural contour, and breathing when needed.
Rhinoplasty, often called nose reshaping surgery, can improve the size, shape, bridge, tip, nostrils, or overall balance of the nose. Septoplasty may be included when a deviated septum or airway issue contributes to breathing difficulty.
Rhinoplasty consultations and surgical planning at DeLuca Plastic Surgery are led by board-certified plastic surgeon David M. Tauber, MD, who evaluates nasal shape, facial balance, and airway anatomy together.
Nasal hump, crookedness, wide bridge, tip concerns, nostril shape, or facial imbalance.
Early swelling improves in weeks; final refinement can take a year or longer.
Rhinoplasty Before and After
Explore three real patient examples. Each case links to additional views and details about the procedures performed.
24 F Rhinoplasty — Bridge and Tip Refinement
Profile comparison showing a softer dorsal contour and refined nasal tip.
Drag the handle to compare before and after, or use the arrow keys.
View This Case →
48 M Rhinoplasty — Profile Refinement
A male rhinoplasty example with a smoother bridge line and balanced nasal projection.
View This Case →
36 F Rhinoplasty — Bridge and Tip Definition
Profile comparison showing a smoother bridge-to-tip transition. See the full case for frontal and oblique views.
View This Case →Rhinoplasty Patient Reviews
Selected patient experiences shared on Google and RealSelf.
Comfort at every appointment
“I felt extremely comfortable at every appointment and he really listened to my concerns.”
A septorhinoplasty experience
“Dr. Tauber performed my septorhinoplasty a little over 2 months ago.”
A long-awaited change
“The Nose I’ve Always Dreamed of at 44”
Selected excerpts. Individual experiences, recovery, and results vary. See all patient reviews.
Your Options
Cosmetic rhinoplasty, septoplasty, open rhinoplasty, and closed rhinoplasty.
The right approach depends on your anatomy, goals, airway, skin thickness, and whether the main concern is shape, breathing, or both.
Cosmetic Rhinoplasty
Improves nasal shape, size, profile, tip, nostrils, asymmetry, or overall facial balance.
Septoplasty
Addresses a deviated septum or structural airway issue when breathing correction is needed.
Open Rhinoplasty
Uses a small incision across the columella to allow more direct visualization and structural refinement.
Closed Rhinoplasty
Uses incisions hidden inside the nostrils when the planned changes can be safely achieved that way.
Revision Rhinoplasty & Second Opinions
Careful planning matters when the nose has already been operated on.
Revision rhinoplasty requires careful evaluation of scar tissue, existing cartilage support, prior structural changes, and the nasal airway. Small concerns such as a residual dorsal bump or a bridge that remains too high may still require detailed planning because revision surgery begins with altered anatomy and may have fewer available cartilage options.
Patients are not obligated to return to their original surgeon. It may be helpful to obtain the original operative report, hear the first surgeon’s proposed plan, and seek an independent opinion from a surgeon experienced in revision rhinoplasty. The proposed changes, limitations, risks, and anticipated degree of improvement can then be compared before proceeding.
Ethnic Rhinoplasty & Facial Identity
Refining the nose without erasing what makes it yours.
Ethnic rhinoplasty is not one standardized operation or an attempt to make every nose fit the same ideal. Planning begins with the patient’s anatomy, aesthetic preferences, and the features they want to preserve. Skin thickness, cartilage strength, bridge width, tip support, alar-base width, and airway anatomy all influence what can be refined safely and naturally.
Balanced Nasal Narrowing
What makes a nose look wide from the front?
A wider appearance may come from the bridge and nasal bones, the nasal tip, the alar base and nostrils, or a combination of these areas. Each component is evaluated separately so the plan remains balanced.
Bridge And Nasal Bones
Broad nasal bones or sidewalls may require controlled narrowing. Lowering the bridge and narrowing the bridge are related but different changes.
Nasal Tip
A rounded or broad tip may require conservative cartilage refinement and support. Excessive reduction can produce pinching, weakness, or an unnatural appearance.
Alar Base And Nostrils
Alar flare, nostril width, and sill width affect the lower third of the nose. These concerns are addressed separately with the alar-base techniques described below.
A balanced plan:
A smaller-looking nose may require balanced refinement across more than one area. Lowering the bridge alone may change the side profile without producing the desired frontal narrowing.
Alarplasty & Alar Base Reduction
Refining nostril width, alar flare, and the base of the nose.
Alarplasty is a focused form of nasal base surgery that may be performed by itself or as part of rhinoplasty. It can narrow a wide nasal base, reduce nostril size, soften excessive alar flare, or improve asymmetry. The incision pattern is selected for the specific concern, and conservative planning is important because removing too much tissue can create visible scarring, nostril distortion, asymmetry, or unwanted narrowing.
Alar Wedge (Weir) Excision
Removes a carefully measured wedge of tissue at the outer alar base, usually with the incision placed in or near the natural alar-facial crease. It primarily reduces excessive flare and can refine a large or vertically long alar lobule. Often called a Weir excision, this technique is modified according to nostril shape and the amount of flare.
Nostril Sill Excision
Removes tissue from the floor of the nostril, called the sill. It primarily narrows the distance between the alar bases, shortens a wide sill, and reduces nostril width or size, with less direct effect on outer alar flare.
Combined Sill and Wedge Excision
Combines a nostril sill reduction with an alar wedge excision. It is used when both the nasal base is wide and the alae flare outward, allowing the plan to address nostril width, base width, and flare together.
The best technique depends on the frontal and base views of the nose, nostril shape, existing asymmetry, skin thickness, alar-lobule size, and airway anatomy. Not every rhinoplasty requires alarplasty, and the final decision is made after examination and precise preoperative measurements.
Typical Investment Range
How much does rhinoplasty cost?
Rhinoplasty pricing depends on the complexity of the case, whether septoplasty or breathing correction is included, whether the procedure is open or closed, anesthesia, facility needs, revision complexity, and surgical time.
Because every nose is different, a personalized quote is provided after consultation. If functional airway correction is part of the plan, insurance considerations may be different from purely cosmetic rhinoplasty.
Recovery Timeline
What to expect after rhinoplasty.
Initial healing may include swelling, bruising, headache, congestion, and discomfort. The nose is protected during early healing with splints or packing when needed. Swelling improves gradually, but final refinement takes time.
Rest, head elevation, splint care, swelling, bruising, and early follow-up.
Bruising and swelling improve; many patients return to more normal social routines.
Activity gradually increases; the nose must still be protected from impact.
Swelling continues to refine. Final results may take a year or longer.
Honest Guidance
When rhinoplasty may not be the right choice.
Rhinoplasty can be powerful for the right patient, but it is not the answer for every nasal or facial concern. Good planning means being honest about anatomy, expectations, healing, and limitations.
Who may not be a good candidate?
Patients with unrealistic expectations, active nicotine use, major medical risks, incomplete facial growth, or unstable goals may need to wait or consider another option.
When surgery may not be worth it
If the concern is very minor or driven by a desire for perfection, surgery may not be the best choice.
Risk Transparency
What can go wrong — and how we plan for it.
Every surgical procedure carries risk. Rhinoplasty requires careful planning because small changes can affect appearance, breathing, symmetry, and long-term stability.
- Swelling and prolonged refinement: Nasal swelling can take many months to fully settle.
- Breathing changes: Airway anatomy is evaluated carefully, especially when septoplasty is part of the plan.
- Asymmetry or contour irregularity: Small irregularities can occur as swelling resolves and tissues heal.
- Scarring: Closed rhinoplasty hides incisions inside the nose; open rhinoplasty uses a small columellar incision that usually fades.
- Revision surgery: Revision is uncommon but possible, especially when healing, scar tissue, or anatomy limits the result.
Related Procedures
Other procedures commonly compared with rhinoplasty.
Rhinoplasty is often planned in relationship to the rest of the face. Sometimes the nose is the main issue; other times chin, eyelid, or facial balance also affects the overall result.
Face & Neck Lift
For patients considering broader facial rejuvenation, jawline, or neck improvement.
Learn about face & neck lift →Blepharoplasty
For patients whose eyelids make the face look tired even when nasal balance is improved.
Learn about eyelid surgery →Chin Augmentation
A small chin can make the nose appear larger or less balanced in profile.
Learn about chin augmentation →Clear, Honest Guidance
Rhinoplasty FAQ
Can Rhinoplasty Reproduce My Edited Photograph Exactly?
No image can guarantee a surgical result. Edited photographs are useful for discussing preferences, but the achievable result depends on nasal anatomy, tissue characteristics, structural support, breathing, and healing.
