Age range for Rhinoplasty

A lot of our rhinoplasty or nose job patients fall between the ages of 25-40, have been thinking about it for years, and have reached a point in life where they are ready to move forward. These patients are generally mature in their thinking, and know what they want. They usually have realistic expecations and goals, and when they see their imaged photos in my office they will often smile and say "Yes- that's exactly what I want." Other patients, however, require more education and guidance as to what the surgery can accomplish, and what may look best for them.



Teenagers are often terrific candidates for nasal surgery. They are young, heal quickly, and a great rhinoplasty result can be a tremendous psychological boost for them. However, these patients may be too young to appreciate the risks of surgery (however minimal they may be), and sometimes are being led into the office by a parent who wants the surgery more than they do. My favorite scenario for teenage patients is when they are accompanied to the consultation by a loving, supportive parent who lets the teen express their own desires, but asks me a lot of questions and wants to be involved. These families are a pleasure to work with, and the patients do very well. What is the minimum age for rhinoplasty? Ideally, when the patient has stopped growing. For girls, this may be as young as 15 or 16, for boys usually 17, 18 and up. A good question to ask oneself is "Has my shoe size changed in the past year?" If that answer is no, then you may be ready to proceed.


Somewhere in between the teen and "adult" years are those patients just out of college and looking to change their image before hitting the workforce. These patients generally also benefit from bringing a parent or spouse to the consultation, but can also be great candidates. I like to see that they have been thinking about surgery on their nose for at least 6 months before coming in for the consultation.