About Laser Rhinophyma (Bulbous Nose) Correction
Rhinophyma is a form of rosacea that results in marked thickening, distortion, and overgrowth of the nose. There is a spectrum of severity in rhinophyma—in some cases, the nose might appear subtly thicker with more prominent appearing oil glands and pores while retaining a somewhat normal overall shape, in order cases the nose might look larger and more bulbous, while in very severe cases significant tissue growth may project unevenly from the nose and even obstruct the flow of air when breathing. These changes in appearance can have a detrimental effect on one’s confidence, self-esteem, and willingness to be seen in public. Some people might incorrectly believe that the appearance of your nose is related to alcohol consumption, which is an unfortunate and incorrect assumption that many people make about those suffering from rhinophyma.
The difficulty that rhinophyma can cause for the person suffering from it is not just related to one’s appearance or emotions – an enlarged and distorted nose can also cause significant functional impairment. Depending on how the nose has been thickened and overgrown, issues such as airflow obstruction and consequent breathing problems, exacerbation of snoring and/or sleep apnea, difficulty sleeping, as well as problems drinking from a cup, or eating foods such as ice cream or corn on the cob, may also make life difficult.
Who is at risk of developing rhinophyma?
Although rhinophyma is most commonly observed in men who are in their 50s – 70s, anyone who has rosacea can develop it. It has been reported that 21% of men with rosacea will develop rhinophyma, whereas 8% of women will.
What is laser rhinophyma correction?
The approach that our board-certified dermatologists at Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center take to treating rhinophyma is highly sought after. While many other physicians who treat rhinophyma recommend a staged treatment, where the nose is first debulked with a heated loop or conventional scalpel blade, allowed to heal for several months, then retreated with a laser, our highly skilled dermatologists utilize the most advanced laser technology to restore the appearance of your nose in a single treatment. Our dermatologists are experts at using different types of fully ablative lasers to precisely remove overgrown tissue on your nose, carefully sculpting it to a normal appearing shape much in the way an artist would sculp a face from clay. This is an approach that not only yields superior aesthetic results, but it also restores your appearance in a single treatment, with the least amount of recovery time.
What is the recovery time for laser rhinophyma correction?
Depending on the extent of the area that needs to be treated, it can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks to fully recover from this treatment. During this time, you will need to keep your nose clean, moist with ointment, and protected from the sun. Most people find that they can resume their normal daily activities while healing, provided that they take proper precautions to keep their nose clean and protected.
Will rhinophyma come back after it is treated?
It is very rare for rhinophyma to return after it has been properly treated with fully ablative laser. If there is any indication that your rhinophyma is returning, our board-certified dermatologists have a number of less aggressive laser interventions, as well as medical interventions, that they can use to halt the progression of rhinophyma, before it is able to distort your nose again.
Why trust Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center to treat my rhinophyma?
At the Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center, our board-certified dermatologists have extensive experience treating rhinophyma with the most advanced laser technology, to provide you with a solution for this disfiguring condition in a single treatment session. The fully ablative erbium and CO2 lasers that our dermatologists use with precision, care, and artistry to restore the normal appearance of your nose represent the most advanced laser technology available. And because rhinophyma is often accompanied by other presentations of rosacea such as facial blood vessels and enlarged oil glands, it is also possible for you to have all of these issues treated in a single session by our expert physicians. Our dermatologists can also continue seeing you on an ongoing basis for the long-term management of rosacea, so that you can experience continuity of care. Finally, because various forms of skin cancer – such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, sebaceous carcinoma, angiosarcoma, B-cell lymphoma, and others – have been observed to arise in a background of rhinophyma, it is very important to have your nose thoroughly examined by one of our board-certified dermatologists first before having any kind of laser or surgical treatment on it that removes tissue.