Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that modifies the visible shape of the nose. This operation may either be cosmetic or reconstructive surgery, depending on whether changing the external nose is done purely to make this prominent facial feature more attractive, or whether the surgery is required to improve breathing or correct a true nasal deformity.

The proverbial phrase "plain as the nose on your face" summarizes the importance of the nose in a person's appearance. In fact, that central importance has been used to punish criminals in several ancient societies. The first rhinoplasties were recorded in India, in , and were performed as reconstructive surgery on such penalized individuals.

Up until the 20th Century, elective surgery was fraught with a nearly prohibitive amount of pain and danger. With advances in Anesthesia, the use of sterile technique and the invention of antibiotics, rhinoplasty- along with other elective surgery, experienced an enormous increase in safety.