Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty reshapes the nose so it sits in balance with the rest of the face. Dr Hoffmann plans each nose on its own terms — millimetres of dorsum, degrees of tip rotation, and the way it will settle after healing — before a single incision is made.
◉ Fig.01 · Pre-operative profile plan — scroll to draw
Stage 01 — The dorsal line
Rhinoplasty begins in profile. Dr Hoffmann draws the dorsal line — the ridge from radix to tip — and measures the millimetres of reduction or augmentation the face will accept without losing its character. Numbers, not intuition, decide what comes off the bridge.
Stage 02 — Tip rotation, in degrees
The tip is rotated and refined on its own axis. A few degrees changes the nose entirely from the side. The rotation is planned against the columella–lip angle and the chin position, then executed through open or closed technique depending on what the plan requires.
Stage 03 — The refined profile
The two adjustments meet as a single, quieter line. The refined profile isn't a different nose — it's the same nose without the distractions. If a change is not needed to reach that line, it is not made. The goal is a result that reads as untouched.
Anaesthesia
Rhinoplasty is performed under general anaesthesia in an accredited hospital theatre, with a specialist anaesthetist. Most patients are admitted for a single overnight stay.
Recovery timeline
◉ Drag to move along the timeline
Risks
All surgery carries risk. General considerations include the risks of anaesthesia, bleeding, infection, delayed wound healing, scarring, altered sensation, asymmetry, and — in a small proportion of cases — the need for revision. Dr Hoffmann will discuss the specific risks relevant to your procedure and your health in detail during consultation. Results vary between individuals; no outcome can be guaranteed.
◉ Fig.01b · Drawn plan — pre-operative line vs planned line
An illustration of the planned change, not a patient photograph. Actual figures differ for every nose and are measured at consultation.
What a realistic result looks like
A well-planned rhinoplasty is measured in millimetres. The change is real in profile and on close inspection, but it should read as a nose that suits your face rather than a nose that has been operated on. Fine swelling in the tip settles over a full year, so the definitive result is judged at twelve months. A minority of noses need a small revision, and that possibility is discussed openly before surgery, not after.
- A dorsal hump reduced or a low bridge supported, so the profile runs as a straighter line
- Tip projection and rotation adjusted by degrees, refining how the nose meets the lip
- Width of the bony base narrowed where osteotomies are part of the plan
- Airway obstruction from a deviated septum or collapsed valves, where that is included
- The overall proportions of your face — chin, forehead and lip position are not altered by rhinoplasty
- Skin thickness, which sets the limit on how much fine detail can show through
- Facial asymmetry that originates in the underlying skeleton rather than the nose
- Ageing, which continues in the nose as it does everywhere else
Dr Hoffmann will show you photographs of comparable cases during your consultation, so you can see realistic outcomes for anatomy like yours. In line with HPCSA guidance, those photographs are not published online. Why there are no before-and-after photographs here.
Common questions
Request a consultation with Dr Hoffmann
Every plan begins with an unhurried conversation, an examination, and drawn markings — never a quote over the phone.