Rhinoplasty patients' critical self-evaluations of their noses

Many applicants for cosmetic rhinoplasty do not appear to have grossly deformed noses. This study was undertaken to determine the accuracy of nasal evaluations in a group of 20 female cosmetic rhinoplasty patients, before and after surgery, relative to a matched nonrhinoplasty control group composed of 25 subjects. Self-assessments and surgeon assessments were obtained for both groups. Compared with those of controls, the noses of patients were found to be more deformed before and better shaped after the operation, according to both self-assessments and surgeon assessments. Rhinoplasty patients, in contrast to controls, tended to downgrade the shape of their noses compared with surgeon assessments both before and 4 months after surgery. Faulty evaluation was not associated with sociodemographic parameters, brief symptoms index (BSI) scores, or the degree of patient satisfaction from surgical outcome. Replication and longer-term follow-up studies are needed and are anticipated.