Question: My daughters were blessed with their father’s “prominent” nose. My husband likes his nose just fine, but it just looks less appealing on a woman. Our daughters are beautiful girls and at 10 and 12 I’m sure they’re too young for rhinoplasty, but they are starting to ask about it. We want them to have a healthy body image and would never push them into plastic surgery, but we’d also support their decision if in a few years it remains something that they really want. What is the earliest age at which it is safe to perform rhinoplasty on a patient?
Answer: Great question and Im glad to hear you are supportive of your daughters’ decision for rhinoplasty but more importantly Im glad to see you are providing a loving and nurturing home atmosphere and emotional support to make sure they do not develop any unnecessary complex about their nose (body dysmorphic disorders). It is heart breaking and tragic to see parents who are critical of their children’s physical features.
The youngest age for rhinoplasty would be 14 but its best to wait till 15 or even 16 if possible. Emotional maturity and completion of any teenage growth spurts is what is important. Ironically while some patients may be ready for a rhinoplasty at 14, others may not be ready even at 40!
