Recently, another celebrity underwent rhinoplasty, reportedly for a deviated septum and emerged a few weeks later to an onslaught of questions and blogs questioning why she had messed with the characteristic that some believe made her special.

Reportedly some of her youngest fans could no longer recognize her. And it seems in Hollywood, where looks make or break careers, while almost everyone has had some plastic surgery, we are to believe that it is unheard of for an A-list star to own up to artificial enhancements. All of this brings back memories of Ms. Grey, the “Dirty Dancing” star whose rhinoplasty altered her face so much that she no longer was able to get acting jobs.

We at Profiles are not here to judge the results of her surgery, nor do we know the reasoning that went into her decision. What we do want to do is use this forum to better educate patients regarding the need to address your motivations for surgery and to explore the aesthetic results of surgery with your plastic surgeon before surgery.

The first point is motivation. Cosmetic facial plastic surgery should only be considered and done when patients want to do it for themselves. When the motivation is something like needing to be liked by others, pleasing a loved one or family member or trying to fix something else that is wrong with their lives, we believe the emotional consequences can make the whole recovery process much more difficult. So you want to make sure that you are the one who wants surgery, not your boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/ wife, or parent.

The next point is that rhinoplasty, probably more than any other procedure, can make you look different, which is a dual edged sword. When it is done correctly with a clear understanding of the patient’s goals, rhinoplasty is probably one of the most satisfying procedures for both patient and surgeon alike. On the other hand, a surgeon can be technically perfect, but if the end goal of what he achieves or seeks to achieve is not aesthetically pleasing, surgery will be considered a failure.

Along these lines we firmly believe that it is critical to understand, that it is neither possible nor desirable to impose the same preconceived “ideal” nose on every patient. And so, during our preoperative evaluations, we will listen extensively to you, as you voice your concerns not only with respect to what you want changed but also any identity-bound characteristics you want to have left in place. Rhinoplasty should not neutralize your face by robbing it of the individual characteristics or special familial characteristics that are unique to you. While some patients may wish to be rid of the “family nose”, you should still retain your unique individuality through the surgical process. In other words, exploration of your aesthetic is essential in planning your individualized surgery. SO make sure all these issues are discussed before surgery.