Rhinoplasty cost: what it costs and what that price covers

Because no two rhinoplasties are the same. Some noses only need work on the bridge, and others have a thick tip that has to be opened to see it fully. Some patients also breathe poorly because of a deviated septum, and that is corrected in the same operation. And some arrive with one or two previous surgeries done at another clinic.

In consultation I put it like this: a good surgeon knows every technique. Closed rhinoplasty, open rhinoplasty, ultrasonic rhinoplasty for the bone and preservation rhinoplasty each have their indication, and sometimes they are combined. The nose decides the technique, and the technique changes the operating time and the materials, which is what ends up moving the price.

These are the factors that change the quote:

• Primary or secondary. Operating on a nose that has already been operated on is more complex, because the tissues and landmarks are no longer the original ones.
• Technique. Open or closed, and whether ultrasonic instruments are used.
• Septum and breathing. Whether the rhinoplasty is also functional.
• Grafts. When cartilage is needed for support or shape.
• Length of the operation. According to our procedure page, between 90 and 180 minutes.

It is the most useful question when comparing, because two figures that look different are sometimes different only because of what is left out.

What is included

• Specialist's fees
• Fees of the rest of the medical team
• Materials specified in the quote
• Operating theatre and day hospital (same-day discharge)
• Anaesthesia
• Private room if needed
• Medication during the hospital stay
• Nursing wound care
• Follow-up visits with the specialist
• Pre-operative tests (blood tests, ECG, X-ray, etc.)

What is not included

• Assessments or clearances from other specialists, if needed
• Medication after hospital discharge
• Post-operative garments (compression garments, bands, etc.), unless specified
• Complementary recovery treatments (lymphatic drainage, physiotherapy, laser, etc.)
• Costs arising from medical complications not attributable to the surgery
• Re-operations or touch-up surgery not planned initially
• Additional hospital stays not planned
• Travel, accommodation or meals for the patient and companions
• Sick leave, certificates or additional paperwork
• Any material or procedure not expressly specified in the quote

The surgery is done under light general anaesthesia in day hospital. Two or three hours later the patient goes home with the splint, and in the vast majority of cases without nasal packing.

It costs €80, which is deducted from the price of the surgery if you decide to go ahead. If you cannot come in person, it can be done by video call with the surgeon who would operate on you, and then it costs €50, which is also deducted.

In that visit we study the nose in relation to the whole face, listen to what the patient is looking for and propose what we think is best, explaining why. The exact price is given after the visit.

The assessment is done by the same surgeon who will operate. It sounds like an organisational detail, but it affects the price: the person who gives you the quote is the one who has examined your nose inside and out, and there are no surprises on the day of surgery because the plan was made by the person who will carry it out.

In some cases, yes. Rhinomodeling with hyaluronic acid, from €450, corrects small irregularities in one session, such as a slight hump or a drooping tip, and the result usually lasts between 12 and 18 months. It adds volume, so it does not make the nose smaller, does not correct a marked hump or a deviated septum and does not improve breathing. If the problem is excess volume or breathing, the indication is surgical.