Rhinoplasty
What Is a Rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty, often called a nose job, is a surgical procedure that reshapes the nose to improve facial balance and, when needed, nasal airflow. Because the nose sits at the center of the face, even small changes can have a meaningful impact on overall harmony. A rhinoplasty plan can address concerns such as a dorsal hump, asymmetry, a wide or drooping tip, nostril shape, and structural issues that affect breathing.
Dr. Cheng offers advanced techniques including preservation rhinoplasty, an approach focused on improving the nose while maintaining key natural support structures. The goal is an elegant result that fits your features and does not look “operated on.” Preservation rhinoplasty represents a more modern evolution in nasal surgery. Traditional rhinoplasty has often been described as “taking the nose apart and putting it back together,” where structures are extensively reshaped and rebuilt. While that approach can be appropriate in certain cases, it can also be more disruptive to the nose’s natural architecture. Preservation rhinoplasty is designed to be more “tissue-sparing” by keeping more of the nose’s existing support and natural lines intact, then making targeted, precise adjustments. For the right patient, this can help the nose look more natural and balanced while maintaining long-term structural stability.
In the right patient, Dr. Cheng can also perform closed preservation rhinoplasty, a highly advanced technique performed through incisions inside the nostrils. This method can allow targeted shaping of the nose with incisions well hidden inside the nose. Dr. Cheng is the only surgeon in Hawaiʻi with extensive training in closed preservation rhinoplasty, a cutting-edge approach available to select patients.
Dr. Cheng received dedicated rhinoplasty training under the direct tutelage of Dr. Dino Elyassnia, an internationally recognized authority on rhinoplasty surgery known for consistently natural-looking outcomes and high technical standards.
What Are the Benefits of a Rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty can create a more confident, balanced appearance while preserving your identity. Benefits may include:
Improved facial harmony by adjusting the shape, size, or angles of the nose
A smoother profile, including reduction of a dorsal hump when desired
A more defined, supported tip, including correction of a drooping tip
Better symmetry and proportion from multiple angles
In select patients, improved breathing when structural concerns are addressed
The objective is a result that looks natural and proportional, not generic.
Who Are Candidates for a Rhinoplasty?
You may be a good candidate for rhinoplasty if you want to change the appearance of your nose, improve breathing, or both. Ideal candidates often:
Are bothered by the bridge, tip, nostrils, or overall size or shape of the nose
Have asymmetry or changes after injury
Have nasal obstruction that may be related to underlying structure
Are in good overall health and have realistic expectations
Understand that swelling improves gradually and final definition takes time
During your consultation, Dr. Cheng will evaluate your nasal anatomy, skin characteristics, facial proportions, and breathing, then recommend the most appropriate, tailored approach. If you are interested in preservation or closed techniques, he will also determine whether your anatomy and goals are a strong fit for those methods.
