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Happy April! Two new rhinoplasty patients have been added to our gallery under Nose & Brows Cosmetic Surgery Gallery. Please also view our new rhinoplasty videos to learn more about the procedures involved with rhinoplasty such as tip refinement, or hump reductions.
Check out 12 new upper and lower blepharoplasty before and after photo updates, and View NEW before and after rhinoplasty patient photos 1 new rhinoplasty update. Feel free to leave comments and thoughts and please visit our video section; we will be updating them shortly!
View NEW before and after rhinoplasty patient photos. Vancouver rhinoplasty specialist Dr. Buonassisi reduced the patient’s cartilaginous hump and refined her nasal tip.
People who wish to have a more defined or projected nose may be candidates for augmentation rhinoplasty or non surgical augmentation rhinoplasty. Find out more about options for enhancing your bridge or tip with dermal fillers, injected by asian rhinoplasty expert Dr. Thomas Buonassisi.
Please view our recently added before and after rhinoplasty photos. These are rhinoplasty cases performed by Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Buonassisi. Enjoy! Included are cases of both primary and augment rhinoplasty.
Dr. Buonassisi discusses teen rhinoplasty with CTV news
“To every parent, their child is beautiful. But what happens if your child wants cosmetic surgery?”
In this Dr. Rhonda Low special feature aired on CTV BC, the show explores tips and advice for parents of teens who want to have cosmetic surgery.
One of Dr. Buonassisi’s rhinoplasty patients describes he challenges growing up with a prominent nose and how she feels now after having the surgery.
This patient is very happy with the results of her augmentation rhinoplasty. In her discussion with Dr. Buonassisi she described her objectives which were 1) more tip refinement 2) more tip projection and 3) bridge augmentation. She was also concerned with the width of her nostrils which she thought were a bit wide.
She and Dr. Buonassisi are very pleased with her results which are subtle and natural and give her a refined and sophisticated appearance.
Summary of the Surgery and Techniques Utilized
Please click on the images to view them larger.
A Note from the team at 8 West Cosmetic Surgery
We would like to thank the patient for providing consent for making her rhinoplasty before and after photos available on our website and in other educational materials. These photos help other people considering similar surgery understand what kind of results can be achieved.
Dr. Buonassisi interviewed by National Post About Youth Cosmetic Surgery and Rhinoplasty
Cosmetic Surgery is certainly a controversial subject, but even more so when the surgery is being performed on young kids. This weekend Dr. Buonassisi was interviewed by the National Post in Vancouver for an article titled Demand for plastic surgery growing among Canada’s youth. Read More…
The FDA has approved Zelboraf for treatment of late stage or inoperable melanoma, the leading cause of death from skin disease. The National Cancer Institute estimated that 68,130 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in the United States during 2010 and about 8,700 people died from the disease.
This is positive news for people suffering from a specific mutation of the cancer, which in tests the drug has been shown to improve survival rates. Zelboraf is specifically indicated for the treatment of patients with tumors express a gene mutation called BRAF V600E. The drug has not been studied in patients whose melanoma tests negative for that mutation.
Zelboraf is being approved with a ground breaking test called the cobas 4800 BRAF V600 Mutation Test, a companion diagnostic that will help determine if a patient’s melanoma cells have the BRAF V600E mutation.
Zelboraf will be available in the United States within two weeks of approval. Zelboraf is marketed by South San Francisco based-Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. Roche has also submitted new drug applications for Zelboraf in the EU, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, India, Mexico and Canada. While regulatory approval of Zelboraf is sought in other countries, a global Expanded Access Program (EAP) is available for people with previously treated or untreated BRAF V600 mutation-positive metastatic melanoma.
For more information about Zelboraf visit the National Cancer Institute.
During consultation with my Vancouver rhinoplasty patients, I assess the nose anatomy, including the position of the glabella and the bridge. When the glabella is too far back, or appears to be too far back because of the bridge height, there are different options for either augmenting the feature Read More…
The naso-frontal angle is defined by the line that intersects several of the nose anatomy that play a prominent role in rhinoplasty. The glabella-to-nasion line and the nasion-to-tip line intersect to create the naso-frontal angle. An ideal range is considered to be 115-130 degrees and withing this range, a more obtuse angle is more favorable in females while more acute is more favorable in males. Patients whose nasofrontal angle is not within the ideal range may benefit from a range of rhinoplasty techniques depending on their other nasal features, including glabella augmentation.
For me, the idea of getting rhinoplasty surgery came while I was in college. It’s something that I never really considered when I was younger, although my nose had always been a part of my appearance that I thought could use improvement. The main reason why I went through with it was because I didn’t like the way my nose looked in Read More…
In this recent video press release 8 West Cosmetic Surgery Answering the Demand for Specialized Facial and Nasal Surgery in Vancouver, Dr. Buonassisi discusses the private and exclusive experience and 8 West Cosmetic Surgery as well as computer imaging as an invaluable communication tool during rhinoplasty consultation. I caught up with rhinoplasty surgeon Dr. Buonassisi to find out more about this technology and how he uses it at his practice.
Computer imaging has revolutionized the way rhinoplasty surgeons work with their patients to come to an agreement about the changes to be made to the nose. In the old days, patients used to come in with photos of people who had noses they liked and try to guess what that nose would look like on them. Now, we take photos of the patient from several angles, then show them how various degrees of change to the different parts of their nose will affect their overall facial aesthetic.
Even the smallest change can have a dramatic effect. Often times, a patient will come to see me with a well formed idea of how they want their nose to look. During the consultation, we evaluate what this kind of a change would look like on them. You would be surprised how often we end up agreeing on a totally different change to what they had in mind.
One of the most common changes that patients often opt for following a computer imaging session is tip rotation. Patients who are mostly concerned about a large hump on their nose would like to have it reduced but don’t necessarily want to change their tip. What I can show with the imaging system is that if I take down the hump only and leave the tip as is, following surgery the tip will appear to be too low and a bit droopy. In comparison to the new bridge that is lower than before, the tip looks low. I can show the patient what they would look like with just hump reduction, then with a combination of hump reduction and tip rotation. The improvement of having both corrected at the same time is remarkable.
Computer imaging is not a tool to predict a surgical outcome, but is a communication tool to determine what the patients like and dislikes, and to allow for a discussion about the limitations of surgery. In many cases, the actual surgical results look much more natural than the imaged photos.
I hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to post comments or questions on our blog, or call and speak to our patient care experts. Have a great day. Angie.
Our patients are often curious where grafts used in their surgery come from and what they are made of. In this post rhinoplasty surgeon Dr. Buonassisi explains septal grafts.
The nasal septum is the divider inside the nose, or the structure that separates one side of the nose from the other. It’s made predominately of cartilage at its most anterior portion and that cartilage Read More…
In this post I caught up with rhinoplasty surgeon Dr. Buonassisi to get his take on the use of irradiated rib cartilage in rhinoplasty reconstruction.
Hi Dr. Buonassisi. Recently I’ve been reading in the news that there is a bit of hype about “irradiated rib cartilage” and what the news is saying is that it is a new great alternative to other kinds of grafts that are typically used in rhinoplasty. Read More…
At 8 West Cosmetic Surgery, we are seeing an increase in vancouver facelifts among our 65 and over patient group. I became curious about why this is the case, and decided to do some research. What I discovered is that aside from a temporary dip in cosmetic surgery during the recent recession, Read More…
You may have a deviated septum if you have trouble breathing from one nostril. However, only a nasal surgeon can properly diagnose breathing problems. If you suspect you need septoplasty surgery, visit your family doctor and ask to be referred to an ENT surgeon. If you wish to have a rhinoplasty at the same time as your septoplasty, ask to be referred to a ENT surgeon who is Read More…
Septo-rhinoplasty is a combination of two procedures performed at the same time. Septoplasty surgery corrects breathing issues caused by a deviated septum, while rhinoplasty surgery is a cosmetic surgery to change the size and shape of the nose. Read More…
The septum, a wall of cartilage that separates the nostrils, can be deviated for a number of reasons. Some people are born with it, while others may have sustained nasal Read More…
A septoplasty is a surgical procedure to correct breathing problems associated with a deviated septum. The septum is the cartilage wall separating the nostrils of the nose. When the septum is bent, it can cause difficulty with airflow and breathing. The septum does not need to be corrected with Read More…
Many of our patients have heard stories about the discomfort associated with having their noses packed. They are relieved and surprised to hear that Dr. Buonassisi does not use nasal packing for rhinoplasty surgery. The exception to this is if a septoplasty (to correct a crooked septum that Read More…
In this video I explore the pros and cons of two popular double eyelid surgery techniques. Every patient is different, with different anatomy and different objectives of surgery, so there is no easy answer as to which of the techniques is better. While the Incisional Technique is more technically difficult to perform, it produces a more stable result and through the incision, I have access to the eyelid anatomy, which means I have more control to create a crease of the height and shape that is most appropriate for the patient’s features. I also have the option to remove excess skin and fat, which is particularly important in patients who have puffy looking eyelids. On the other hand, the Suture Technique is associated with a shorter recovery time and some patients like that the crease can be removed later if desired.
For Who
How the Surgery is Performed
Results
Recovery
Designing the Crease
Reshaping the Eyelid
The Surgery
For Who
How the Surgery is Performed
Results
Recovery
Designing the Crease
Reshaping the Eyelid
The Surgery
I encourage any of my Vancouver double eyelid surgery patients who have questions about the recovery period to call our office. Sincerely, Tom Buonassisi.
Thank goodness for the FTC for working hard to protect consumers from misleading advertising: Nivea cream maker Beiersdorf, Inc. has agreed to stop making claims that regular use of Nivea My Silhouette! can reduce body size and agreed to pay a $900,000 settlement. Read More…
Photo from newyorkdailynews.com
The New York Daily News ran an article recently about a mom who approved cosmetic surgery to correct her 7 year old daughter’s prominent ears. She had been the victim of terrible bullying at school. Some people are applauding the mom’s decision while others are saying that she is in fact the child’s biggest bully. I asked Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Buonassisi to give his opinion: Read More…
Most patients report little to no discomfort during rhinoplasty and describe the worst part of the recovery as being the stuffy feeling in the nose. This can be caused by swelling or the splints that are sometimes placed inside the nose. Patients must be careful not to blow their nose for the first week following surgery so as not to disrupt the new shape of the nose. Any discomfort experienced is easily treated with over the counter pain medication.
If the patient has a dorsal hump or an overly wide nose, osteotemies may be used during rhinoplasty. Osteotemies are tiny, precise breaks make in the nasal bones. Patients are often concerned about this part of the surgery as they are under the impression that breaking the nose is traumatic and increases recovery time. In actual fact, osteotemies are performed with tiny surgical instruments, in a gentle manner and patients need not be concerned about this part of the surgery. Patients are under general anesthetic or twilight sedation and experience no discomfort or anxiety during the surgery.
Many patients who have a deviated septum that causes them breathing problems opt to have this corrected at the same time as their rhinoplasty surgery. Dr. Buonassisi is dual board certified in Facial Plastic Surgery and Otolaryngology (ENT Head and Neck Surgery) and is an expert in correcting breathing problems while making cosmetic changes to the shape of the nose with rhinoplasty.
The main benefit is that if the two surgeries are done at the same time rather than separately, the patient only has to have one surgery and one recovery period.
Only a physician can diagnose a breathing problem that is caused by a deviated septum. You can start off by seeing your family doctor. If your family doctor suspects a deviated septum, you will be referred to a local ENT surgeon. Should you like to have a cosmetic rhinoplasty at the same time as your septoplasty, ask to be referred to Dr. Buonassisi who is board certified in ENT surgery and Facial Plastic Surgery and has extensive experience with septo-rhinoplasty.
If your ENT specialist diagnoses you with a deviated septum and recommends surgery, then MSP will cover the cost of the surgery.
MSP does not cover rhinoplasty surgery. If you choose to have rhinoplasty at the same time as your septoplasty, you will pay privately for the rhinoplasty.
ENT surgeons who are also Board Certified in Facial Plastic Surgery may have experience with both septoplasty and cosmetic rhinoplasty. Vancouver septo-rhinoplasty patients should as to be referred to dual board Certified ENT and Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Buonassisi. Dr. Buonassisi has extensive experience with both cosmetic rhinoplasty and septoplasty to correct breathing problems.
Can I Wear Glasses After My Surgery?
If you’ve had a rhinoplasty that includes modification to the bridge of the nose where your glasses rest, then you need to avoid wearing glasses for 6 weeks. At that point, as long as your glasses are very light you should be able to wear them for short periods as long as its not uncomfortable. Read More…
Angie provides the overall vision and direction for 8 West Cosmetic Surgery. Her mission is to build the processes and procedures that enable her team to deliver a superior level of care and specialized surgery services to clients.
Angie is a cosmetic surgery industry expert and is passionate about consumer education. She encourages everyone considering cosmetic surgery to due their due diligence carefully. The decision to have surgery should be taken with the utmost level of care and consideration. Choose a surgeon that is board certified in a medical specialty related to your procedure and can show that they have extensive experience. Their commitment to their cosmetic surgery practice should be clear as should be their interest in setting realistic expectations about what can be achieved with surgery.
Angie has a MBA from Queen’s University. When she isn’t working, she enjoys various sports including cycling, skate skiing and doing the Grouse Grind.
Connect with Angie
akozinaat8westdotca
As a highly organized, detail oriented professional, Katie excels in her role as Office Manager at 8 West Cosmetic Surgery. She is responsible for the majority of the behind the scenes duties of the practice and works hard to ensure a seamless and stress free experience for patients. She enjoys making every patient feel they have received the very best care and is eager to assist in any way.
Katie has been working in the health and medical field for over 15 years and holds an Honors Diploma in ROHP (Registered Orthomolecular Health Practitioner). Outside of work she enjoys spending time with family and friends, doing fitness outdoors and travelling to exotic places. She is currently studying Spanish language and dance.
Melissa has a passion for helping people. In her role as client manager at 8 West Cosmetic Surgery, Melissa focuses on ensuring each patient has a satisfying and facilitated cosmetic surgery experience. She has worked with hundreds of patients to ensure they are comfortable and educated as they research and recover from surgery.
Melissa encourages anyone who is considering surgery to pick up the phone and call her. No question is a silly question. Whether you need to know how much time you would need to take off work to recover, or how long you would have to wait to shower after surgery, she is here to help.
Outside of work, Melissa loves to entertain and spend time with friends. She is a proud mummy to Beans, a terrier, and can be spotted often walking her around the city.
Every patient heals differently, with the degree of swelling or bruising varying widely from person to person. Expert rhinoplasty surgeons through the high volume of rhinoplasty surgeries they perform, develop gentle and precise surgical techniques and often perform the surgery in a shorter amount of time, which can contribute to an easier recovery period. The majority of patients take one week off work but should plan to still have some swelling or bruising still present at the 7 day post operative mark. If bruising occurred, it is typically resolved by the 7 – 9 day post operative mark.
Dr. Buonassisi is a Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon who has been practicing cosmetic surgery in Vancouver, BC for over ten years. He is a staff surgeon at Lion’s Gate Hospital and head of 8 West Cosmetic Surgery.
Dr. Buonassisi focuses his practice on cosmetic surgery of the nose (rhinoplasty), eyes, face and neck. He is a superbly specialized, knowledgeable and experienced facial surgeon.
Outside of his surgery practice, Dr. Buonassisi is very active and enjoys sports of all kinds including hockey, kite surfing, skiing and cycling. He and his wife are proud new parents to an adorable baby girl and spend their free time enjoying parenthood and all the outdoor pursuits that Vancouver has to offer.
If used appropriately, Botox usually gives a nice well rested look and certainly shouldn’t look frozen. The frozen look occurs when Botox is placed in too many of the facial muscles. Expert Vancouver Botox injectors know how to treat the correct muscles while still allowing for natural facial expressions.
All surgeries result in scars where the incisions were placed. Expert facial plastic surgeons are specially trained to create scars that are as inconspicuous as possible. With double eyelid surgery Dr. Buonassisi expertly hides the scars in side the new eyelid creases so that they are virtually imperceptible once healed. The degree to which the scar is invisible after surgery partly depends on how the patient heals and all patients heal differently. Be sure to discuss incisions with Dr. Buonassisi during your consultation.
Augmentation rhinoplasty is a commonly requested cosmetic surgery and is often performed on patients who have inherited small nasal features from their parents. Nasal augmentation is used to increase a low bridge or under projecting tip and is often achieved using nasal implants.
Yes. Often times the glabella can be augmented safely and easily with fillers. Injections are relatively painless and results last from 3 month to a year depending on what type of injectable material is used. Other surgical options exist for patient who are having their glabella augmented as part of their rhinoplasty. In this case grafts may be used to achieve the desired effect.
Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Thomas Buonassisi has two surgical approaches to choose from when it comes to Vancouver blepharoplasty surgery to address lower eyelids:
1. Transconjunctival (also called “internal blepharoplasty” or “scarless blepharoplasty”) The internal approach to lower eyelid blepharoplasty involves a fine incision made on the inner surface of the lower eyelid. Because the scars are inside the lower eyelid where they cannot be seen, this procedure is often called scarless blepharoplasty.
2. Subcilliary (also called “external blepharoplasty”) The EXTERNAL approach involves an incision that is made just below the lower lash line. The incision fades with time to become virtually imperceptible.
Is Transconjunctival Better Than Traditional Eyelid Surgery? The most appropriate approach for each patient depends on their age and lower eyelid features.The internal approach is typically appropriate for younger patients who have bulging lower eyelids but limited skin laxity. If extra skin needs to be removed, then the external approach (subcilliary) is more appropriate.
During your surgical consultation, you will have a discussion with Dr. Buonassisi about Double Eyelid Surgery Crease Variations. The shape and height you choose with Dr. Buonassisi’s help will determine how subtle or dramatic the changes to your eyes will be.
Patients under the age of 18 require parental consent to have rhinoplasty. Female patients are candidates for surgery by age 15 once their nasal anatomy has matured, and male patients are candidates by age 16.
There are a variety of reasons why some people have creases but they are hard to see or disappear when they are tired, and this is quite common in patients. If you have creases already but would like them to be more prominent, Dr. Buonassisi can remove extra skin and fat from the eyelid in order to create a more Double Eyelid crease. You can find out more about different eyelid features and if you are a candidate for doule eyelid surgery by downloading the complementary essential guide to double eyelid surgery.
There are different Double Eyelid Surgery Crease Variations available to patients having double eyelid surgery. The patient’s choice of crease shape (inside fold or outside fold) and height (small, medium, or high) helps determine how dramatic the changes to the eyes will be.
Roughly 50% of Asians are born with upper eyelid creases (double eyelid creases). The absence or presence of a double eyelid crease is a randomly determined genetic feature. This means that in a family, it is common for one sibling to have creases while the other does not. Many patients request Double Eyelid Surgery.
Nasal projection refers to the forward protrusion of the nasal tip from the face. Some patients feel that the tip of their nose protrudes too far from their face, or not far enough. If nasal projection is a concern, it will be discussed during the consultation with the help of computer imaging.
The glabella is the space between the eyebrows, above the nose. The position of this feature is often assessed by Dr. Buonassisi during consultation for rhinoplasty surgery. To assess if the glabella is in an ideal Read More…
Silicone splints sometimes placed inside the nose during septoplasty. The small, thin tube-like structures are placed inside the nose during surgery and are used when the new shape of the septum needs to be held in place while healing takes places. They are removed easily and painlessly at the one week follow up appointment.
Septoplasty surgery corrects the position or shape of the septum inside the nose. When the septum is distorted or misaligned, it can create breathing problems for the patient. While not the same as a rhinoplasty, septoplasty can be done at the same time. Rhinoplasty is cosmetic surgery to change the shape of the nose, while septoplasty is a medical procedure to improve breathing.
Can Dr. Buonassisi correct my breathing at the same time as my rhinoplasty?
Tip rotation refers to the angle that forms between the upper lip and the tip of the nose. Expert rhinoplasty surgeons are specially trained to achieve an ideal tip rotation angle, which differs between men and women. If tip rotation is appropriate, it will be discussed during the consultation with the help of computer imaging.
The “tip” is the cartilage and tissue that creates the tip of the nose. Tip modifications are commonly requested during rhinoplasty. The shape of each patient’s tip varies widely depending on their ethnic background which influences the size, shape and stiffness of the cartilages that comprise the tip. Computer imaging during the consultation plays an important role in assessing appropriate modifications to the nasal tip.
Though not necessary in all rhinoplasty surgeries, osteotomies involve cutting or breaking the nasal bones. Some patients experience concern over this part of the surgery and often ask “are you going to have to break my nose”? While osteotemies do result in small breaks to the nasal bones, they are performed in an extremely gentle and precise manner. Osteotomies are sometimes used when reducing a dorsal hump and are also often used to improve a twisted or overly wide nose.
The dorsum is the nasal region between the tip of the nose and the forehead. Some patients wish to correct a hump on the nose with rhinoplasty. A hump can be made of bone, cartilage, or both and the size and shape of every hump varies from person to person.
A dorsal hump can be reduced from inside the nose using either the open rhinoplasty or closed rhinoplasty approaches. If the hump is made from bone, it is carefully and precisely sculpted with a file, burrs, razor or chisels. In some cases, the hump is reduced using tiny, precise fracture like osteotemies – there is a common misperception that the nose is “broken” during rhinoplasty, when in fact the tiny fractures are created in a gentle and precise manner. If the hump is made from cartilage, it is modified with a small scalpel or scissors. Patients are under general anesthetic or twilight sedation during the procedure and feel no anxiety or discomfort during the procedure.
Rhinoplasty is a cosmetic surgery procedure to change the size and the shape of the nose. Patients requesting rhinoplasty have either inherited nasal features, such as a dorsal hump that they would like to change, or they have sustained an injury that has changed the shape of the nose. The nose also changes shape as it ages, so some patients will request rhinoplasty at a later age to address a drooping tip.
This web site is primarily intended for Canadian residents. The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not replace a formal consultation with a Board-Certified Facial Plastic or Plastic Surgeon. Dr. Buonassisi is a Board-Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon who specializes in Vancouver rhinoplasty, face lift, blepharoplasty, double eyelid surgery. Dr. Watts is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who specializes in Vancouver breast implants, breast lift, breast reduction and tummy tuck.
8 West Cosmetic Surgery 100-1537 West 8th Avenue Vancouver, BC Canada V6J 1T5.
