Rhinoplasty for Mustang Patients: The Drive, the Consult, the Aftercare

A short drive for a careful process

Rhinoplasty is not a lunch-break procedure. It reshapes the bone and cartilage that give the nose its structure, so it sits in proportion with the rest of your face. It can make the nose smaller, straighter, or more balanced — and it can open a blocked airway in the same operation. That kind of work deserves a surgeon and a facility you trust, even if the drive is a little longer than the nearest clinic.

Mustang sits about 16 miles from our practice, measured in a straight line. Drive time will vary with traffic and your route, but the distance is close enough for every follow-up visit to feel routine. That matters, because rhinoplasty aftercare is not a single appointment — it is a series of checkpoints spread over weeks and months.

Who performs rhinoplasty here

Rhinoplasty at Oklahoma Surgical Arts is performed by Dr. Angelo Cuzalina and Dr. Chase Nelson. Dr. Cuzalina is a rhinoplasty author with multiple peer-reviewed publications on nasal surgery, including complex cleft-nasal reconstruction and revision rhinoplasty [0][1][2][3][4]. He is a past president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and holds the SRC Master Surgeon designation in both Face & Neck and Trunk, Breast & Extremities.

Dr. Chase Nelson is a cosmetic otorhinolaryngologist — an ENT surgeon — who completed his fellowship at Tulsa Surgical Arts. His training centers on the nose and airway. Consultations are available in person at the Oklahoma City office or virtual from anywhere. You choose your surgeon when you book.

What happens in the operating room and the weeks after

Surgery is performed under general anesthesia administered by a board-certified anesthesia provider. A small incision is made in the columella — the strip of skin between the nostrils — and just inside the nostrils. The skin is lifted, and the bone and cartilage are refined through judicious removal, repositioning, and sutures. Grafts are often placed for support and contour. Functional issues such as a deviated septum or turbinate hypertrophy are addressed at the same time. Surgery usually takes two to three hours. Most patients return home the same day with an adult to help.

The first few days bring a stuffy nose, bruising under the eyes, and mild aching. The splint comes off at about one week. Most bruising fades over the following week. By two weeks, most people return to work or school. At six weeks, bones are stable enough for contact sports and heavy lifting. The tip continues to refine for up to a year. Swelling hides the final shape for months, so patience is part of the plan.

Every surgery carries risks. These include temporary stuffiness, nosebleeds in the early days, numbness at the tip, uneven results, and the possibility of a revision surgery. Infection, bleeding requiring a return to the operating room, and blood clots are rarer but real. We review every risk with you in person before you decide. If you ever experience signs of a blood clot or difficulty breathing, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately.

Revision rhinoplasty and companion procedures

A second surgery to correct a previous nose job is called a revision. It is harder than a first-time rhinoplasty and planned more carefully, because scar tissue and altered anatomy change the surgical landscape [3]. Dr. Cuzalina has published specifically on revision rhinoplasty and on the complex nasal deformities associated with cleft lip and palate [0][1][2].

The nose and the chin set each other's proportions. Chin augmentation is one of the most common companions to rhinoplasty. Whether one procedure, the other, or both makes sense is a consultation conversation — not a decision made from a screen.

The facility and how to start

Surgery is performed in our AAAHC-accredited surgery center in Oklahoma City, which includes a private overnight guest suite. The practice is located at 12400 Saint Andrew's Dr, Oklahoma City, OK 73120. Parking is free and on-site. On surgery day, your driver pulls directly to the entrance.

To begin, book a consultation — in person or virtual. You will meet the surgeon, be examined, describe what bothers you in your own words, and leave with a written plan and a written, all-in number. Both are yours to keep, to decide on your own time. There is no pressure in the room and none after you leave it. Call 405-751-0042 or book online. Consult a qualified surgeon before making any surgical decision.

Individual results vary. This article is general education, not medical advice.