According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, rhinoplasty is one of the five most popular cosmetic procedures offered today.
Many people rely on it to reduce or enhance the natural shape of their nose. In fact, some people opt into rhinoplasty not for a ‘perfect’ nose, but to give themselves a nose that just better suits their face shape and features.
Although rhinoplasty can offer a significant cosmetic change and improvement in aesthetics, it hasn’t traditionally been seen as a procedure for anti-aging. However, a new study published in November 2019 suggests that a nose job may be able to reduce visible signs of aging.
This new study was executed with the help of artificial intelligence and machine learning, so it was able to offer unbiased and evidence-based results.
Today, we’ll talk about the significance of this study, and what it reveals about the benefits of a rhinoplasty for anti-aging purposes.
About the Study
This study, entitled ‘Making the Subjective Objective: Machine Learning and Rhinoplasty’, was published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal in November 2019. The object was “to determine the impact of aesthetic rhinoplasty on facial aging employing a multidimensional facial recognition and comparison software.”
Beating the Machine
To determine whether aesthetic rhinoplasties actually had an effect on aging, a ranking Convolutional Neural Network (ranking-CNN) was used. This machine’s learning algorithm is designed to detect minute patterns and features of aging that aren’t visible to the typical human eye.
Method
To execute the study, the authors took case files from consenting rhinoplasty patients who had undergone a procedure with the lead author between 2014 and 2018. The patients were photographed before their procedure, and again at their 12 week post-operative appointment.
Those photos were fed into Microsoft’s Azure Face API, which uses a CNN to estimate the patient’s age. They then compared the ages estimated by the neural network in both the before and after photos.
Results
At the end of the study, the neural network found that patients looked generally younger in their postoperative photo than in their preoperative photo.
However, the difference was minimal. On average, patients were estimated to be 0.03 years younger in their postoperative photo.
Does it Work?
In an external evaluation, the above-mentioned study from Aesthetic Surgery Journal was shown to provide level 4 evidence. This is the second-lowest level of authority for a scientific study. It’s enough to show that the results of the study were proven with objective, visible evidence.
However, it does suggest that more studies and controlled trials are needed. Although the study provided proven, visible evidence, science works best with a level of repeated results. More studies like this one are needed before it can begin to change existing medical opinions.
So while a rhinoplasty shaving years off of your appearance is still inconclusive, as this study aimed to prove, what remains proven are the aesthetic and cosmetic improvements this surgery can offer. For people who choose rhinoplasty as a cosmetic procedure, it can offer a real boost of self-confidence, while also providing an opportunity to alter your facial profile.
Thinking about a Rhinoplasty?
If you’re thinking about getting a rhinoplasty, reading this study is interesting, but ultimately shouldn’t influence your decision.
You should determine whether the procedure is something that you’re interested in for your own needs. Not because it may reduce your visible signs of aging.
Getting a rhinoplasty is a deeply personal decision.
If you need to talk to an expert while you’re weighing your options, contact Dr. Richard Rival. His extensive experience with both closed and open rhinoplasties makes him a great resource for anyone exploring this procedure.
Make an appointment today in his Toronto or Newmarket clinic to receive personalized guidance and expert advice.