The Central Role of the Nose in the Face and the Psyche: Review of the Nose and the Psyche

Background According to statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons in 2006, rhinoplasty is one of the most sought after aesthetic surgeries by ethnic patients and teenagers. It also is the most requested aesthetic operation by patients with body dysmorphic disorder. The psychosocial aspect of rhinoplasty is undeniable. Tagliacozzi in 1567 and Joseph more than a century ago were already aware of this aspect. Methods Using the terms “rhinoplasty,” “patients selection,” “psychological aspect,” and psychological outcome,” 30 studies were selected through searches of the MEDLINE, PUBMED, and EMBASE databases,. This review aimed to analyze how the most acknowledged experts of psychology, facial plastic surgery, and plastic surgery who have worked on the psychological outcome for rhinoplasty during the past century considered the nose–psyche relationship and the influence of rhinoplasty at the psychological level. Results The link between rhinoplasty, psychology, and social environment has been discussed by many important authors during the past century. All of them, independently of their field of study, have stressed that it is critical for surgeons to be aware of their responsibility regarding both the physical and emotional levels. There is evidence that an official preoperative interview is lacking. Conclusions To recognize the importance of rhinoplasty’s psychological implications, it is critical to make a good selection of patients seeking this operation and to have a good outcome. To this end, the preoperative interview is fundamental. Surgeons should be competent at both the psychological and surgical levels.