[01] Sees patients at Dubai London Hospital
Specialist Otolaryngology
Rhinoplasty and septoplasty
PhD in Medicine, 30 years in practice
[02] Approach
Shape, breathing and recovery are closely connected. A detailed surgical plan is established before the procedure based on the patient’s anatomy, functional needs and individual goals.
During the consultation, the surgeon examines the nasal structures, explains what surgery can and cannot achieve, and discusses the potential risks. Outcomes vary from person to person and depend on individual anatomy and healing.
[03] About the doctor
Eldar Kamalov was born in Makhachkala, into the family of Shamsutin Kamalov, an ENT and plastic surgeon. He began assisting his father while still a medical student - an experience that shaped his interest in ENT and gave him his first practical exposure to nasal surgery. In 2016 he opened a clinic and named it after his father. He now provides consultations and performs surgery in Dubai on a regular basis.
// Path
// Documents
[04] Nose surgery
One framework - bone, cartilage and the septum - holds both the outline of the nose and the path for the air. So the surgeon looks at both tasks at once.
Task 01
Rhinoplasty
The external shape of the nose changes. The scope of the work is set by the anatomy, not by a preference for a shape.
Risks
Performed under anaesthesia, requires a recovery period.
Task 02
Septoplasty
The septum is returned to the midline to restore the airway. The outward shape of the nose is not changed.
Risks
Performed under anaesthesia, requires a recovery period.
Together
Rhinoseptoplasty
Often both are needed. When that is the case, both can be addressed in a single operation.
The surgeon goes through the risks at the consultation, before any decision is made, and says then and there whether the operation is suitable in a particular case - based on an examination and imaging, not on a photograph of the nose. The outcome depends on the anatomy and on how the tissues heal, and differs from one person to another.
[05] Where he sees patients
Consultations, tests and surgery all take place at Dubai London Hospital - a private hospital on the Jumeirah beachfront, two kilometres from the Burj Al Arab. A dedicated ENT department, the operating theatres and wards are under one roof: after surgery the patient stays in the same building, with no transfers between clinics.
ACHSI international hospital accreditation// Where the hospital is
Dubai London HospitalUmm Suqeim 2
[06] How treatment works
The order is the same for rhinoplasty and septoplasty. The decision to operate is made only after an in-person examination - never from a photograph of the nose.
Step 01
Submit an enquiry through the website or message us on WhatsApp. The clinic gets in touch and arranges an appointment.
Step 02
An in-person appointment at Dubai London Hospital, 15 to 30 minutes depending on the case. The surgeon examines the external and internal nasal structures, reviews the CT scan and shows a computer simulation: a way to discuss what is achievable and what is not, not a promise of a result. The risks are talked through at the same appointment.
Step 03
The tests are done at the same hospital where the operation will take place, a few days beforehand: reception directs you to the laboratory, and the results go to the surgeon and the anaesthetist. The surgeon then draws up the plan and agrees a date.
Step 04
Carried out at the hospital, under anaesthesia. How long it takes depends on the extent of the procedure and is discussed in advance.
Step 05
One day in hospital under observation - the stay can be extended if needed. The dressing and the fixing elements are removed later, on the schedule the surgeon sets.
Step 06
The first check-up is a week later: the dressing on the nose is changed, the silicone splints are removed and the surgeon sees how healing is going. The next one is two to three months later. Both are with the same surgeon who performed the operation.
[07] Recovery
Recovery is part of the operation, not an afterthought. Below are the timings after rhinoplasty, as the surgeon describes them. They depend on the extent of the procedure, on individual healing and on how closely instructions are followed, so they differ from one person to another.
Day of surgery
Moderate discomfort and a blocked nose, with facial swelling setting in. A plaster or thermoplastic splint is placed on the nose
Days 1-3
Swelling and bruising around the eyes are at their most noticeable. Rest and sleeping with the head raised are advised
Days 5-7
Swelling starts to subside and bruising fades. Many people return to work at this point, if it does not involve physical exertion
Days 7-10
The splint comes off. The nose underneath is still swollen - that is entirely normal. Breathing gradually improves
2-4 weeks
Bruising clears and facial swelling reduces markedly. Normal life resumes, avoiding injury and intense exertion
1 month
Most people around you no longer notice signs of surgery. Around 60-70% of the swelling has gone; light exercise once the surgeon agrees
2-3 months
The contours of the nose become clearer and skin sensation returns. Residual swelling keeps resolving, longest of all at the tip
6 months
The final shape continues to refine as residual swelling gradually resolves
12 months
The final result of a primary rhinoplasty takes shape. After complex or revision surgery, recovery can take up to 18 months
What to keep in mind
The timings above are a guide, not a promise. They depend on the extent of the operation, on individual tissue characteristics and on how closely instructions are followed. The surgeon gives you the timings for your own case at the consultation, after examining you.
// Everyday life
The timings below are a guide from the surgeon’s answers. The exact date for each of them is given at your follow-up examination.
from 1 week
Flying - approximately. Once the plaster splint has been removed and the surgeon has examined the nose. The decision is made individually, based on your condition and how recovery is going.
from 3-4 weeks
The pool and the sea - no earlier, after a follow-up examination and with the surgeon’s approval. Before that, water and chlorine irritate the lining, and active swimming raises the risk of swelling and of accidental injury to the nose.
from 1 month
Cardio and heavy physical exertion. They are not advised during the first month; after that, return to training gradually and by how you feel. The surgeon sets the timing at the follow-up.
first 2-3 months
Direct sun, tanning and sunbeds - to be avoided. During the same period, do not wear glasses that rest on the bridge of the nose, prescription ones included: pressure from the frame affects how the tissues sit and how the new shape of the nose forms. Outdoors, wear a wide-brimmed hat, keep your face out of direct sunlight and avoid overheating.
// After septoplasty
Here the timings are different and noticeably shorter. The silicone splints usually come out on days 5-7 and breathing begins to recover. Most people return to work within 7-14 days, and nasal breathing settles at one to two months. The functional result is assessed at three months, and by six months the tissues of the septum have fully recovered.
[08] When surgery is postponed
A consultation can also end with a decision not to operate - that is a normal outcome. Below are the cases where the surgeon will suggest waiting, or decline.
Rhinoplasty is not performed until the body has finished growing, which means the age of 18. Septoplasty can be carried out earlier where it is needed. There is no upper age limit: what matters is the state of health.
Surgery changes your nose - it does not copy someone else’s. If the goal is a nose from another person’s photograph, the surgeon will discuss what is achievable with your anatomy and will not take on what cannot be promised.
The shape of a nose does not resolve matters in relationships, in a career or in how you feel about yourself. If the conversation is about that, the surgeon will suggest working through the expectations first rather than operating.
Any active inflammation raises the risk of complications, so elective surgery is postponed until the condition has been treated or stabilised. With chronic conditions, clearance from the relevant specialist is required: the body may tolerate surgery and anaesthesia poorly.
They raise the risk of bleeding and of clots forming. The question is settled with the relevant specialist before surgery.
Elective surgery is postponed until after pregnancy and breastfeeding, and until the body has recovered.
A revision is possible only once the tissues have fully healed after the previous surgery. The surgeon sets the timing based on their condition.
This list is a guide: the final decision is made by the surgeon at the examination.
[09] Questions and answers
[10] Booking and contacts
Consultations are held at Dubai London Hospital, by appointment. Contact us using whichever method is more convenient - the online form or WhatsApp.
// Direct contact
