The main rule is skeletal maturity. The nose should finish growing before rhinoplasty surgery, which is usually around 15 to 16 for girls and 16 to 17 for boys. Operating too early risks a result that shifts as the face keeps developing.
Most rhinoplasty patients in Vancouver are in their late teens through their thirties, when skin still has good elasticity and healing tends to be efficient. There is no strict upper limit. Healthy patients in their fifties and sixties do well, though thinner skin and weaker cartilage often mean the surgeon plans more structural support.
In British Columbia, the age of majority is 19, so patients under that age normally need a parent or guardian involved in consent and consultation.
