RhinoplastyFrance5 min read
Did Liane Foly have a nose job? Yes, and she talked about it herself
In April 2023, on the France Bleu programme “Dans le rétro”, the French singer and impressionist Liane Foly spoke frankly about the rhinoplasty she had in 1997: why she decided on it, how the public reacted, and what she thinks about it today. Here is what she said, where it was published, and what the operation involves for anyone considering it now.
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The main points in 30 seconds
- As Paris Match and Marie Claire reported, Liane Foly said she had her nose operated on in 1997, about ten years after her start.
- She said her rather hooked nose bothered her in photos and on TV, but today, after her journey, she might not do it again.
- Rhinoplasty is done under general anaesthesia or TIVA, and the first 24 hours are spent in the clinic's inpatient unit.
- Nasal splints come out on day 7 and stitches on day 14; healing is largely complete by month 4, and the final shape settles in 1–1.5 years.
- At City Medical Centre primary rhinoplasty costs $4,200, and the first consultation is free.
Key facts about the procedure
- Operation time1.5–3 hours
- Stay in clinic1 day
- AnaesthesiaGeneral
- Price
$6,000from $4,200
Profile
Liane Foly
- Country
- France
- Who
- Singer and impressionist
- Year of operation
- 1997
- Quote source
- Marie Claire, 26 April 2023
When I had my nose operated on, it was terrible, because people talked more about my nose and my operation than about the wonderful album I had made at the time!
What did Liane Foly say about her rhinoplasty?
Her words were reported by Paris Match and Marie Claire. About the reaction at the time she said: “When I had my nose operated on, it was terrible, because people talked more about my nose and my operation than about the wonderful album I had made at the time!”
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WhatsAppAbout the decision itself: “This operation was really a wish, because when I started out in this business I saw myself in photos, on TV, and this rather hooked nose bothered me a bit. I didn’t hesitate, I did it.” In the Paris Match version she adds that she did it in 1997, about ten years after her start. She also said: “Personally it caused me no problem, it was other people who bothered me about it.”
Looking back, she said: “When you get older you think, ‘I didn’t have the maturity to accept myself as I was and to love that nose.’ Today, after my journey, I might not do it again.” She added that she has never had a facelift.
That is all we rely on here. Foly did not describe the technique or the course of her recovery, so this article does not guess at them. Where the text below explains methods and timelines, it describes rhinoplasty in general, not her operation.
What her story says about the decision
Foly’s account is useful precisely because it is balanced. She explains a real reason — she saw her profile in photos and on television and it bothered her — and she describes the decision as her own wish, not something imposed. At the same time, decades later, she says she might choose differently now.
More on this topic: Rhinoplasty in one day, Revision Rhinoplasty, Open Rhinoplasty, Rhinoplasty for Patients from Singapore, Rhinoplasty in Melbourne.
That is a thoughtful way to talk about any cosmetic operation: it is a personal choice that deserves time, a realistic idea of the result, and an honest conversation with a surgeon.
A nose also has a function. Many people who consider rhinoplasty have breathing problems as well, and a surgeon checks both form and breathing at the consultation.
Rhinoplasty abroad: choose a city and clinic
Prices, the clinic and a free online consultation for each city:
How rhinoplasty is done today
Rhinoplasty reshapes the nasal bones and cartilage. It is done under general anaesthesia or TIVA and is usually followed by one day and night in the clinic’s inpatient unit. At City Medical Centre the expected result is shown with 3D modelling before surgery, and bone work is done with an ultrasonic piezo device. There are two main approaches:
Where the incisions are
- Open rhinoplasty
- A small incision on the columella plus incisions inside the nose
- Closed rhinoplasty
- Only inside the nose
Visible scar
- Open rhinoplasty
- A thin scar on the columella that usually fades
- Closed rhinoplasty
- None visible from outside
Typical use
- Open rhinoplasty
- Complex changes, tip correction, revision surgery
- Closed rhinoplasty
- Moderate changes, for example a hump
Anaesthesia
- Open rhinoplasty
- General or TIVA
- Closed rhinoplasty
- General or TIVA
Stay in the clinic
- Open rhinoplasty
- One day and night
- Closed rhinoplasty
- One day and night
When breathing is also a concern, the surgeon may combine the operation with septum correction (septorhinoplasty). The choice of approach is made at the consultation, after an examination.
Who is it for and how to prepare
The optimal age for rhinoplasty is 18–45, and older if health allows. Typical reasons are a hump, a wide or drooping tip, asymmetry after injury, or breathing problems combined with cosmetic concerns. Preparation starts about 21 days before surgery. It includes a complete blood count, biochemistry, a coagulation panel, infection tests, an ECG, a chest X-ray and a sinus X-ray or CT.
Blood-thinning drugs are stopped with the doctor’s agreement, alcohol and smoking a week before, and the last food and drink six hours before. Class 2 compression stockings are also needed.
What recovery looks like
The first 24 hours are spent in the inpatient unit. For the first days patients breathe through the mouth, with splints in the nostrils; swelling and bruising are possible. The nasal splints come out around day 7, and the external splint and stitches around day 14. For a month, exercise, sauna, pool, hot baths and sun are off-limits. Mild congestion can last one to one and a half months.
The first improvements appear after two to three weeks, healing takes about four months, and the final shape settles after one to one and a half years. Seek a doctor immediately for difficulty breathing, severe pain, high fever or a change in shape. The timeline below shows the usual stages.
How recovery after rhinoplasty usually goes
- Day of surgeryGeneral anaesthesia or TIVA; the first 24 hours are spent in the inpatient unit.
- Days 1–3Mouth breathing with splints in the nostrils; swelling and bruising are possible.
- Day 7The nasal splints are removed.
- Day 14The external splint and stitches are removed.
- Weeks 2–4First improvements are visible; no sport, sauna, pool or sun for a month.
- Month 4Healing is largely complete; mild congestion has usually passed.
- 1–1.5 yearsThe final shape of the nose settles.
Rhinoplasty at City Medical Centre
City Medical Centre performs primary and revision rhinoplasty and septorhinoplasty for international patients. The first consultation is free and can be held online; the exact cost is confirmed after an in-person examination and fixed in the contract. Primary rhinoplasty costs $4,200, rhinoseptoplasty $5,000 and revision rhinoplasty $5,400. More details are on the rhinoplasty page.
To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Liane Foly or her treatment. Her story is simply a well-known example of someone who talked openly about the operation.
Frequently asked questions
When did Liane Foly have her rhinoplasty?
She said she had it in 1997, about ten years after the start of her career. She talked about it on France Bleu in April 2023, as reported by Paris Match and Marie Claire.
Why did Liane Foly have her nose done?
She said that seeing herself in photos and on TV, her “rather hooked nose” bothered her a bit, so she did not hesitate. Today she says she might not do it again.
Did Liane Foly have a facelift?
No. In the same interview she said she had never had a facelift, although many people think she has had several.
Is rhinoplasty painful?
The operation is done under general anaesthesia or TIVA. Afterwards the main discomfort is mouth breathing, swelling and congestion in the first days; strong pain is a reason to call the doctor.
How much does rhinoplasty cost at City Medical Centre?
Primary rhinoplasty costs $4,200, rhinoseptoplasty $5,000 and revision rhinoplasty $5,400. The exact price is confirmed after the examination and fixed in the contract.
Sources
What the article says about the celebrity is based only on these public statements.
- Marie Claire, 26 April 2023
- Paris Match, 17 April 2023
Medical background and further reading
General information about the procedure from health authorities and medical societies. It is not advice for any individual patient.
- PubMed / NCBI — Reporting Outcomes and Outcome Measures in Open Rhinoplasty: A Systematic Review (Aesthet Surg J, 2020)
- PubMed / NCBI — Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Functional Rhinoplasty Outcomes with the NOSE Score (2017)
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons — Rhinoplasty
- World Health Organization — Safe surgery
How we prepare and review medical content · Medical disclaimer
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