Renaissance Nose Jobs – This is Guaranteed to Terrify You

April 27th, 2015

Contrary to what you might have assumed, nose jobs aren’t a modern day procedure. They were taking place even during the Renaissance period in Europe. Unlike today however, the driving motivation behind getting nasal surgery was not simply cosmetic; it was something else entirely…

During the 16th century, Syphilis was making it’s way around Europe. This unpleasant sexually transmitted disease was incurable until penicillin came around in 1928.

Syphilis is a nasty sexually transmitted disease that made its way around Europe during the 16th century. Syphilis was incurable until penicillin came onto the scene in 1928.

The victims of this disease would suffer from terrible symptoms for the rest of their lives including skin ulcers, gradual blindness, paralysis, dementia, and eventually death.

One of the many side effects of Syphilis was “saddle nose.” This is when the bridge of the nose caves into the face. Saddle nose is accompanied by the gradual rotting away of the surrounding flesh.

People with syphilis also usually developed a condition known as "saddle nose." This is when the bridge of the nose caves into the face. Saddle nose is accompanied by the gradual rotting away of the surrounding flesh.

This man has a mild form of saddle nose.

In Renaissance society, having a saddle nose became a horrible and undesirable mark of stigma. Society considered saddle nose as a symbol of the sufferer’s moral shortcomings and corruption.

In Renaissance society, saddle nose became a mark of stigma. For those unafflicted, saddle nose was a symbol of the sufferer's moral shortcomings and corruption.

Tagliacozzi became famous for his unique surgical methods. At the time, nasal surgery involved cutting a piece of skin off of the forehead and attaching it to the nose. Tagliacozzi decided to stray from the beaten path and did something counterintuitive.

Tagliacozzi became famous for his unique surgical methods. Instead of cutting a piece of skin off of the forehead and attaching it to the nose (as was common at the time), Tagliacozzi did something counterintuitive.

There were many people who argued that Tagliacozzi’s method was inferior to the more popular rhinoplasty of the time known as the “Indian Method.” There were even some reports that Tagliacozzi’s noses would turn purple and fall off in the winter.

There were some who argued Tagliacozzi's method was inferior to the more popular rhinoplasty of the time known as the "Indian Method." In fact, there were a few reports of the noses that Tagliacozzi created turning purple and falling off in the winter.

After his death. Tagliacozzi’s method fell out of fashion, but was still occasionally used. This solider’s face was severely damaged in 1944, and Tagliacozzi’s Italian Method was employed to rebuild it.

Though Tagliacozzi's method fell out of fashion after his death, it was still occasionally used. This solider's face was severely damaged in 1944, and Tagliacozzi's Italian Method was employed to rebuild it.

Would you consider having a nose job done by the Italian Method?