Top Reasons for Rhinoplasty Revision Surgery

What are some of the reasons that people have for wanting revision rhinoplasty surgery?

There are those who approach cosmetic surgery with as little anxiety as if they were getting a new hair style. Most of us, however, feel a fair amount of uncertainty and not a little nervousness when it comes to surgical alterations. This is especially true when that surgery is to be done on the most prominent feature on the face; the nose. Rhinoplasty, often known as a “nose job”, has been rapidly growing in popularity. Of the more than 17 million cosmetic procedures performed annually in the U.S., nose jobs are among the most common.Nervous or not, it seems safe to say that all rhinoplasty patients anxiously await the day the bandages come off and the swelling goes down to reveal the outcome of the changes. Some of those alterations will have been done because of structural issues, usually making corrections because of something that is interfering with breathing. For the majority of nose jobs being done today, the goal is a change in appearance.Due to new innovations and the advances in techniques, most rhinoplasty procedures successfully accomplish the intended goal, whether functional or aesthetic. Like everything in life, however, there are exceptions. Approximately 15 percent of patients request follow-up, or revision, surgeries to address an issue that was not adequately taken care of or for additional changes. Sometimes a structural obstruction was not completely removed or even made worse. For others it may be due to unforeseen complications, problems that arose during recovery or even surgical error. When a change in appearance was the goal, there may have been unrealistic expectations or poor communication.

Common Issues that Result in Revision Rhinoplasty

There are many reasons that a patient may request a second or even third surgery. Some of the more common ones include:

• Obstruction – a structural issue in the nasal airway that continues to create difficulty in breathing
• Structural collapse – overly reshaped or reduced cartilage or nasal bones
• Unnatural appearance – cookie cutter or overdone nose jobs can result in an unnatural or artificial appearance
• Nasal valve collapse – the internal and external nasal valves, which are the narrowest parts of the nasal airway, can be damaged or weakened during surgery
• Worsened asymmetry
• Dorsal hump miscalculation – dorsal hump that was not reduced enough, or, too much, creating what is called an open roof deformity making the bridge appear too flat
• Incomplete shaping – not making as much of a change as the patient expected
• Nose tip projection – if the projection of the nose tip is excessive or inadequate, the bridge of the nose will not appear straight, resulting in a profile that looks “off”
• Pinched tip – the result of the nasal tip being narrowed too drastically during surgery
• Scarring – excessive build-up of scar tissue, either internally, externally or both

Rhinoplasty is one of the most complicated types of cosmetic surgery, and revision rhinoplasty is even more complicated.  While additional surgeries can be successful, the best option, by far, is to take care of all issues and match expectations during the initial procedure. This serves to highlight the importance of doing your research and choosing the most experienced and highly-skilled rhinoplasty surgeon available.You could not make a better decision than consulting with Dr. Geoffrey Tobias, New York City’s only plastic surgeon exclusively practicing rhinoplasty. His experience, compassion and dedication have combined to have him recognized 12 times as “best in his field” by New York Magazine.  To request a consultation, simply click here.