A successful rhinoplasty or nose job can provide enormous benefit to your appearance and confidence. But sometimes the outcome of a rhinoplasty is unsatisfactory. In many cases there is no real complication except that the aesthetic result is not what the patient was hoping for. It is also important to remember that even in experienced hands, the long term results of rhinoplasty are not totally predictable. Luckily, revision rhinoplasty may help you.
Revision rhinoplasty, also known as corrective rhinoplasty or secondary rhinoplasty, is a cosmetic surgery procedure that improves aesthetic or functional problems caused by the previous rhinoplasty. Concerns associated with a previous nose job that revision rhinoplasty can address include:
Unless the problem is minor, most revision rhinoplasty is performed using the open approach with an incision across the columella.
As with other cosmetic surgeries, it is easier to repair situations where too little done or too little tissue was was taken, as opposed to too much. In the latter case, where too much bone or cartilage was removed, the structure of the nose can be rebuilt using cartilage grafts taken from inside the nose (you’ll never know it was removed) or using cartilage from a tissue bank. The addition of support to the nose often not only improves the appearance but improves the breathing.
Revision rhinoplasty cost is often more than the cost of the original nose job due to the complexity of the procedure and the fact that it may take longer. For the same reasons, the recovery may take longer than the original procedure because the swelling may take longer to resolve.
If you are unhappy with the outcome of your original rhinoplasty, you should seek an opinion from an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon. Most surgeons will want to delay a revision procedure for at least a year from the original procedure. Dr. Charles H. Thorne has many years of experience and would be happy to help you. Schedule a consultation today
Dr. Thorne is the Editor-in-Chief and the author of several chapters in Grabb and Smith's PLASTIC SURGERY, 7th Edition.