Hundreds of thousands of men and women undergo rhinoplasty every year but not all of those surgeries turn out well. Revision rhinoplasty has become a very common procedure and while you may not be looking forward to a second surgery, know that it is possible to get it right the second time around.
Why Choose Revision Rhinoplasty?
The nose is a tricky area to work on. Its central position means that cosmetic blemishes show up very easily, so surgeons need to have very specific experience and skills to successfully perform this procedure. Unfortunately, there is also a large percentage of surgeons who don’t have the necessary skills, leaving many patients with unsatisfactory results. This is where revision rhinoplasty comes in.
If you are unhappy with the results of your original nose surgery, revision rhinoplasty is available to you.
Why Rhinoplasty Goes Wrong
Unrealistic expectations are one of the first reasons why patients end up with unsatisfactory results. Many surgeons don’t take the initial consultation seriously enough, so problems such as thin skin are often overlooked. A number of surgeons simply don’t communicate well enough during the consultation, which means patients have unrealistic expectations for their surgery.
The second reason why rhinoplasty tends to go wrong is that surgeons do not have enough training and experience. Outdated or poorly-performed rhinoplasty techniques may provide short term results but won’t last in the long run. The most common error that under skilled surgeons make is to remove too much bone or cartilage during the procedure – something that really starts to show a few months down the line. Time, scarring and growth all need to be taken into consideration if a surgeon wants to produce effective results.
Lastly, many surgeons tend to overlook the fact that their patient cannot breathe normally a few weeks after their surgery, which results in a number of patients living with breathing problems after their procedure.
Planning Your Revision Surgery
Around 25% of all rhinoplasty patients make the decision to undergo revision surgery. In some cases, the decision to schedule revision surgery is not to correct the defects of the first surgery. There is always a chance that your body reacts to the surgery in a way that your surgeon couldn’t predict.
The first step is to find a reputable surgical practice such as Academy Face & Body cosmetic clinic to assist you with the revision surgery. It’s important to keep in mind that revision surgery is slightly more complicated than the original rhinoplasty procedure, so you need to make sure that you are choosing the very best surgeon for the job – someone who actually specializes in revision surgery.
Your surgeon should have in-depth knowledge of revision rhinoplasty and have a before and after gallery to prove it. When reviewing photos of past patients, make sure that their noses are contoured and look natural.
Do as much research as you can on a surgeon’s background, qualifications and experience. It’s always ideal if you can get a recommendation from someone who has actually undergone revision rhinoplasty in the past and is still happy with the results.
Revision Rhinoplasty Isn’t for Everyone
Any patient who has recently had rhinoplasty surgery is not a candidate for this procedure – not yet anyway. The internal tissues of your nose are going to need time to heal after your surgery. Revision rhinoplasty is only really an option a year after your initial surgery. Some surgeons will even require you to wait two years before attempting a second procedure.
The only other time someone wouldn’t be an ideal candidate for revision rhinoplasty is if they went in with unrealistic expectations in the first place. There are patients who fail to communicate clearly with their surgeon and end up blaming the surgeon because their nose doesn’t look exactly how they expected it to. A surgeon should always ensure patients have realistic expectations but there are cases where patients weren’t willing to accept what was truly possible.
Ideal Candidates for Revision Rhinoplasty
Patients who have realistic expectations, had their first surgery a year or more ago and still aren’t seeing satisfactory results may be candidates for revision rhinoplasty.
Unexpected healing results from your primary surgery are one of the first criteria for revision rhinoplasty. Sometimes, when there is a reduction in bone and cartilage, defects appear during the healing process that alters the results of your surgery.
Another factor that could make you an ideal candidate for revision surgery is the fact that you’re experiencing breathing difficulties. When incisions are made incorrectly or scarring forms in the wrong places, it can affect your breathing after surgery. Some patients actually underwent rhinoplasty to correct breathing issues, so you definitely shouldn’t be experiencing poor breathing a year after your procedure.
Asymmetry and the collapse of supporting cartilage could also make you a good candidate for revision rhinoplasty.
