How Often You Need A Revision Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is one of the most common plastic surgeries done in the world. It is done to correct the shape and size of the noise. Some people might also do it for medical reasons to improve how they breathe through their noses.

If rhinoplasty is done well, the results should last for a lifetime. The first year after surgery, there are a lot of changes that take place, where the swelling dies down, and patients start seeing their surgery results.

However, some issues like irregularities on the nose and issues with collapse and twisting may arise, and they may need another surgery to correct. Rhinoplasty is considered one of the most technically challenging plastic surgeries, and around 15% of the patients seek revision surgery.

Revision rhinoplasty, also called secondary rhinoplasty, is done to try and correct what the first or primary surgery may not have fixed or to fix the issues that may arise during the healing procedure.

It is also more complex than the first surgery, which means that there may be more complications than the first surgery.

How Many Times Should You Get Secondary Rhinoplasty?

There is no limit to how many times people can get a revision nose job, but there is a limit to the number of times you get effective results. However, it is important to note that with every nose job comes more complications.

Primary nose jobs are usually reductions of the structure and tissue of the nose. Therefore, further reduction to the tissues and structure may result in the weakening of the nose and may also cause it to lose support.

Another factor that reduces the effectiveness of revision nose jobs is because, in the primary surgery, the surgeon uses the natural anatomy of the nose to navigate and make the necessary changes. In revision surgery, however, the anatomy of the nose has changed, making it even harder for the surgeon to make the proper and necessary changes.

Factors Influencing How Many Revision Nose Jobs You Can Have

Before determining the maximum number of times you can have a revision nose job, there are factors to consider. They let you know how effective each revision surgery is going to be. They include;

Complexity

This is one of the biggest determinants. With each revision surgery, the procedure gets more complicated. The more complicated the surgery is, the lesser the options for alterations.

After the primary nose job, the chances of making dramatic changes to the nose shape and size decrease. However, that depends on what the revision nose job is correcting and how the primary nose job was done.

For example, if the first surgery was to correct a breathing problem and the second one to change the shape and size of the nose, there are few chances of overlapping complications.

However, if the primary and secondary surgeries are both to correct the shape and size, there are increased chances of overlapping complications. Also, if the primary surgery was an eternal one and the secondary an internal one, there are fewer chances of complications.

The patient

You have to know what you want to achieve in the revision nose job. Too high expectations might make you not satisfied with the results you get because they might not be as great as you expected them to be.

You also have to know that the more the surgeries, the higher the chances of complications, and at some point, the complications may outrun the benefits of the surgery.

The surgeon

The knowledge, skill level, and experience of the surgeon determine how many times they can deliver effective results with a revision nose job. After the primary surgery, you might consider visiting a different surgeon.

However, going with the same surgeon may have advantages because they are familiar with the anatomy of your nose and know what they need to change.

If you choose a new surgeon, be aware of those who overpromise because they may not deliver those results, which may leave you unsatisfied. You also have to consider if they have done previous revision nose jobs and ask to see what the results were.

Why You Need A Revision Nose Job

Before having a secondary rhinoplasty, you have to know if you are a good candidate. That helps you know if the results of the surgery will be a success for you or not. Some of the things that indicate you need a secondary rhinoplasty include;

Unsatisfactory results

If you look in the mirror and what you see is not what you expected after the primary nose job, you should consider revision surgery. The primary rhinoplasty may also have caused asymmetries to your nose, affecting its shape and size.

Removal of too much cartilage or bone

During the primary nose job, your surgeon may have removed too much cartilage from the structure of the nose. That could lead to minimal support of the nose, causing obstruction of the inner structure of your nose. That results in blockage of the airways.

Removal of too little cartilage or bone

In this case, the surgeon may not have removed enough bone or cartilage to acquire the desired nose shape or correct the breathing problem.

Complications during healing

During the recovery period after rhinoplasty surgery, your surgeon advises you on some things to do and not to do. Those ensure that you heal perfectly.

However, even after observing all those instructions, you might still experience some complications like scarring, irregularities, bumps on the tip and bridge of the nose, and new deviations.

These may affect both the appearance and functionality of the nose. You might also experience an injury or trauma to the nose before fully recovering, which may alter how the nose heals. That could cause the nose to heal wrong or may cause injuries that need a secondary rhinoplasty.

Deviation of the nasal septum

After the primary rhinoplasty, your nasal septum may have shifted from its position, causing both appearance and functional problems.

Displacement of cartilage grafts

The first rhinoplasty may have involved using grafts in the nose to boost the shape and size. However, during recovery, the grafts may have shifted, which may cause nasal blockage and a change in the appearance of your nose.

Before and after undertaking the first rhinoplasty, there are things you can do to reduce the chances of needing a revision surgery, including;

• Choosing the best surgeon.
• Observing all the post-surgery instructions given by the surgeon.
• Ensure the surgeon examines you before the surgery.
• Provide an honest medical history and any issues you may have.