If you’ve had a rhinoplasty and are not happy with the results, you are probably considering a revision rhinoplasty to fix your nose. While the procedure is not uncommon, it does require some additional forethought and planning than a normal rhinoplasty usually does.
Check out the rhinoplasty revision hints and suggestions we give our Boston plastic surgery patients to get a nose you’ll be happy with the next time.
Wait for the Previous Surgery to Heal
Remember how your nose felt right after surgery? How it took a few weeks for you to even feel like your old self again? Even after your nose has healed on the outside, it will still be swollen for up to 18 months after surgery. You will have to wait for the previous rhinoplasty to finish healing before you can even begin the process of getting a revision rhinoplasty. Most revision rhinoplasty surgeons will make you wait at least a year before they’ll take you on as a patient. Once the swelling is gone and the scar tissue begins to soften and become more flexible, your nose will be ready for another procedure.
Choose Your Doctor Carefully
Just because you got your previous rhinoplastywas from one doctor doesn’t mean that you have to return to that same doctor for your revision rhinoplasty. After all, if you were unhappy with their work the first time, why should you risk being unhappy with their work again?
Your best bet is to find a doctor who specializes in revision rhinoplasty. Research potential plastic surgeons and see what their specialties are. Look into their credentials and experience. Check out what their patients think of them. Review before and after pictures of their work to see if you like their results and have the necessary skills to do the job.
Once you’re interested in a doctor, arrange an appointment to meet with them personally. Ask questions and communicate clearly your desired results. Explain what went wrong with your previous surgery and why you want another one. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want – it’s the only way the doctor will be able to decide how to do your surgery. At the end of the appointment, if you don’t feel comfortable with the doctor, move on to the next one. Be sure in your choice so you won’t have to go through this again.
Be Flexible
It’s important to remember, however, that revision rhinoplasty is more difficult for doctors to perform than the original rhinoplasty. Now the surgeon has scar tissue to work around in addition to keeping your fragile nasal structure intact. After an examination, the surgeon may tell you that they are unable to give you the results you want. This could be related to the surgeon’s skill set, or it could be that your nose can’t be changed as easily without causing serious damage.
That being said, a good revision rhinoplasty surgeon will try to give you satisfactory results by working with you on your goals. You may not get the nose you want, but you could still get one that you’ll be happy with. Something else to keep in mind is that revision rhinoplasty yields better results with small changes compared to big changes.
Increase Your Recovery Time
If the original rhinoplasty recovery was difficult, your revision rhinoplasty recovery will be even more so. The swelling and bruising will likely be greater and take longer to go away. You might be in more pain. In total, your recovery time will also be a lot longer. Remember that your nose is going through a traumatic event not once, but twice, and will need some extra time to completely heal again. Give yourself a decent buffer of time before returning to work or scheduling any important events.
The one good thing about revision rhinoplasty recovery is that it’s pretty much the same as originalrhinoplasty recovery. You’ll still be wearing the same kind of bandages and dressings, plus you’ll be using those ice packs and pain meds. Since you’ve already gone through this once before, you know what to expect and can prepare yourself more fully than some original rhinoplasty patients.
Revision Rhinoplasty by Dr. Davidson
Dr. Christopher Davidson is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Boston who was educated and trained at Harvard University. He has been practicing plastic surgery for almost 15 years. If you would like to schedule a revision rhinoplasty consultation with Dr. Davidson, call our office at (781) 237-7700.