When a person undergoes rhinoplasty (nose job) and is unhappy with the results, they may consider revision rhinoplasty. This is a procedure used to correct rhinoplasty that did not deliver the results the patient expected. Revision rhinoplasty may be considered if the nose looks out of sorts or needs additional support. In some instances, the nose looks great but does not function as well after surgery. Revision rhinoplasty is also sometimes referred to as secondary rhinoplasty.
What to know about Revision Rhinoplasty
Revision rhinoplasty is a much more delicate procedure than the first rhinoplasty due to scar tissue. The revision rhinoplasty can also be a lot more delicate when too much bone and tissue was removed in the first procedure leaving the surgeon little to work with when performing the revision surgery. If this is the case, the surgeon has to borrow cartilage from various other parts of the body to replace the missing cartilage and create a nose that looks good in terms of size and shape. This procedure requires dexterity and precision and it is therefore essential that you choose your surgeon carefully.
If you are considering revision rhinoplasty, it is important that you know what the procedure entails, what risks are involved, the different techniques that can be used as well as what to expect after the surgery. With revision rhinoplasty it is important to set realistic goals and communicate these to your surgeon. A lot of surgeons will not perform revision rhinoplasty because of the distinct differences between the two procedures. Revision rhinoplasty is complicated and complex so you need to make sure that the surgeon you choose is experienced in revision rhinoplasty and has had great results when performing the procedure.
Revision Rhinoplasty Process
Once you have decided on revision rhinoplasty, you need to make sure that you have completely healed before you undergo the next procedure. It is only natural that you will want the corrective surgery as soon as possible but you need to give your nose time to heal. A nose can take up to a year to completely heal especially the tip of the nose. The tip takes the longest to heal and it is therefore important to wait for at least a year to have revision surgery when it is on the tip of your nose. Undergoing revision surgery before your nose is completely healed will only cause more problems.
Before undergoing revision surgery it is also important that you come to grip with the fact that the surgery can only make changes to the nose you have. There is no way of giving you a completely new nose. Give yourself time to adjust to the new shape of your nose before undergoing revision surgery as you might find you are just not used to the way it looks. If you give yourself enough time you will most probably find that the new shape of your nose is fine the way it is. Only if friends and family are telling you that your nose is a funny shape should you consider revision rhinoplasty. Obviously, revision rhinoplasty should also be considered if you are having trouble breathing.
Lastly, you should be aware of the fact that the healing process will take longer with the revision rhinoplasty than with the primary rhinoplasty. Factors that affect the length of the healing process include the grafts the needed to be done as well as how much work needed to be done to repair the nose. Revision rhinoplasty generally takes longer than a year to heal completely.
Revision Rhinoplasty
Some patients are a bit sceptical about going under the knife again for revision surgery and opt for non-invasive procedures. These non-invasive procedures take away the risk and complications associated with undergoing a second surgery. Now eradicating small bumps and re-shaping the nose can be done with derma fillers. These fillers are injected under the skin without the need for general anaesthesia or hospitalization.
