Getting Revision Rhinoplasty

Had rhinoplasty surgery and it hasn’t quite resulted in the nose that you were hoping for? You aren’t alone. Research estimates that around 10% of rhinoplasty surgeries are subject to revision months or years down the line. Here’s what you need to know about getting revision rhinoplasty.

revision nose job

Reasons For Revision Rhinoplasty


Most people who choose to get revision rhinoplasty to do so for one of the following reasons:

They are unhappy with the cosmetic result following their procedure, even after healing is complete. This could be because of a lack of skill or experience on the part of the original surgeon, or due to complications that may have arisen during the original procedure. Some of the common cosmetic complaints about rhinoplasty include:

  • Your nose is too big/small

  • Your nostrils are too big/small

  • Your nose isn’t straight or there is a bump on the bridge

  • Your nose is out of proportion with other facial features

There are functional problems with your new nose. Sometimes a new nose may heal well cosmetically but result in functional problems, such as a partially-blocked airway that causes breathing issues or sleep apnea. These types of issues are more common in patients who have had their nostrils or septum altered.

They have experienced damage/trauma to the nose since the original procedure. Accidents can happen at any time, and the nose is more delicate in the months after rhinoplasty surgery when the cartilage and soft tissue have been restructured and are still healing. Any injury to the nose could alter how it looks, leaving you dissatisfied with how it looks or functions.



Things you Should do Before Getting Revision Rhinoplasty


If you have decided that revision rhinoplasty will help you to address the issues that have left you feeling dissatisfied after your initial procedure, you may feel ready to get started. However, here are a few important steps that you should take to prepare for your revision rhinoplasty surgery.


Make sure your nose is fully healed. It takes months for a nose to heal after a rhinoplasty procedure, and any good revision surgeon will want to make sure that healing is complete before proceeding with a second surgery. Therefore, you’ll need to wait at least 12 months from your first rhinoplasty surgery.


Choose your rhinoplasty revision surgeon wisely. It’s always important to choose a cosmetic surgeon wisely, especially for rhinoplasty which is considered one of the most technically challenging of all procedures. However, this is, even more, the case when it comes to revision surgery since your new surgeon will have to deal with scar tissue and other difficult elements that may have occurred as a result of your initial procedure. Do your research and choose a revision surgeon with plenty of skill, experience, and recommendations to ensure you are in the best hands for your second rhinoplasty.

Obtain the information that you need from your previous surgeon. If necessary, you should try and obtain as much information as possible about your initial rhinoplasty from your first surgeon, including medical records and pre and post-operative images. This will ensure that your revision surgeon has everything needed to make careful decisions about your revision rhinoplasty.


Exactly what will happen during your revision rhinoplasty procedure will depend on the exact changes that you wish to make to your nose. These could be anything from a few minor tweaks that can be performed relatively quickly, to much more extensive revision surgery. Your rhinoplasty revision surgeon will be able to give you more specific information about what to expect based on your individual case.



If you would like to find out more about getting revision rhinoplasty or to schedule a consultation to discuss this procedure, please get in touch with our cosmetic surgery team in Metairie LA today at (504) 226-8200.