Rhinoplasty is a complex surgery that’s best done once. However, there are some cases where a revision rhinoplasty is necessary or desired.
Because of the procedure’s complexity, it’s important to find the best revision rhinoplasty surgeon. In NYC, Dr. Steven Pearlman is a well-known expert on rhinoplasty and dedicates most of his practice to rhinoplasty and revisions.
We recognize that you may have lost trust in the process during your first rhinoplasty with your previous surgeon. At Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery, we’re committed to providing our patients with a positive cosmetic surgery experience from start to finish, especially for those patients seeking a revision rhinoplasty.
Expert surgeon Dr. Pearlman on revision rhinoplasty
Due to his deep understanding of nasal anatomy, colleagues who perform primary rhinoplasty often refer their revision rhinoplasty patients to Dr. Pearlman.
Why do patients seek revision rhinoplasty?
Revision rhinoplasty is about restoring form and function. This procedure corrects aesthetic and functional complications from one or more prior rhinoplasties, and/or corrects less-than-ideal results from previous nasal surgery.
Common reasons for revision include
- Excessive scar tissue
- Breathing issues
- Nasal obstruction
- Collapse of cartilage
- Restoring projection
- Injury
- Too short or an up-turned nose
It’s important to remember that sometimes it’s not always a failure of the previous surgery that leads to the need for revision. Cartilage is a complex component of the body that can shift and move over time. That’s why it’s important to invest in seeing an expert rhinoplasty surgeon from the start.
What to look for in your revision rhinoplasty surgeon
When looking for a facial plastic surgeon, you’ll want to consider their experience, their results, and how you feel during the consultation process.
Experience in Rhinoplasty & Revisions
Experience is the most important factor when you want the best rhinoplasty surgeon. Colleagues and other renowned surgeons in NYC and beyond recommend Dr. Pearlman due to his extensive expertise and specialization in the procedure.
It’s always recommended—but crucial with revision—to choose a board-certified facial plastic surgeon and rhinoplasty specialist.
Rhinoplasty itself is a complex procedure, and revision rhinoplasty is even more so. During a revision rhinoplasty, there’s less room for improvement. We always strive for the best result possible, but sometimes patients only see moderate improvement, but an improvement nonetheless.
Successful revision rhinoplasty requires a high degree of skill, knowledge, subtlety, an eye for detail, and past experience. You’ll want a surgeon who devotes most of their practice to rhinoplasty and can use a variety of techniques.
Before and afters
Looking at rhinoplasty before and after photos is an integral part of researching a rhinoplasty surgeon. A surgeon’s before and after gallery demonstrates their quality of work.
Of course, it’s a red flag if a surgeon doesn’t have any before and after images, or if the images look doctored in any way.
That said, it’s important to schedule a consultation as part of finding the best revision rhinoplasty surgeon. Not all patients will sign off to have their photos online, but the surgeon will have more in the office.
Things you should consider when viewing the images either in-office or online:
- Are there patients that look like me?
- What do I think of the results? Do they look natural?
- Are the before and after images consistent in setup, lighting, and angles?
During your consultation, you can (and should) take the opportunity to ask about the process and technique used for specific patients.
View Dr. Pearlman’s before and after gallery
Consultation
You want to have a good rapport with your facial plastic surgeon, and that starts with a comfortable and informative consultation process. Cosmetic surgery is an intimate experience that relies on an understanding between the patient and surgeon in order to achieve optimal results.
Revision rhinoplasty can be an emotional experience for patients who are frustrated with the results of their previous rhinoplasty surgery, and often more than one surgery. It can feel discouraging to have paid a surgeon, then gone through surgery and recovery only to end up with a look you don’t like or any other resulting complications like breathing issues.
Dr. Pearlman strives to be the one of the best revision rhinoplasty surgeon in NYC and knows that starts in the consultation room. His goal is to help you establish a technical understanding of the recommendations he makes so that your expectations are clear.
You two are, after all, a team working together towards a common goal: a more natural-looking feature to enhance your overall beauty!
How to prepare for your revision rhinoplasty consultation
If you’re considering revision rhinoplasty, the answers to these questions will be important for your consultation experience and ensuring that you get the best rhinoplasty results.
What do you currently like and dislike about your nose?
For some patients, it’s very easy to name what changes they would like to see, especially for revision rhinoplasty. For others, it may be more difficult to articulate.
One of the unique advantages of working with Dr. Pearlman is his use of computer imaging. This makes it possible to actually see the desired outcome of the revision, which makes it easier to talk about your desired changes.
With advanced Mirror® 2D, Dr. Pearlman can demonstrate the potential changes to your nose to help you envision your future results with revision. You’ll be able to better understand your potential results and see how they fit with the rest of your facial features.
Are you experiencing breathing problems?
The nose is a sensory organ. The function is just as important, if not more important, than the form. Whether you were experiencing breathing problems prior to your original rhinoplasty or as a result of your first surgery, it’s important for your revision rhinoplasty surgeon to know.
Septorhinoplasty is a procedure that combines septoplasty with rhinoplasty surgery to address both the form and function of your nose. As a dual board-certified surgeon in Facial Plastic surgery and Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose, and Throat), Dr. Pearlman is uniquely qualified to assess and address both the form and function of the nose.
Why did you decide to get your primary rhinoplasty?
Understanding why you chose to get your original rhinoplasty can help Dr. Pearlman understand the process of the previous surgery. He’ll also likely ask to see images or X-rays of your nose before and after your previous surgery if they are available to obtain a better understanding of your anatomy.
As the nose has been operated on previously, the restoration process becomes increasingly intricate and detailed. The best revision rhinoplasty surgeon for you should be able to provide a wealth of information and resources regarding your procedure, especially since this particular procedure can be so complex.
How long has it been since your original rhinoplasty?
We sometimes get patients requesting tip revision rhinoplasty before it has been a full year yet. Recovering from rhinoplasty only takes a few weeks, but your final results won’t be visible for about a year, especially if changes were made to the tip of the nose. The tip takes the longest to heal and show results.
If it’s been less than a year since your original rhinoplasty and your concerns are only cosmetic, Dr. Pearlman will likely advise that you wait until at least a year has passed before talking through the possibilities for revision rhinoplasty.
Getting a revision rhinoplasty done too soon after your original makes your results less guaranteed because the nose hasn’t finished healing from the first surgery yet.
What is recovery like after revision rhinoplasty?
Just like primary rhinoplasty, revision rhinoplasty is going to require a dedicated recovery period. Even getting your surgery with the best revision rhinoplasty surgeon in NYC isn’t going to get you out of taking the time to let your nose heal.
The timeline for recovering from revision rhinoplasty is about the same as primary rhinoplasty. Patients usually feel well enough to work from home by day 3. Your cast will still be on though for 8 days so you might want to keep your zoom camera off!
You’ll probably be feeling more like yourself by the end of the first week and most of the bruising will be gone by the end of the second week.
Most patients will see 85% of their results at 1 month out, 90% of results at 6 months out and 95% at 1 year.
Book your appointment with a top revision rhinoplasty surgeon in NYC
If you’re ready to learn more about the revision rhinoplasty process, consider booking your consultation with Dr. Steven Pearlman today.
Dr. Pearlman is uniquely dual-board certified in both Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ENT). He has performed over 7,500 rhinoplasties in his career and has been chosen as a Top Doctor by New York Magazine and Castle Conolly.
As one of the top rhinoplasty surgeons in NYC, Dr. Pearlman frequently lectures as a visiting professor on rhinoplasty, revision rhinoplasty, and facial aging throughout the world. He also serves as a clinical professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and is a Past president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Not quite ready for an in-person visit? You can use our virtual rhinoplasty tool to explore our available techniques. Answer a few questions about your goals and we’ll send you customized recommendations right to your inbox!
Nothing can substitute for an in-person examination of your nose, but for out-of-town patients, we can conduct a virtual consultation and arrange surgery based on those findings.
