Thousands of people seek a rhinoplasty in the United States every year. Your nose is one of your most visible features, so it makes sense to want to like its appearance. Of course, because it’s so visible, it can be that much more upsetting if you don’t like the results of your rhinoplasty procedure. Rhinoplasty has the highest rate of patients seeking revision of any cosmetic procedure.
A nose job revision, a.k.a. revision rhinoplasty, is a surgery that can help you restore the form and function of your nose after a prior surgery. While it may not be possible to restore your nose completely to its prior appearance, with the help of an expert nose revision surgeon, you can enjoy improved results from a revision rhinoplasty.
At Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery, Dr. Steven Pearlman is a well-regarded rhinoplasty specialist who has dedicated his practice primarily to rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasties.
When to Seek a Nose Job Revision
Do you dislike your results?
Poor surgical work or abnormal healing can lead to bad results like excess scar tissue, a crooked nose, over-done nose or generally unnatural-looking results.
Are you experiencing breathing issues?
Developing complications like breathing issues as a result of your prior surgery is a good reason to seek out a nose job revision in NYC.
Has your nose been injured?
If your nose sustains a trauma or injury after you’ve had a rhinoplasty surgery, you’ll be looking at a revision rhinoplasty to address it.
Has it been a year since your prior surgery?
The nose is a small part of the body, but it actually takes quite a long time to fully heal after surgery. You’ll want to make sure you’ve completely healed from your first surgery before considering a revision. We generally recommend waiting one year from the prior surgery before revision rhinoplasty.
Do you have realistic expectations?
Patients seeking revision surgery often have very specific, sometimes high, expectations based on their previous experiences. Managing these expectations while achieving a successful outcome can add to the complexity of the procedure.
The possibilities with revision rhinoplasty are more limited compared to a first-time rhinoplasty. This is particularly true when the first surgery focused on removing tissue or bone. That’s why it’s important to choose your rhinoplasty surgeon carefully, especially for your revision experience.
It’s also important to remember that only a fraction of rhinoplasties require a complete do-over for the procedure. According to medical literature, approximately 5 to15% of patients need revision. Sometimes its a compete re-do or minor tweaks that can yield the desired result.
Why Is a Nose Job Revision More Difficult?
There is very little room for error within a primary rhinoplasty surgery, and revision rhinoplasty becomes even more difficult. Every millimeter counts in reshaping the nose as the restoration process becomes increasingly intricate and detailed.
Revision rhinoplasties often involve addressing complications or unsatisfactory results from the first surgery, which can be more complex than performing a primary procedure where the anatomy is relatively untouched.
There’s Typically Less to Work With
During a primary rhinoplasty, your surgeon usually removes tissue and bone to shape the structure of your nose. For a revision, it’s especially important that your surgeon takes extra care to maintain and even restore the structural integrity of your nose. The need for precision is even greater because minor adjustments can have significant impacts on the nasal appearance and function.
Beyond that, scar tissue and previous surgical manipulations and damage to the cartilage can affect the skin and cartilage, potentially making them weaker or less malleable, which can impact your final results.
Your Anatomy Has Changed
For a first-time rhinoplasty, the surgeon uses the nose’s natural landmarks to guide them in making precise and predictable changes. However, in a revision rhinoplasty, the altered anatomy presents additional challenges, making it harder for the surgeon to navigate and achieve the desired aesthetic outcomes.
What to Look for in a Nose Revision Surgeon
Of course, you want to be sure when you schedule your nose job revision in NYC that you work with a surgeon who can provide you with your desired results.
Rhinoplasty Specialist
When selecting a surgeon for revision rhinoplasty, it’s essential to choose one who specializes predominantly in revisions. In this field, extensive hands-on experience is unmatched for providing ideal results. Dr. Pearlman, for example, conducts revisions as more than 50% of his regular procedures, working on over 125 revision noses annually.
Because of his deep understanding of the nasal anatomy, colleagues who perform primary rhinoplasty often send him revision rhinoplasty patients. Dr. Pearlman is uniquely qualified to restore the form of the nose while maintaining and even improving function. He uses a variety of innovative techniques, many of which he has published literature on. He even lectures about these techniques at international meetings!
Imaging During the Consultation
For some patients, specifying the changes they want in revision rhinoplasty is straightforward, while for others, it can be more challenging to express.
A key benefit of working with Dr. Pearlman is his use of computer imaging technology. This allows you to visualize the potential outcome of your revision, making it easier to discuss your desired changes.
With the advanced Mirror® 2D system, Dr. Pearlman can illustrate the possible modifications to your nose, helping you envision your future results and see how they will integrate with your other facial features.
What to Expect During Your Consultation
Your revision rhinoplasty consultation is your opportunity to get to know your surgeon and get on the same page about what to expect during your nose job revision.
The Importance of Realistic Expectations
With an initial rhinoplasty, patients are usually excited and hopeful. However, if their first surgery didn’t turn out well, they may become more skeptical and anxious about a revision. They might notice small flaws that weren’t a concern before. It’s important for anyone considering revision surgery to have realistic expectations and communicate clearly with their surgeon about what can be achieved.
During your consultation, Dr. Pearlman will ask about your reasons for seeking your first rhinoplasty. If available, he’ll also want to see photos from before and after your previous surgery. This helps him understand the technique your previous surgeon used.
When you choose to work with Dr. Pearlman, you can be confident that his goals are achievable, his techniques are both reliable and current, and you will receive the highest-quality revision rhinoplasty available.
Notes for Your Nose Revision Recovery
Having already gone through the recovery for your first rhinoplasty, you will have a pretty good idea of what to expect for your nose job revision.
You will still need to plan for a dedicated recovery period after getting your nose job revision in NYC.
The recovery timeline for revision rhinoplasty is like that of primary rhinoplasty. Most patients feel up to working from home by the third day, although you’ll still need to keep your cast on for 8 days, so it might be wise to keep your Zoom camera off!
By the end of the first week, you’ll likely start feeling more like yourself, and most of the bruising should subside by the end of the second week. After surgery, the nasal tissues experience swelling, which can obscure the final shape of the nose. Swelling generally takes time to subside, and it can be months before the full contour of the nose becomes apparent. Full healing after revision rhinoplasty is often longer than primary rhinoplasty
Typically, patients will see about 80% of their final results after 1 month, 90% after 6 months, and 95% after a year. Each person’s healing process is unique. Factors like age, skin type, and overall health can influence how quickly the nose heals and how the final shape develops.
Book Your Nose Job Revision With a Top NYC Surgeon
Even though it’s a small body party, the nose is such a prominent part of the face and, as a sensory organ, is also an important part of how we experience the world. You want to be able to trust the hands performing your surgery.
Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery serves all individuals who feel that the amazing person they are on the inside isn’t matching what they see in the mirror. When we say “We Empower Beauty,” it’s not about reaching a certain aesthetic, but using our expertise to support our patient’s ideal version of themselves.
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.
