What Is A Revision Rhinoplasty?
Revision rhinoplasty is one of the most difficult operations to perform and a plastic surgeon must have extensive experience in treating nasal deformities before operating on patients. Over the last two decades, Dr. Thomas Romo III, the best revision rhinoplasty surgeon in NYC, has performed hundreds of successful revision rhinoplasty surgeries on both men and women using a combination of natural and artificial implant materials.
Revision rhinoplasty, also known as a revision nose job, is a second rhinoplasty following a first (or primary) rhinoplasty. The need for a revision rhinoplasty is usually the result of excess cartilage and bone being removed from the nose during a primary rhinoplasty. As the nose heals following surgery, the nasal skin “shrink-wraps” around the remaining nasal architecture. With a weakened nasal structure, the nose often becomes distorted and misshapen with ski-slope bridges, pinched nasal tips, retracted nostrils and compromised nasal breathing capability. During primary rhinoplasty procedures performed by Dr. Romo, these undesirable outcomes are avoided due to his unique rhinoplasty technique called reduction structured rhinoplasty.
Watch Dr. Romo Discuss Revision Rhinoplasty On THE VIEW
What Results Can A Revision Nose Surgery Achieve?
Revision rhinoplasty may be used to:
- Reshape or resize a primary rhinoplasty that left the nose distorted or misshapen
- Revise a primary rhinoplasty that removed too much cartilage and bone
- Revise a primary rhinoplasty that didn’t or doesn’t now fit with the face
- Revise a primary rhinoplasty that has caused problems, such as breathing difficulties
- Correct a primary rhinoplasty that was performed improperly
Depending on a patient’s needs and desired results, Dr. Romo may also recommend another cosmetic surgery in conjunction with a revision rhinoplasty, such as a chin implant, in order to help balance the facial proportions.
Why Choose Dr. Romo For Your Revision Nose Surgery?
Dr. Romo is a pioneer in the field of rhinoplasty, with extensive experience in performing many different forms of this procedure, including revision rhinoplasty and ethnic rhinoplasty. He also provides rhinoplasty for teenagers.
As revision rhinoplasty is one of the most difficult operations to perform, surgical experience and surgery outcomes are essential factors to consider when selecting your plastic surgeon for this type of procedure. Dr. Romo has performed hundreds of successful revision rhinoplasty surgeries over the past two decades, using a combination of natural and artificial implant materials.
Dr. Romo is currently in the process of working with the world-renowned Karl Storz Instruments to develop his own line of endoscopic instruments for revision rhinoplasty that work with greater precision and provide more natural results with less downtime. Dr. Romo has written numerous books and book chapters on his unique rhinoplasty approach and frequently lectures internationally, teaching his techniques to other surgeons.
How soon after my earlier rhinoplasty can I have a revision performed?
Generally, your nose should be fully healed from the previous surgery. This varies with individual healing rates, but a minimum of six months needs to pass and more likely nine months to a year before you could have a secondary procedure. This is because all swelling needs to resolve and your nose needs to fully settle into its final position and shape. There can be exceptions to this if the revisions need to be made only on the bridge, for instance. This may not require quite as long a timeframe. Dr. Romo will discuss what you can expect during your consultation.
The potential risks of Revision Rhinoplasty
The risks are the same as for your original surgery. These include the risks that come with any surgery: excessive bleeding, poor healing, adverse reactions to the anesthesia, and the like. As with any nose surgery, specific risks are nasal septal perforation, difficulty breathing, skin discoloration, enduring swelling, and a lack of satisfaction with the end result.
Revision rhinoplasty is a challenging surgery, so there is a higher risk of the patient not being satisfied with his or her final result. The experience and expertise of your surgeon is critical for these procedures. That’s why Dr. Romo is sought out for these revision procedures, as he is double board certified and works exclusively on the face, nose, eyelids, brows, and the neck.
Revision Rhinoplasty Before And After
This patient had a revision rhinoplasty with Dr. Thomas Romo.
Candidates For A Revision Nose Job
Patients who have suffered from negative physical effects or emotional effects following a primary rhinoplasty may be good candidates for a revision rhinoplasty / nose job.
Reasons for undergoing a revision rhinoplasty may include:
- Achieve proper balance of the facial features
- Make the face more symmetrical
- Build a better profile
- Achieve a noticeable change in facial silhouette
- Help the patient regain confidence in facial appearance
- Renew breathing ability or fix other nasal complications resulting from a primary rhinoplasty
How Is Cartilage Replaced With A Revision Rhinoplasty?
Dr. Romo utilizes standard techniques for revision rhinoplasty surgery, but also offers newer alternatives to provide needed architectural support. In the traditional approach, natural material, such as ear cartilage or rib cartilage, is used during the reconstruction. If the patient chooses not to use these donor sites, then safe, porous implant material may be used to support the new rhinoplasty instead. The latter approach reduces the post-operative healing period because donor site trauma is eliminated.
Is revision rhinoplasty painful?
Many patients report that this second procedure is less painful than their primary nose surgery. Also, revision surgery sometimes has a shorter recovery period and results in less post-treatment bruising and swelling in comparison with the original procedure.
See What Our Patients Are Saying...
"had a rhinoplasty done about 10 years ago and was never pleased with the results. Both the aesthetic and functionality were horrible. After constant discomfort and insecurity my ENT referred me to Dr. Romo for a revision. He was kind, caring, smart and understood exactly what I was looking for. After a few consultations I booked my date and did the surgery! It has been about a week and I can’t believe how amazing the results are. He gave me the exact look I wanted and I can finally properly breath again! It sucks that I went 10 years being unhappy with my nose, but I am so thankful Dr. Romo was able to help re-correct it."
Revision Rhinoplasty Procedure Overview
Here’s an overview of what you can expect during a revision rhinoplasty procedure:
- The procedure will last from 2‒3 hours, depending on the complexity
- When performed in conjunction with other procedures, the surgery time may vary
- You will be given an anesthetic so you will not feel any pain during the procedure
- You may have some swelling and bruising after the procedure
- Recovery and potential downtime can range from 10‒14 days, although most patients can return to work in about a week
- Scars are minimal and located either within the nose or under the tip of the nose to conceal visibility
What is recovery like after Revision Rhinoplasty?
Recovery from this procedure is basically the same as with your primary rhinoplasty, so you’ll be familiar with what to expect. If the structure of your nose had to be rebuilt, your recovery will be a little more delicate, and you’ll need to be especially careful to avoid bumping your nose for the first few weeks. You’ll also have a minor secondary recovery from where the graft cartilage was harvested.
Generally, when your surgery is complete, Dr. Romo will place a splint on your nose to protect its new shape. The splint will come off in about one week, but your face will feel puffy and there will be swelling all around your eyes and nose. We’ll provide a cold compress and its diligent use will help with your swelling. For the first few days after your surgery, you’ll need to keep your head elevated and as still as possible. Obviously, blowing your nose is out of the question. It will take from 10 to 14 days for the majority of the swelling and bruising to run its course. If you wear glasses, they will need to be taped to your forehead for up to seven weeks to alleviate any weight on your new nose. Strenuous exercise or heavy lifting will have to wait for at least one month.
Full recovery is typically faster than with primary rhinoplasty procedures.
The kind of results you can expect from revision rhinoplasties
As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Romo has performed hundreds of these procedures for patients unsatisfied with a prior nose surgery. His cutting-edge surgical techniques and innovations help to ensure you’ll be satisfied with your revision surgery. Still, these are truly complicated procedures, and the patient needs to have realistic expectations of what can and cannot be achieved. During your consultation with Dr. Romo, he will discuss these with you.
Can a revisional rhinoplasty be combined with other procedures?
Other procedures can be combined with your revision rhinoplasty. In some cases, Dr. Romo may recommend an additional procedure to create better balance in the face.
Patients opt to have eyelid surgery, a brow lift, and various types of facelifts in combination with their nose surgery. Of course, this will make recovery more involved, but you will only have a single recovery instead of two separate recoveries.
If you’re interested in combining procedures, discuss your goals with Dr. Romo during your consultation.
Where Can I Find The Best Revision Rhinoplasty Surgeon In NYC?
Thomas Romo III, MD, FACS is one of the most experienced and respected plastic surgeons for revision rhinoplasty in the world, known for his meticulous minimally invasive surgical techniques and for achieving natural-looking results with a shorter recovery period. As a world-renowned innovator in surgical methods as well as an inventor of new endoscopic instruments for facial surgery, Dr. Romo’s practice draws patients from New York City, across the United States, and internationally for all of their surgical and non-surgical facial cosmetic needs.
Schedule A Consultation
If you are interested in learning more about revision rhinoplasty, rhinoplasty, ethnic rhinoplasty, rhinoplasty for children, or other procedures Dr. Romo offers, call our office today at 212-288-1500. You can also schedule a consultation with Dr. Romo by filling out our appointment request form. You deserve to look and feel your best, so don’t hesitate to contact us today!
