Revision rhinoplasty is when additional surgery on the nose is needed to repair a poorly performed surgery, correct an irregularity that was caused by a prior surgery, or hide scars from a past rhinoplasty full article.

The following factors are important in guiding revision rhinoplasty:

1. The nose as it looks today
2. What is the issue/problem that needs to addressed/repaired?
3. What is the scarring from previous surgery?
4. Mental state of patient who requests revisions. Is he/she a perfectionist or a surgery addict, or is there any other psychological imbalance that would justify an unjustified surgical request?
5. Can the problem be corrected?

If these factors are all in place, a patient not satisfied with the first rhinoplasty will request a second one from the surgeon who did the primary rhinoplasty. Or she may choose a surgeon specializing in revision rhinoplasty. It is important to ask relevant questions to any surgeon offering to perform this procedure. A revision rhinoplasty specialist is highly trained and has a special interest in the area. It is rare that a nose is beyond repair. However, it’s important to understand the motivation of the patient who wants multiple surgeries.

According to a statistical analysis, 17% of all primary rhinoplasty surgery in the United States requires revision rhinoplasty. It is important to know that in a majority of cases, the cause of revision rhinoplasty is a small bump or irregularity. These are usually done as outpatient procedures and at a low cost. Rarely, unless there is a problem, does a patient need extensive revision work. The majority of “clean-up” cases result from the rare case where the patient has damaged the nose by accident after surgery. This can be caused by a fall, a bump on the nose, or other trauma.

It is rare, but some patients decide after rhinoplasty their nose now looks too small. This was not due to the doctor’s fault. Instead, it was their request for changes. In such cases, revisionary surgeons may add tissue, expand the nostrils, stretch the cartilage, and increase the size of the nose so that it fits the face better. There are almost no conditions of the nose which cannot be repaired, improved or fixed. Some patients ask for revision rhinoplasty when they want a specific “look” in their new nose. Patients bring in photos of celebrities or historical figures and ask for a nose that is identical to what they see in the picture. Even when computer imaging doesn’t justify the look, they still demand to look like their favorite celebrity. Sometimes the final result does not look right on them. They seek a revision rhinoplastic surgeon who is trained to restore their nose to its original condition. It is not uncommon for patients to get exactly what they want and then change their mind.