”Today I wanted to address a couple of questions that come up with revision patients in rhinoplasty. People have come to me, which are probably about half of my rhinoplasty practice now are patients who’ve had previous rhinoplasties and are unhappy with the results for one reason or another. Usually it has to do with the nose not being perfectly straight or some irregularity or deformity, sometimes it’s actually quite severe, the problems that they’re presenting with, but in most cases the idea with revision rhinoplasty is to improve just like the primary rhinoplasty the balance and symmetry of the nose.
A lot of patients ask, well in revision rhinoplasty is it any different in terms of recovery and when can I expect to see the final result on my nose, or at least get a good idea of what the final result would be, and in general that final result is achieved really within a year to 18-months.
Revisions take longer to get that final result but within a couple of weeks when we take the cast off and most of the swelling is down and I say most I mean 80% or so the swelling is down you’ll have a good idea of the general shape and form of your nose. Now it doesn’t mean it’s the final result because ensuing months or two after surgery there’ll be days where the tip is a little more swollen or some area of the grid or the dorsum of the nose are more swollen but in general within a couple of weeks you can see the general form and shape of your nose and then the final results we see at a year to 18-months after the surgery.
So the summary of this, if you look at revision rhinoplasty is specifically not primary rhinoplasty which heals a little faster, is that you should be able to see the general shape and form of your nose within a couple of weeks after the surgery, still swollen but that’s general shape and form and then within a year after your surgery you’re very close sometimes up to 18-months but again that year to 18-months are subtle little irregularities not dramatic changes when I say irregularities still a little bit of tip swelling might be there or pre-tips swelling, these areas around the tip of the nose are the last to heal.
If you have any other questions about revision rhinoplasty, concerns or even want to talk about revising your nose if you have an unfavorable result, certainly you’re welcome to write me at DrMass.com, you can call our office here at 415-567-7000 or visit our website at DrMass.com and submit your pictures if you want, we can talk about them online. This is Corey S. Maas MDTM on Looking Your Best.”
