Revision rhinoplasty before & after photos
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Revision Rhinoplasty Recovery

I had Revision Rhinoplasty 12 weeks ago. At least 3 times a week, my nose from the bridge to the tip turns red and then the color disappears a couple hours later. My surgeon took cartilage from the bridge to build up the tip, where it had formed a dent. It is still very swollen and the bridge still hurts at times. Does revision take longer to heal? Thank you.

Asked 32 months ago by Kate in Chi Town in Illinois

Read my review "Revision Rhinoplasty to Build Nose Tip and Fix Hump"

Sort 16 expert answers by:
+1

Does Revision Rhinoplasty take longer to recover?

Yes, Revision Rhinoplasty does take longer, than Primary Rhinoplasty, to recover beacuse of scarring and previously disrupted nasal tisse. The nose should not be any shade or red or purole which might indicate inflammation or infection, of the grafting material, IMHO. You might want to have this discussion with your Rhinoplasty surgeon.
Francis R. Palmer, III, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+4

Revision Rhinoplasty Recovery

Absolutely. You will find that the text book answer of one year very much holds true for revision surgery. There is truly nothing you can do to speed up the process besides time and patience. The good news is that you will have a full 12 months for these issues to resolve and improve. And they will! Hang in there.
Shepherd G. Pryor, MD
Scottsdale Facial Plastic Surgeon
+3

Recovery After Revision Rhinoplasty Can Take Longer

Recovery after a revision rhinoplasty can take longer than the after the first surgery. Generally, the nose will be more swollen and the swelling will persist longer. It is not uncommon for patients to have slight discoloration of their skin after a secondary (revision) surgery because the skin has been traumatized by the multiple surgeries. Fortunately, with time these problems should resolve. Visit with your surgeon so he or she can reassure you that what you are experiencing is normal for... more
C. Spencer Cochran, MD
Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Revision Rhinoplasty - Prolonged Healing Time

There is no one standard Revision Rhinoplasty and therefore there is no one standard Healing Time. However, the addition of grafting material does seem, at least in my opinion, to cause more prolonged firmness in the tip. The more heavily scarred the nose is - the more prolonged the swelling is as well. Some primary Rhinoplasty patients take longer to clear swelling than other secondary Rhinoplasty patients so there is not always a clear correlation between the number of surgeries and... more
Jon F. Harrell, DO
Miami Plastic Surgeon
+2

Is recovery longer after revision Rhinoplasty?

Yes, recovery is often longer after revision Rhinoplasty. The surgical area is no longer natural and untouched. The surgery is more difficult and often complex. Skin color changes are common and usually resolve with time.
Oakley Smith, MD
Toronto Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Revision Rhinoplasty Healing Time

This is not an unusual occurrence after revision rhinoplasty, due to changes in the skin- it seems to be associated more commonly with cold temperatures although this varies. In general, you need to give things at least 3 to 6 months before expecting this to moderately improve, and there are laser treatments that can help.
Jeffrey S. Epstein, MD
Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Revisions take a lot longer to heal

One of the most difficult things when counseling revision rhinoplasty patients is setting appropriate expectations. I especially emphasize with my patients that revisions will take a much longer time to settle, contract, and take on the final nasal appearance. While we commonly cite a one-year time-frame for primary rhinoplasty (i.e., the initial rhinoplasty), revisions can easily take 18 months to two years...or longer...in many patients for healing to be essentially done. This prolonged... more
David C. Pearson, MD
Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Recovery after a revsion rhinolpasty

Recovery after a revision rhinoplasty can take up to one year or longer. At 12 weeks you are still very early i the healing process. Hang in there and give the nose some more time to heal.
Gary Motykie, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

SECONDARY RHINOPLASTY HEALING

Secondary rhinoplasty takes longer to heal. you will experience longer lasting swelling. so be patient for the improved look to appear. dr cordoba AESTHETICA MD 4055 Ste. Catherine Ouest Suite 100 Montreal, Quebec Canada H3Z 3J8  
Carlos Cordoba, MD
Montreal Plastic Surgeon
+1

Revision Rhinoplasty Recovery -- It Takes A Long Time!

The hardest part of revision nose surgery for both the surgeon and patient may be the wait. It takes a long time to start seeing a stable result, usually 1 to 2 years. Be patient. Communicate your concerns with your surgeon.
Anand D. Patel, MD
Austin Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Recovery after revision rhinoplasty

Revision rhinoplasty does take longer to heal and swelling may persist for months.  This should not deter you from surgery as recovery is generally quick. 
Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Revision Rhinoplasty Recovery

Yes, all revision rhinoplasties take longer to heal than primary rhinoplasties. The intermittent erythema (redness) you are experiencing is from two problems.....first your nasal skin is very labile and easily irritated because of the multiple rhinoplasties you have undergone and second any graft material that has been placed in the nose subsequently may be creating areas of increased stress and pressuure on the skin which shows up as periodic erythema (redness).
Richard Galitz, MD
Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Recovery & Healing after Revision Rhinoplasty

As other plastic surgeons have already stated, revision rhinoplasty surgery generally takes longer to heal and to recovery from than the initial rhinoplasty surgery. Revision rhinoplasty deals with scar tissue and takes longer to perform. However, revision procedures vary greatly just like the initial rhinoplasty. Revision rhinoplasty surgery may be minor or major. Minor procedures don't have the longer recovery time.
Houtan Chaboki, MD
Washington DC Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Revision rhinoplasty can take longer to heal

Healing after primary rhinoplasty can be quick as shown on the link below.  Revision can take longer to heal especially if the quality of the skin is compromised or if there was need for major grafting.  Of course there are other reasons for pain and redness and you should consult with your surgeon.
Sam Naficy, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Recovery after Revision Rhinoplasty

Recovery after a revision rhinoplasty always takes longer, especially when grafts are necessary. The variations in skin color are part of the healing process. Do not massage the nasal skin trying to reduce the swelling; this will only make things worse. You will probably see improvement and refinement over the next year.
Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Healing after Rhinoplasty revision

Dear Kate Revision rhinoplasty takes longer to heal than primary rhinoplasty. There are several reasons for this including the amount of scar tissue built up from the first rhinoplasty, the probability that the surgery was done open which takes longer for the swelling to go down, and possibly more extensive work was needed to correct the deformity. As long as there is no infection or shift in the graft I would tell you to be patient. The amount of swelling will vary day to day and sometimes... more
Steven Schuster, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
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