{"id":23766,"date":"2022-10-31T10:49:05","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T17:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=23766"},"modified":"2023-10-12T11:56:24","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T18:56:24","slug":"rhinoplasty-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/rhinoplasty-risks","title":{"rendered":"The 6 Biggest Rhinoplasty Risks, According to Plastic Surgeons"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the world of plastic surgery, rhinoplasty<\/a> reigns supreme. According to the American Academy of Facial and Plastic Surgeons<\/a>, it was the most performed facial procedure in 2021, surpassing facelifts<\/a> and blepharoplasties<\/a>. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ most recent findings<\/a> show that it’s more popular than any<\/em> other cosmetic surgery, on the face or body. <\/p>

Given the popularity of the nose job, it’s reassuring to know that it’s generally fairly complication-free. While no cosmetic procedure is without some level of risk, rhinoplasties are extremely safe, says Dr. Dara Liotta<\/a>, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in New York City. In fact, a 2020 study<\/a> found the incidence of major complications to be only 0.7%. As compared to other surgeries, “rhinoplasties are much quicker, you’re not putting in any type of foreign implant, there’s no large area being dissected, and the patient population tends to be much younger,” Dr. Liotta says. All of these things mean that the classic risks associated with plastic surgery—infection, anesthesia<\/a> complications, bleeding—are lessened, she explains. In fact, most of the rhinoplasty-specific risks are really more annoyances than actual dangers, with one notable exception.<\/p>

Ahead, top plastic surgeons explain the six most common rhinoplasty risks.<\/p>

Rhinoplasty risk #1: nosebleeds, aka epistaxis<\/h2>

“When patients ask me about potential risks, this is the number one thing I talk about. It’s not common, but it is very dangerous, and the only real emergency complication I worry about,” says Dr. Liotta. This isn’t the same type of post-op bleeding that’s a concern with other surgeries; in those instances, you’re worried about bleeding into a closed space, causing something such as a hematoma, she notes. This is a full-on, gushing nosebleed that tends to happen 24 to 72 hours after surgery. While some bleeding afterward is normal and expected, this is excessive bleeding—we’re talking cups of blood—that doesn’t stop.  <\/p>

The doctors we spoke with cite the likelihood of this happening to be anywhere from 1% to 3%, but it’s very patient-dependent. Those with preexisting bleeding disorders, those who bruise or bleed easily, and those who take certain medications or supplements<\/a> are at a higher risk of epistaxis, says Dr. Anil Shah<\/a>, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Chicago. “I’ve been performing 5 to 15 nose jobs per week since 2012. In that time, I’ve had three patients experience serious nosebleeds, all of whom had an underlying bleeding disorder,” notes Dr. Liotta.<\/p>

Should this occur, you need to seek medical attention immediately. Treatment depends on the severity; light to medium packing for one to four days is common, says Dr. Shah. On occasion, the patient may need to be anesthetized so that an endoscope can be inserted, to see where the bleeding is coming from, and heat cauterization may have to be used to stop it, Dr. Liotta adds.<\/p>

Interested in rhinoplasty?<\/small><\/div>Find Doctors Near You<\/a><\/div>

Rhinoplasty risk #2: septal perforation<\/h2>

As the name suggests, this occurs when a hole develops in the septum after a septoplasty<\/a> (which is often performed at the same time as a rhinoplasty), says New York City board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Richard Westreich<\/a>, who adds that studies show the incidence of this to be 1% to 5%. It’s rare that the hole is big enough to cause an issue, but if it is, it typically manifests three to six months after surgery, when patients start having trouble breathing, their nose is dry and crusty, or they start experiencing nosebleeds, says Dr. Liotta. A history of trauma to the nose, past surgeries, having a severely deviated septum, and intranasal drug use before or after surgery can all increase the likelihood of this happening, she adds. It can be fixed with a second surgery, although most perforations don’t require surgical intervention, Dr. Westreich says. Dr. Liotta agrees: “It’s not dangerous, it’s not a rapidly progressing issue, it’s more of an annoyance.”  <\/p>

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