How Many Nose Surgeries Can I Safely Have?

Hi secret,

In general, the more surgery you have on your nose, the more unpredictable the results.  The nasal skin and soft tissue thins with further procedures and the blood supply can be compromised.  I would caution you to avoid further surgery if at all possible.  You should seek consultation with an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon and have a frank discussion about what benefits and complications you may expect from revision surgery.

Good luck!

How Many Nose Surgeries Can I Safely Have?
I already went three times under the knife and I’m still not satisfied with the result. One Rhinoplasty and after one year I had a revision, then after another year I had a major revision – in which I stayed 3 hours in the surgery room.

I always tell patients that the more nose surgeries you have the less likely that you will have an optimal final result.  It is more difficult to obtain a great result the 3rd or 4th time than it is the first surgery.  I would say look at your nose carefully and determine how unhappy you are with what you see.  If it is that big of an issue, then you need to see someone that strictly specializes in secondary rhinoplasty.

Good luck.

When deciding whether it is "safe" to undergo revision surgery, there are two aspects that need to be considered. The first, and easier, question is your general health. Unless you have significant medical issues, your anesthetic risk should not be an problem. The second, and more difficult question, is the blood supply to the area. Your surgeon needs to evaluate how well the tissues have healed and the tissue quality. Also, if you have had two revisions already, you may need a different surgical technique (such as ear or rib grafts) to get a stable result. Talk to your surgeon about these options. Good luck

A word of caution on revision rhinoplasty.  Having more than one revision and now after two, I imagine the soft tissue envelope has thinned out quite a bit.  I would caution against more revisions.

It all depends on what needs to be done.  If there are no obvious or underlying deformities or problems the answer is none.  If the problem you have is not amenable to surgery or you are not in good physical health, again the answer is none.

Rhinoplasty is a difficult surgery, and even in the best of hands may require revisions.

Before undergoing your next surgery, should you be looking for one, make sure you obtain a second opinion before committing yourself.

Bring along your operative reports so that the next surgeon you see can get an idea as to what has been done up until now.

Keep in mind that if after each surgery there have been improvements and you have a good rapport with your surgeon, return to see your doctor and ask if the things that are still bothering you can be corrected or not.  If your plastic surgeon can't correct the problem, ask if you can be referred to a colleague that they think can fix your concerns.

I hope this orients you in the right direction

Dr. Carlos Cordoba
MDCM, CSPQ, FRCS, FACS
Plastic & Esthetic Surgeon
4055 Ste-Catherine O. Suite 100
Montreal, QC. Canada H3Z 3J8
514-932-7667