Is a third rhinoplasty an option? (Photo)

Question

I had a rhino at age 20. Love it at first but then it went wonky. I had a second with the aim to fix the assymetry. But he actually built my bridge up with stuff from my nose and head. He said prior my tip was bulbous but it is even more bulbous now. A lot. My nose is wide and large. larger than my original. I’m more self conscious now than ever. Is a third surgery an option? over a year since my second surgery. I also have a chin implant which has made My chin quite a bit wider

Evan Ransom, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for the photos and for sharing your story. I'm very sorry to hear that you have had such a difficult experience. Reviewing your photos, it appears that the tip of the nose is a bit asymmetric and that the tip cartilages are more vertically oriented than is desirable. In addition, the chin implant appears to be a bit large for your face. I would recommend seeing a few specialists who perform mostly rhinoplasty. The difficulty in a third surgery is not so much conceptual as it is technical -- the tissue will be difficult to work with and less forgiving, owing to the prior surgeries. Lastly, you must remember that the healing process from a third surgery could be quite prolonged. Swelling and settling of the tip of the nose can be unpredictable and you may not see your desired improvements, even with a well-performed surgery, for 18 months or more. I wish you the best of luck. Take care.

Pedram Imani, MBBS(Hons), MS(Hons), FRACS(ORLHNS) · Answer

Its unfortunate that your original rhinoplasty was suboptimal.  In general if the nose in total, that is the whole structure including the septum is not addressed then the nose will tend to revert to the original shape or be wonky as you put it.  Your second surgeon may have used cartilage and fascia to correct these deformities which has led to a thickened skin and you still have a nose that you don't like.  At this point only a thorough consultation and examination will be able to assess the possible outcomes after surgery.  In essence revision surgery is feasible however, depending on the thickness of the skin, the final out come will vary.  There are many factors which will determine the final outcome and your rhinoplasty specialist will address these.  Hope this is helpful.

Peter Callan, MBBS, FRACS, MBA · Answer

Yes another rhinoplasty is possible, but you must be aware of the challenges for the surgeon.  Your current issues seem to relate mainly to the configuration (ie shape) of the tip.  The underlying cartilages are not shaped to achieve an aesthetically normal tip. This can be corrected as well as the other issues you mention.The challenges involve the quality of the skin after two previous rhinoplasties and how it will respond to being reshaped, and the presence or absence of suitable materials (cartilage mostly) to rebuild your nose. These challenges can be overcome by using eg rib cartilage if necessary. The final issue relates to the healing process and the slightly higher risk of infection with secondary rhinoplasty.  Again all of this can be planned to minimise risk if you are in experienced hands.This will be a partnership between you and your surgeon. I hope this helps.

Darryl J. Hodgkinson, MD, FACS, FRCSC (retired) · Answer

Thank you for the various views of your nose now.At a year post operative the result from operation 2 is probably stable meaning it won't change much now.So what to do -likely you should consult the original surgeon and carefully review where you started from and what were the expectations.There comes a point when you will need to perhaps seek the opinion of a very experienced surgeon who performs many secondary rhinoplasties and see after they examine you what they suggest.

Is a third rhinoplasty an option? (Photo)

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Answer: Third rhinoplasty an option

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Is a third rhinoplasty an option? (Photo)

Answers (4)

Answer: Third rhinoplasty an option

Answer: Third rhinoplasty an option

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Everything you need to know about Revision Rhinoplasty

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