Is my surgeon not telling me something went wrong with my rhinoplasty? (Photos)

Question

I’m unhappy with my rhinoplasty as my tip is larger than before and now super hard. My surgeon shows me photos during the surgery and I can see that there is a plastic looking implant in the tip area. He brushes over it quickly and doesn’t bring any attention to it. My nose was not that big and only needed minor changes. Is that standard procedure to add that in, I didn’t ask for any implants, has he made a mistake and put it in last minute?

George Bitar, MD · Answer

Without more information, it is difficult to come to any conclusions.  The tip may be harder and larger because you are still recovering from surgery.  I encourage my patients to not make any judgements about their nose until at least one year after surgery to allow all the swelling to go away and the scar tissue to soften.  Without before and after photos, it would be difficult to assess how your nose changed because of the rhinoplasty surgery.  From your limited photos, it does appear that the hump was decreased, but I cannot assess the tip without more views.  Finally, only your surgeon would know what happened in the operating room.  He may have used cartilage to place on your tip to make it stand out more.  Cartilage can have a pearly white appearance that can mimic plastic.  A firmer piece of cartilage also may make the nose feel harder.  I would recommend talking with your surgeon about your concerns.

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Thank you for posting your question. Rhinoplasty procedures are very complex and do not always turn out how patients expect, sometimes due to the surgeon and sometimes due to the healing process. You may be able to request your surgery records and documentation to seek a second opinion from an experienced board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Some of the hardness or swelling may resolve if you are in the early stages of recovery. You can work with a surgeon to track your progress and determine if revision rhinoplasty is right for you. In this case, finding a surgeon with successful revision procedures is essential.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Thanks for the question/s and posting your photos. There are a few issues being presented in this case. 
First, cosmetic surgery result can never be predicted. Thus if unhappy, plan on possible revision rhinoplasty to the tip. BTW I agree with you needing tip revision. Discuss with your chosen surgeon if revision rhinoplasty has fees and what are those fees. Or seek other surgeon. But expect to pay a fee. Second is the use of computer imagery. There is NEVER an implied guarantee to results from this technique. It is a "fools" game if you thought you would look as predicted. It is to give just an idea of possible outcomes. I STOPPED using this tool years ago. It was originally advertised as a way to convince patients to do surgery. it is a failure, a scam in my opinion. Third, best to seek multiple second opinions from only boarded surgeons via in person or virtual consults..... Good Luck.

Robert Ciardullo, MD · Answer

Large hard nasal tip post rhinoplasty: you did not mention how long after surgery you are. In the early postop period, the combination of swelling and scar tissue build up particularly in the tip area can be quite prominent. This can make the tip feel hard and rubbery and look large. If you are within the first few months following surgery this is probably The cause. In some cases grafts are added to the tip using a patient’s own cartilage. This can contribute to the hard swollen look. People who have open Rhinoplasties tend to have more scar tissue and swelling buildup in the tip area than those who have closed rhinoplasty. in any event it is not common to put foreign materials as implants into the tip during a routine rhinoplasty. Sometimes Silastic implants are used to build up the tip and bridge in non-Caucasian noses. But I doubt this was used in you,. but only you a surgeon knows and can answer that question for certain.

Is my surgeon not telling me something went wrong with my rhinoplasty? (Photos)

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Is my surgeon not telling me something went wrong with my rhinoplasty? (Photos)

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Answer: Large hard nasal tip post rhinoplasty:

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Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.