If a revision rhinoplasty becomes necessary in your life, you’re of course looking for the very best surgeon to perform it.
In your eagerness to get your nose fixed ASAP, you might head straight to NYC for revision rhinoplasty, assuming you’ll find the best surgeon there. After all, NYC is the big time, right?
That may be true in terms of Broadway, but when you’re talking about medicine and surgery, the real answer is–not necessarily.
You can’t depend upon finding the best rhinoplasty surgeon just because he or she is located in NYC and has the highest fees. In fact, there are compelling reasons to do revision rhinoplasty outside of NYC.
Finding the Right Surgeon for Revision Rhinoplasty: There is No Shortcut
Your choice of plastic surgeon takes on even greater importance in a revision case, where you’ve had a prior rhinoplasty that did not turn out as you had hoped and planned. This time, it has to be done even more meticulously with even greater attention to detail and with more experienced judgment . You certainly don’t want to risk your health, waste more time in recovery and spend more money only to be disappointed once again.
Although you may be impatient to have your nose fixed, don’t leap before you look by choosing an NYC surgeon. That won’t guarantee a good result from your revision rhinoplasty. It’s tempting to take a shortcut and perhaps save some time, avoiding lengthy research, but it’s not a good idea. When it comes to finding a surgeon you can trust, you may do even better by heading a little south of NYC.
Revision Rhinoplasty in NYC: Could it be a Mistake?
If you’re thinking about NYC for revision rhinoplasty, also ask yourself:
- Will you get individual attention to your needs and concerns? Revision rhinoplasty can be complex, because it involves working with bone and tissue that has been previously manipulated. To avoid surgical complications and to get a successful result this time, you need a skilled and experienced rhinoplasty specialist. You must also find a surgeon who takes an interest in your case and your unique goals for your revision rhinoplasty. There is no substitute for skill and experience, but dedication is equally important.
- Could speed compromise quality? NYC is famous for the hustle-bustle and constant rush of city life. It can be very exciting. But these are not good qualities if you’re considering surgery. Surgeons who are drawn to practice in NYC are typically not the “take-it-slowly-and-carefully” type. And honestly, these surgeons may be forced to rush, because it’s expensive to practice medicine in NY and especially Manhattan—there’s a lot of overhead. What you need is just the opposite: a careful, considered approach. Choose a highly skilled surgeon who will take time with your and focus on you and your specific case—in nearby northern NJ.
- Will you get a revision rhinoplasty surgery that is carefully planned just for you? NYC plastic surgeons may need to see a large number of patients per day and may be under more pressure to get many surgeries booked and done. Surgeons trained many years ago or only in closed rhinoplasty techniques might give you more of a generic nose job. Some surgeons may simply use the simplest and most expedient surgical method, rather than the best, when performing your revision rhinoplasty. Choose a surgeon who understands what you want, what you’re concerned about and what’s needed surgically to achieve that result.
- Will the surgeon be prepared for more complex and longer revision surgery? Your NYC surgeon may not allow for the extra surgical time and strategy changes that are sometimes needed to handle a revision rhinoplasty properly. Revision rhinoplasty in particular requires the surgeon to think on his or her feet. A surgeon may encounter a surprise when performing surgery on a nose that has had prior work. Additional surgical strategies and time may be needed to gently and meticulously deal with cartilage grafting or other exacting tasks. Choose a surgeon who specializes in the most complex revision rhinoplasty cases and reconstructive surgeries. This type of surgical experience requires familiarity with a wide variety of surgical techniques–and the willingness to go off schedule to properly complete it.
- Will you be stressed out by the NYC surgery experience? It can be difficult to get around in NYC. You (and your relative or friend who must accompany you on surgery day) may have traffic headaches to deal with along with parking issues. You may have a long elevator ride and a long walk through a crowd to your car after surgery, bandages and all. NYC can be stressful on an average day—do you really need all this stress on surgery day? Or for your follow up visits? You might want to consider a top-notch surgeon not located in the center of a major metropolis. Consider choosing a rhinoplasty specialist conveniently nearby, in Bergen County, NJ.
Your Revision Rhinoplasty: Who Can You Trust?
Choose a Bergen County, NJ Surgeon With Top-Level Qualifications and Years of Experience
In NJ, you can have a rhinoplasty experience with all the pluses of NYC (like an experienced surgeon) and none of the minuses of NYC (like crowds and fast-paced frenzy). Bergen County is in and near large metro areas, so surgeons here get just as much experience as those in NYC.
At Cohen/Winters, our history of successful revision rhinoplasties stretches back 15 years. I dedicate a large portion of my practice to reconstructive and revision rhinoplasties. After a short examination of your nose during your consultation, I can typically assess just what resulted in the original surgery disappointing you.
Choose a Surgeon with a State-of-the-Art Surgery Center Right Next Door
You’ll have no stress getting to our surgery center. At Cohen/Winters our procedures are performed in our accredited surgery center adjacent to our offices. No riding in elevators and squeezing through crowds to get there.
The surgery center features the most modern operating suites and private recovery areas, where you are cared for by your surgeon, top anesthesiologists, nurses and medical support staff. The Vanguard Surgery Center has a record of excellence in patient care and safety.
Choose a NJ Surgeon Who Likes People and Understands Aesthetics
Some surgeons are more interested in the technical side of their work. The ideal surgeon for the revision rhinoplasty patient is highly skilled and experienced—but also keenly interested in getting to know you. This is essential as all rhinoplasties must me individualized.
The ideal revision rhinoplasty surgeon enjoys helping you achieve your goals for rhinoplasty, so that you emerge with a look that you are pleased and comfortable with. Be sure to choose a surgeon who is able to understand what you want from your nose job and can explain to you what should be done surgically.
Also choose a surgeon who has a feel for the artistic and aesthetic side of rhinoplasty, over and above their advanced surgical skill. You can get a good sense of this when you meet with the surgeon.
The Trust Test: Questions to Ask Your Plastic Surgeon about Revision Rhinoplasty
If you are considering a revision rhinoplasty, be sure to check for state licensure and board certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery. This is the only board authorized to certify plastic surgeons by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).
When meeting with surgeons you’ve vetted, ask the following questions to help you find the best revision rhinoplasty surgeon for you:
- How many revision rhinoplasty procedures do you perform each year?
- What percentage of your practice is devoted to complex rhinoplasties?
- What is the most common complication you see with revision rhinoplasty surgery?
- What is your total rate of complications?
- What are my options?
- What technique would you use to achieve my goals? Why?
- What type of anesthesia will be used? What are the anesthesiologist’s qualifications?
- Is my follow-up care included in the cost of my revision rhinoplasty?
- Where will my revision rhinoplasty be performed? Verify that the surgical center is accredited.
- Where do you have hospital privileges? Hospitals provide an additional vetting of a surgeon’s competency, even if you are not having surgery at the hospital.
- Will I have a scar following my revision rhinoplasty?
- How long will it take to heal and recover after revision rhinoplasty surgery?
- Add your own questions about revision rhinoplasty to this list.
After your meeting with your NYC or NJ rhinoplasty surgeon, evaluate whether he or she answered your questions clearly.
- Do you get the sense that the surgeon is being honest?
- Are you being rushed to make your decision about revision rhinoplasty surgery?
- Are your needs being respected? Does the surgeon inspire your confidence?
As a good first step to finding the rhinoplasty surgeon you can trust–get some free expert advice. Contact Cohen/Winters, located in Bergen County, NJ, for a no-charge consultation to determine if you’re a good candidate and to get answers to your questions about revision rhinoplasty.
