If your primary nasal reshaping did not go as you had hoped, proceed carefully when choosing a secondary rhinoplasty specialist to correct the problems from your first operation. You certainly don’t want to waste more time, money and anguish on another less-than-wonderful rhinoplasty result.
Although you would probably love to have your initial rhinoplasty repaired or improved upon right away, invest some time in research to find the best surgeon for you. Choose a true secondary rhinoplasty specialist.
Any delay that comes about from your thorough research and meetings with prospective secondary rhinoplasty surgeons will be to your benefit in the long run. When you find an expert revision rhinoplasty surgeon who is just the right surgeon for you, you’ll be glad you took your time.
When It Comes to Fixing a Bad Nose Job, Not Just Any NJ Plastic Surgeon Will Do
When you had your primary nose job, no one can blame you if you assumed that any surgeon in practice who said they do rhinoplasty would be a fine choice to fix your nose.
Unfortunately, there is no substitute for experience in a complex surgery like rhinoplasty, which just happens to show its results right in the middle of your face. There’s no hiding a bad rhinoplasty outcome. In most cases, you emerge from your healing process very disappointed, if not feeling completely disfigured.
Some of the luckier revision rhinoplasty candidates are those who feel that not much changed after their initial rhinoplasty—meaning their reason for having the nose job was never fixed. Having gone through a facial plastic surgery and seeing little result is very frustrating.
Maybe that bump you wanted rid of is still there or your nose is still off center or too large or you still have breathing problems. That’s bad enough. And even worse than seeing very little change after initial rhinoplasty, is when you end up with additional aesthetic or functional problems caused by the primary nasal surgery.
Secondary Rhinoplasty Requires an Expert Surgeon
The good news is, surgeons who specialize in secondary rhinoplasty are some of the best plastic surgeons out there. Revision rhinoplasty is something that many plastic surgeons won’t touch. They will refer you out to a NJ revision rhinoplasty specialist.
Even more frustrating are those surgeons who don’t see what you’re complaining about. That’s why in many cases, patients with a failed primary rhinoplasty seek out a new surgeon—ideally a true expert in revision rhinoplasty with years of experience in reconstructive surgery.
So there is a bright side if your initial surgeon refuses to do your secondary or corrective nasal surgery – it may be that they are incapable of repairing your nose. If that is the case, you’d rather spend some time finding an expert, right?
You’ll be pleased to know that secondary rhinoplasty has an excellent satisfaction rating from most patients. That is precisely because an expert will likely be performing any corrective surgery. Any type of surgery becomes exponentially more complicated when the same body part is operated on more than once.
But when that body part is the intricate nasal area, meticulous surgical technique and excellent medical judgment are crucial for success. Because rhinoplasty outcomes are incredibly technique dependent, achieving predictable, consistently good results requires a surgeon with years of intensive surgical experience focused on the nose.
What Makes Secondary Rhinoplasty So Complex?
Nasal surgery, especially a secondary surgery, is complex for many reasons – beyond the fact that the results show up in 3D in the center of your face. The structure of the nose and nasal passages is delicate and the septum between the two nostrils can be easily damaged.
The nose’s structure typically needs shoring up in the secondary rhinoplasty procedure and cartilage grafts from elsewhere on the body are often needed. Successfully strengthening a previously-operated nose requires in-depth anatomical knowledge and attention to detail.
An expert rhinoplasty surgeon must understand the aesthetic component of nasal surgery as well as all the functional details associated with nasal anatomy. If you choose your NJ revision rhinoplasty surgeon carefully, and get one who excels on both fronts, your nose will look great and you’ll be able to breathe freely. Be sure to seek out and verify the very best credentials for your secondary rhinoplasty surgeon.
How to Find a Secondary Rhinoplasty Specialist in New Jersey
Start online. After you have located a surgeon with 10-plus years of experience in nasal reconstructive surgery and plastic surgery, who is board certified in general surgery and plastic surgery, find out if they have privileges at a locally well-known hospital, like Hackensack University Medical Center.
Then schedule a consultation with the surgeon. Ask about his or her recent experience and, if possible, talk to a revision rhinoplasty patient. You should at least look at and discuss photos of the surgeon’s work in cases similar to yours.
After Online Research, Meet With Surgeons to Find the Right Partner
Discussing your case and the strategy to fix your nose in detail will help you gauge the expertise, honesty and dedication of your NJ surgeon. You will get a sense of whether you trust him or her—that is the last piece of the puzzle. You need to find a secondary rhinoplasty specialist that looks good on paper (or online) with great credentials, experience, etc.
Then, from among the experts, choose the secondary rhinoplasty specialist that you feel comfortable with. Choose the surgeon who takes the time to delve into your case and partner with you for the best results possible.
Make sure that the surgeon asks about your goals, takes an interest in what you want and need and makes a plan to attain those goals. Ask your surgeon these questions during your consultation and make a note of any questions you would like to add to the list:
- How many secondary rhinoplasty procedures have you performed in the last year? How many have you done in your career?
- Are you a reconstructive surgeon?
- What’s wrong with my nose?
- What is your complication rate? Which complication is most common with secondary rhinoplasty in my situation? What is the plan if something goes wrong?
- How can we decrease my surgical risks?
- Can I expect a smaller nose after healing from the secondary nasal surgery? (Or a straighter nose or less bumpy, narrower, etc.)
- Am I a good candidate for secondary rhinoplasty?
- Where will my surgery be performed?
- What type of anesthesia is needed? Who is your anesthesiologist?
- Will I have a scar? (Open rhinoplasty requires an incision)
- What are the advantages to performing the open (or closed) rhinoplasty revision surgery that you recommend?
- How much time should I take off work or school?
- Add your questions here.
Finding the Genuine Article: The Perfect Combination of Expertise and Dedication
Don’t choose a yes-man or woman who says whatever you want to hear. You need a northern NJ surgeon who will be honest if, in his or her professional opinion, your goal for your nose job is unrealistic in any way. That’s how you avoid negative surprises.
It’s also not a good idea to go with a surgeon who skimps on details. This could mean that they don’t really have a plan to achieve the goals you have in mind or they don’t respect you enough to take the time to explain surgical strategy and discuss your case in detail. Those are bad signs.
Remember to hold out until you find the best surgeon for you. Remember that stellar credentials (looking good on paper) are essential – but not enough. You also need the trust factor. You must feel confident in the secondary rhinoplasty specialist who is going to perform your revision rhinoplasty surgery. Trust your gut on this part.
When you are ready to discuss your surgery with a secondary rhinoplasty specialist here in the Bergen County area, contact Cohen/Winters Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery for a complimentary consultation.
