Summary

• A Revision Rhinoplasty is a secondary procedure, carried out to correct or alter the results of an initial Rhinoplasty
• Patients undergo Revision Rhinoplasty for several medical and aesthetic reasons, including unsatisfactory results, and breathing difficulties
• As Revision Rhinoplasty is more complex than the initial procedure, it is essential to see a Consultant Surgeon with specialist expertise in performing secondary Rhinoplasty
• Cadogan Clinic, London’s team of Consultant ENT and Rhinoplasty surgeons are specialists in performing all types of nose revision surgery

What is a Revision Rhinoplasty?

Revision Rhinoplasty, also known as secondary Rhinoplasty, is a follow-up Rhinoplasty procedure, which adjusts or corrects the results of an initial Rhinoplasty procedure.

Cadogan Clinic, London is a leading tertiary surgical centre with a team of the UK's best Consultant ENT and Rhinoplasty Surgeons delivering the highest standards of Revision Rhinoplasty. We regularly receive referrals from ENT surgeons with complex Rhinoplasty cases with which they require assistance.

Revision Rhinoplasty can be carried out to either correct complications that arose in the original procedure, or to further enhance  results that were not originally achieved.

Depending on the patient’s concerns, Revision Rhinoplasty may be more complex than the initial procedure. Plastic Surgeons may need to use a cartilage or skin graft to provide additional support or to correct irregular scarring. Cartilage and tissue grafts can either be taken directly from the patient during the Revision Rhinoplasty procedure, or may be sourced from a donor.

In some cases, Revision Rhinoplasty will be carried out by the same surgeon who performed the initial procedure. However, for some patients, Revision Rhinoplasty needs to be performed by a different surgeon who has specific knowledge and experience of secondary Rhinoplasty techniques and procedures.

Before a primary Rhinoplasty surgery, it is essential to discuss any potential complications with your surgeon, as well as your personal risk level, to ensure you can make an informed decision. During your consultation, your surgeon will also provide information on the revision process, so that in the unlikely event you do require follow-up surgery, you know what to expect.

Revision Rhinoplasty is any secondary procedure performed to correct or alter the results of an initial Rhinoplasty either by the same surgeon or a revision specialist.

Why Do Patients Have Revision Rhinoplasty?

Patients turn to Revision Rhinoplasty to correct the results of a previous Rhinoplasty surgery. It is important to remember that unsatisfactory results, and complications arising from Rhinoplasty surgery are often out of the surgeon’s control, and concerns can also develop during healing and recovery. During your consultation, for either primary or secondary Rhinoplasty, your surgeon will discuss the realistic expectations of your procedure to ensure you understand what is achievable.

There are several reasons why patients choose to have a Revision Rhinoplasty:

• Nose size or shape affecting the proportions of the face, including known complications such as saddle nose deformity or pollybeak deformity
• The development or worsening of breathing difficulties or sleeping disorders caused by complications such as nasal synechiae or nasal valve collapse
• Cartilage displacement affecting the appearance of the nose or resulting in a deviated septum
• Complications resulting from lack of surgeon experience or surgery performed abroad without comprehensive recovery support

Your surgeon will have an in-depth discussion about your concerns and why you are considering a Revision Rhinoplasty during your consultation to help them to determine whether it is the right treatment for you.

There are several aesthetic and medical reasons that patients choose to undergo a Rhinoplasty revision, including nose shape, breathing concerns and overall disappointing results.

How Common is Revision Rhinoplasty?

Statistics reporting Revision Rhinoplasty rates vary, but current literature suggests that generally speaking, 5-15% of Rhinoplasty procedures require some level of follow-up intervention.

Cadogan Clinic, London maintains an industry-leading revision rate of 0.8% across all surgical procedures.

Revision Rhinoplasty rates are dependent on a number of factors including:

• Surgeon experience: Specialist ENT and Rhinoplasty surgeons typically have lower revision rates due to their specific expertise
• Recovery: The body’s healing response can be unpredictable, resulting in concerns such as excessive scar formation
• Medical history: Concerns such as a highly deviated or unstable septum prior to primary Rhinoplasty are more likely to require revision
• Mismatched interpretations and goals: Miscommunication can cause disagreement between the patient and surgeon in the desired outcomes

Despite a surgeon's best efforts, Revision Rhinoplasty has a higher revision rate than primary Rhinoplasty (no prior nasal surgery). While satisfaction rates following initial Rhinoplasty is typically around 85-90%, this falls to 70-80% after Revision Rhinoplasty. This emphasises the importance of seeing a specialist Consultant ENT and Rhinoplasty Surgeon for any Rhinoplasty revision that you are considering. 

It is important that patients are aware that no ethical Plastic Surgeon can guarantee the outcome of either primary or Revision Rhinoplasty, and that having realistic expectations is essential when considering any Plastic Surgery procedure.

Although overall Revision Rhinoplasty rates can look daunting, it is important to consider the individual revision rates of certain providers and to seek secondary care from a specialist Consultant ENT Surgeon with expertise of your specific concerns.

How Long Do I Need to Wait for Revision Rhinoplasty?

Any patient wishing to undergo a Revision Rhinoplasty should wait until they have completely healed from their last Rhinoplasty. For most patients this means waiting at least a year before undergoing Rhinoplasty revision. Returning for surgery any sooner could cause further, more serious, damage to the nose which could prove very difficult to correct. 

The decision to undergo Revision Rhinoplasty is not one which should be taken lightly, and it is important to discuss every element of your initial surgery and the secondary surgery with your surgeon.

If you have any concerns about the results of your initial Rhinoplasty, you should approach your surgeon to discuss these as soon as possible. This allows your surgeon to provide early intervention, which often does not require surgery, but also to monitor your concerns and prepare for secondary surgery, including referrals to another surgeon if needed. 

In many cases, early concerns following Rhinoplasty resolve on their own throughout recovery and simply require patience and reassurance. However, it is still important to make your surgeon aware so they can offer advice and consider potential further treatment.

In most cases, patients need to wait around 12 months after Rhinoplasty surgery before undergoing any surgical Rhinoplasty revision.

Why is Revision Rhinoplasty Surgery So Complex?

Revision Rhinoplasties are among the most difficult cases aesthetic plastic surgeons face for several reasons:

• Scar tissue: The texture and placement of hardened scar tissue can dramatically alter the anatomy of the nose, making corrections challenging
• Reduced structural integrity: Cases where too much cartilage has been removed from the nose lead to the internal structure of the nose being weaker and harder to work with
• Requirement for grafts: Loss of nasal cartilage can necessitate the use of external grafts
• Surgical unpredictability: During revision surgery, the efficacy and outcomes of standard surgical techniques become less predictable

To undergo any surgery here at the Cadogan Clinic, our expert surgeons must be convinced that you are both physically and psychologically fit and healthy.

Revision Rhinoplasty requires specialist surgical knowledge to manage the specific challenges that arise due to changes in the anatomy following a previous surgery. Although some of these changes, such as scarring, are a standard part of the healing process, they can be unpredictable and hard to plan for, especially in areas with limited visibility, like the inside of the nose.

It is also important to consider that these additional complexities may mean that the cost of Revision Rhinoplasty is higher than the primary procedure.

Revision Rhinoplasty can be an especially complex procedure due to internal scarring, loss of structural strength and the requirement for specialist surgical techniques.

How Long Does Revision Rhinoplasty Take to Heal?

Recovery after Revision Rhinoplasty typically takes slightly longer than after primary Rhinoplasty. You can expect any swelling and bruising to have subsided within 2-3 weeks, and your full recovery should be complete within 8-12 weeks, depending on the extent of your procedure.

Your surgeon will outline your recovery timeline and aftercare instructions as part of your one-to-one consultation at our award-winning clinic, based in Chelsea, London. It is important to follow your surgeon’s recovery instructions to make sure you get the best result from your Revision Rhinoplasty, and minimise the risk of complications. If you have any questions during your recovery period, you will have 24-hour access to our specialist surgical nurses via phone.

When discussing your Revision Rhinoplasty recovery, your surgeon may emphasise that your nose will be especially fragile, meaning that you need to be extra careful following your surgery. This may include taking measures such as sleeping on your back for up to 12 weeks to prevent any physical stress on your nose.

As with primary Rhinoplasty, subtle refinements will continue throughout your recovery period after Revision Rhinoplasty, and your final results may take 12-18 months to be apparent, depending on the extent of surgery required to address your concerns.

Cadogan Clinic provides comprehensive recovery and aftercare following all surgical procedures, including:

• Scheduled post-operative appointments with our specialist surgical nurses and your Consultant Surgeon to monitor your progress
• 24-hour aftercare support via our surgical nurses’ recovery phone line
• All post-operative garments and medication included as standard

Exceptional recovery and aftercare support are crucial in achieving the highest-quality surgical outcomes and ensuring patient safety. Cadogan Clinic maintains a 0.01% surgical infection rate, and 100% of our surgical patients would recommend the clinic to their family and friends.

Revision Rhinoplasty typically involves a longer recovery period than primary Rhinoplasty; however, you will receive comprehensive support from Cadogan Clinic’s expert medical teams.

Will My Revision Rhinoplasty Definitely Be a Success?

No surgeon can ever guarantee that any surgery will be a success. There is always the potential for complications, however slim this chance may be. Revision Rhinoplasty is a complicated surgery, and as a result some surgeons may refuse to carry out this  procedure due to limitations in their own experience, or specific complexities in a patient’s case. It is important to find a Revision Rhinoplasty specialist, who is confident in carrying out this type of surgery and has expert knowledge in this area. Due to the nature of this procedure, it can be difficult to define the overall Revision Rhinoplasty success rate, however, research into Revision Rhinoplasty has shown that the need for further revision procedures drops significantly when secondary surgery is performed by a specialist Consultant Surgeon.

A patient should always have realistic expectations of the outcome of their Revision Rhinoplasty. The results which could potentially be achieved are dependent on various factors, including the existing anatomy of the nose and how much this has been affected by previous Rhinoplasties. 

Several of Cadogan Clinic’s expert Consultant ENT and Rhinoplasty Surgeons use Crysalix 4D imaging technology to show patients how their nose may appear following either primary or Revision Rhinoplasty. This helps patients to visualise their outcomes and manage expectations.

Although it isn’t possible to guarantee the success of Revision Rhinoplasty, seeking surgery from an experienced and qualified specialist Consultant Surgeon reduces the risk of complications, and dramatically increases the chance of a high-quality outcome.

Where is the Best Place to Get Revision Rhinoplasty in the UK?

For Revision Rhinoplasty in London, Cadogan Clinic can offer the very best experts in their field. 

We have invited a selection of the UK’s best Revision Rhinoplasty surgeons to practise with us at our award-winning, consultant-led clinic, based in Chelsea, London, so that you can be assured that whatever your nose concerns, you will be seeing one of the country’s best surgeons.

Our team of Consultant specialists have performed many thousands of Rhinoplasty cases between them, and regularly feature in the media as ranking among the very best Rhinoplasty surgeons in the country. 

Our Consultants have all received the very best specialist nose surgeon training and are committed to the delivery of the very best results and outcomes, while prioritising patient care and safety. 

Ahead of surgery, a comprehensive consultation will take place, including a discussion about any potential risks and complications as well as the post-procedure and recovery phase. 

If you are deciding whether Revision Rhinoplasty is worth it, or right for you, please get in touch today with our specialist surgical advisors to discuss your concerns and book an initial consultation. 

It is also worth bearing in mind that Revision Rhinoplasty cost can be higher than the primary surgery, as it is a far more involved procedure,  can take a lot longer, and may involve grafts or specialist equipment. Cadogan Clinic’s specialist surgical advisors will be able to provide  a price for your bespoke surgical package once you have had an initial consultation with one of our Consultant Surgeons.

Cadogan Clinic, London’s team of specialist ENT and Rhinoplasty Consultants are experts in all areas of Revision Rhinoplasty surgery, delivering top-level patient care and surgical outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions