[Eton TV] Causes of Revision Rhinoplasty and How to Address Them

Causes of Revision Rhinoplasty and How to Address Them

Among those considering rhinoplasty,

you may have heard the saying,

“You have to get your nose done at least twice.”

Why is it that nose surgery, in particular, is hard to be satisfied with after just one procedure, and why is revision surgery so common?

The first reason revision rhinoplasty is so common is

dissatisfaction with the shape.

In fact, compared with cases where revision surgery is needed because of inflammation or functional problems,

there are far more cases where people return to the operating room simply because they do not like the appearance.

At this point, we need to ask

an important question.

When having the first surgery, did the patient have a clear definition of the beautiful nose they wanted?

In many cases, especially for those who had surgery at a young age, people either do whatever the doctor recommends or decide on a nose shape they vaguely think looks pretty without enough consideration of whether it suits their face.

For ordinary people, it is difficult to know exactly what kind of nose shape looks attractive,

and even the standards of beauty vary by culture.

In the end, when there is a gap between the image expected after surgery and the actual result,

satisfaction is not fully met,

and people continue seeking more surgery.

Many people think of rhinoplasty as a relatively simple surgery, like double eyelid surgery, and approach it casually.

“My appearance feels lacking, and eyes or the nose seem manageable, so I just want to change them first and solve it that way.”

That is often the thought process.

But from the surgeon’s perspective, rhinoplasty is one of the most difficult areas, second only to eye surgery.

If eye surgery requires precision that allows no error, even down to the millimeter,

rhinoplasty has a more complex level of difficulty, requiring not only precision but also the ability to withstand “physical stress.”

It must support the height of the nose and maintain its shape for a lifetime beneath the skin tissue.

Even if it looks perfectly done right after surgery, with time it can gradually collapse or deform because of gravity and pressure from the tissue.

As such, rhinoplasty is a surgery that is very difficult to control so that its results come out optimally and do not develop problems over time.

The third fundamental reason that leads to revision surgery is what patients do when choosing surgical options: “the mistake of compromise.”

Sometimes a doctor will logically present an optimized surgical method to the patient.

For example, if the nose is low and blunt,

using autologous cartilage, the most durable and safe material, may be the logical conclusion.

But from the patient’s perspective, surgery that harvests autologous cartilage starts with the thought that it is “scary and expensive.”

In the end, like choosing a set menu at a restaurant, there are many cases where people decide to choose the “second set” between the simplest and cheapest option and the most complex and expensive option.

In medicine, this kind of compromise often leads to the wrong answer.

If you give up an optimized surgery to avoid immediate cost or fear, when problems arise later, the additional cost becomes much greater.

The moment you make a decision driven by cost, without finding a compromise between your goal and reality, the likelihood of revision surgery increases.

Rhinoplasty should be approached with the awareness that it is a surgery with the potential for problems.

Before deciding on surgery, please use experience and reason as your 기준 rather than price.

Rather than simply looking for the cheapest clinic, you should calmly judge whether the doctor’s proposed answer is reasonable, whether they are fully listening to your thoughts and reflecting them, and whether they are pursuing goals that go beyond biological limits.

And

you must clearly define the compromise between your goals and reality.

Think carefully about the image of a beautiful nose in your own mind and have an in-depth conversation with the doctor during the consultation.

When the doctor advises, “In cases like this, these problems can occur, so this is the furthest we recommend,”

you need to decide whether to accept that advice and compromise, or whether you are willing to accept the risk of problems in order to achieve the shape you want, considering even your life goals and direction.

A wise decision is needed: protect what cannot be compromised, and accept what can be compromised.

If you are already considering revision surgery, it is important to carefully identify the cause of the previous surgery’s failure.

Rhinoplasty is not something to rush through quickly. Be aware that problems can occur, reduce the likelihood of those problems, and

if they do occur, carefully choose a place that is prepared to handle them properly.

Making a careful decision there is one of the surest ways for it to be your last surgery.