When Rhinoplasty Goes Wrong
It’s not our habit to comment on sensational tales of plastic surgery, even though we hear a lot of them in New York. Rhinoplasty horror stories—such as the recent news about the unfortunate man who ultimately lost his nose—seem to garner particularly high visibility, and they generally do not contribute much to anyone’s understanding of the field of plastic surgery.
But reading about the Oklahoma man who suffered this terrible outcome did bring up a few thoughts we want to share. We hope we might help others learn how to stack the odds in favor of a much better result.
Before Undergoing Rhinoplasty Surgery
As we mentioned in another recent post, rhinoplasty (nose surgery) is still very tricky surgery. It involves several different kinds of tissue and tiny fractions of measurement can make a big difference. For these reasons you should make sure you:
- Understand what certification by the various boards means in terms of plastic surgeon credentials and experience, and choose candidates whose certification requires education and experience specifically in plastic surgery
- Only consider plastic surgeons who perform a great many rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty surgeries annually
In addition, the right time to examine your own motivations is before going under the knife. Studies suggest that rhinoplasty patients suffer a higher incidence of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) than other plastic surgery patients. Be sure you have an objective view of your looks and reasonable expectations for what surgery can and can’t do.
If You’re Unhappy with Your Results
Since nose jobs are challenging to perform and healing is at least somewhat unpredictable, it is possible to choose a good plastic surgeon and still need revision rhinoplasty. If you’re unhappy with your outcome:
- Wait a few months to make your judgment — final healing takes time
- Pay a visit to your plastic surgeon and see if their input about your results makes sense to you
- If in any doubt, consult another plastic surgeon or two to compare their views on your results
- If you choose to undergo revision with your original surgeon or another one, know that the second surgery will be more difficult than the first, and that diminishing returns are reached sooner rather than later with noses (remember Michael Jackson?)
From our offices here in New York, the rhinoplasty experience of the gentleman in Oklahoma strikes warning notes for a few reasons. One is that his cosmetic surgeon was originally trained as a dentist. Perhaps he has wonderful skills as a facial cosmetic surgeon also, but it is hard to know that based on his credentials.
The most alarming aspect of the news, however, was that the patient had 22 surgeries performed. Did the cosmetic surgeon suggest all these procedures to the patient? Did the patient demand them? Again, it is hard to know. But we do believe 22 nose surgeries are far too many.
Take care when choosing a plastic surgeon to perform your rhinoplasty. The more energy you put into research and planning, the happier you’re likely to be. If you would like to consult us, we would be pleased to see you in our Park Avenue office. Call 212-570-6080 for information.
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