The results of a successful rhinoplasty can be life changing for patients. However, the surgical procedure can be unpredictable and this is something we always seek to make patients aware of prior to treatment.

What makes rhinoplasty unpredictable?

This unpredictable nature is not unique to rhinoplasty and can, in fact, be applied to all forms of surgery, where the risks of bleeding and infection always linger. No two noses are the same, however, and this adds an additional element of uncertainty to rhinoplasty. Variation in patient anatomy is infinite and it can be difficult for a surgeon to predict what he will find. A surgeon can’t, for example, anticipate how tissues are going to respond to high-quality surgical techniques – a particular technique may encourage completely different changes in two noses. The healing process is also highly uncertain and may leave you with irregularities that appear weeks or months after surgery. Unfortunately, this means that even the most accomplished of hands can sometimes perform excellent surgery and be met with unanticipated complications.

Revision Surgery

Revision surgery, also known as ‘secondary rhinoplasty’ (though it might better be referred to as a process of refinement), may be an option where these complications do occur, and involves surgery on a nose that has already had one or more procedures carried out on it. Issues caused by prior surgeries, such as scar tissue that must be worked around, mean that revision surgery is generally more complex than primary rhinoplasty, however, and in particularly unfortunate cases, you may permanently find yourself with a nose that you are less happy with. Luckily, these occasions are very rare, and revision surgery after good primary surgery usually involves small refinements of some unpredictable changes.

Ensuring patients are informed

We make very clear to all our patients that rhinoplasty can be unpredictable and will always advise against surgery where we feel a candidate does not appreciate or understand the risks associated with the surgery or that there exists no guarantee that their desired results will be achieved. Unfortunately, the gap between what we know and what we aim for will always be present!

Of course, we will always endeavour to minimise these risks. No surgeon can control everything but the amount they can control is usually in accordance with their level of experience. Mr Rowe-Jones’ specialism and years of experience mean that the chances of you achieving the results you desire are significantly higher than those you might find with inferior surgeons. If you’d like to discuss rhinoplasty surgery with Mr Rowe-Jones, contact us today to book a consultation.