One concern for those considering revision rhinoplasty is the extended recovery times and stories of abnormal recovery that can be found on the internet.
As a true specialist, Dr. Bustillo practices only facial cosmetic surgery, performing roughly 300 nasal surgeries each year. This gives him the experience to be honest about the outcome, and offer plenty of excellent advice about the recovery, which, if followed, gives each patient the best chance to have a recovery experience that is both comfortable and successful.
According to this website’s revision rhinoplasty page, a failed rhinoplasty can be one of the most devastating experiences a patient undergoing plastic surgery can have.
To have a failed revision rhinoplasty will be even more devastating, and while much of the success is down to the skill of the surgeon, there’s also a responsibility for the patient to follow the advice that is given for postoperative care and to attend regular check-ups.
Revision Rhinoplasty Recovery Concerns
Scanning the various sites that are dedicated to patient feedback and questions, there are some recurring themes:
- discoloration
- abnormal swelling
- prolonged swelling
The first of these can be due to flesh trauma. After all, the skin has been subjected to multiple surgeries, and so it is natural that during the healing process, some discoloration will occur. This will usually return to normal as the skin becomes fully healed.
When it comes to swelling, the tip of the nose can swell for a prolonged time after a revision rhinoplasty.
This is due to repeated surgeries building up scar tissue, with heavier scarring causing longer and probably more pronounced swelling than was present during the recovery from the original surgery. Usually about 70 percent of the swelling dissipates in the first year, with the remainder taking longer to go down.
The last 30 percent may take up to a year or more, depending on the thickness of the skin.
It seems that those with the thickest skin can expect to wait around 18 months before all the swelling has gone down. Dr. Bustillo takes regular photographs so that progress can be closely monitored, which is helpful for both the surgical team and the patient.
Aside from the usual advice for patients to keep their heads as close to vertical as possible immediately following surgery, and to sustain a liquid diet for 12 hours after the operation, it’s also smart to keep a small zip-lock bag filled with frozen peas on the eyes every 10 minutes per hour for the first 48 hours.
This helps with the eye and nasal swelling and provides relief. It’s this kind of attention to detail that sets Dr. Bustillo apart from other surgeons who may believe that their job is done once the patient leaves the hospital. Through his practice, he maintains close contact with patients throughout their recovery.
Dr. Bustillo’s practice is based near Miami, Florida, and can be reached at 305-663-3380. New patients will undergo a thorough first consultation to establish the extent of the revision required and to agree on the most likely outcome. Dr. Bustillo encourages those seeking his skills to take a look at the before and after revision rhinoplasty photo gallery.
