Copyright © 2022 Somenek + Pittman MD. All rights reserved.
If you had nasal surgery in the past but require another one – either for cosmetic or functional purposes – you are in luck. Dr. Michael Somenek is a Board-certified revision rhinoplasty surgeon who can fix an inadequate job that was done by a previous surgeon. There are a number of unique aspects to a revision rhinoplasty in Washington DC that our experienced and professional staff can speak about during a consultation.
A revision rhinoplasty – also known as a secondary rhinoplasty – is a procedure that is performed after someone has already undergone one or more rhinoplasties. In most cases, it will have been more than a year since their previous surgery. A unique aspect of a revision rhinoplasty in DC – and all revision procedures – is that the plastic surgeon involved might not be same person who performed the operation the first time. In fact, it is perfectly reasonable to find another professional to do the secondary if the patient was dissatisfied with the results of the primary.
A revision rhinoplasty is one of the most complex procedures for a facial plastic surgeon to perform. Ideally, it will address a patient’s continued concerns that they did not feel were addressed in their previous session. This procedure involves the same types of incisions that are used in a primary or first rhinoplasty; the process of isolating and addressing the nasal cartilages and nasal bones is the same but there is more work that is involved.
Many patients feel that some of their concerns from before the surgery are continuing even after they have had the procedure. Sometimes this involves nasal breathing issues, which Dr. Somenek can address at the same time as any cosmetic concerns they may have with their nose. Some of the cosmetic concerns that patients are often concerned about are persistent deviations to the nose or even nuanced deviations that they may notice postoperatively. Straightening the nose is a top concern for many revision rhinoplasty patients, as well as continued concerns with the shape and overall definition of the nasal tip.
Any time that a plastic surgeon is performing a revision procedure on a body part—the nose being no exception to this—there is going to be more scarring. There will also likely be more nasal tip swelling after a secondary rhinoplasty. After someone has undergone a revision rhinoplasty in DC, there is a chance that they might not have the same amount of cartilage that they would normally have prior to their first, which makes a unique challenge. If this occurs, Dr. Somenek will frequently speak to them about other body parts that he might be able to harvest cartilage from during the revision procedure.
He will always look at their nasal septum to see how much cartilage is present in order to maintain and restore their support and function to their nose. If the patient does not have sufficient cartilage there, he will consult with them about harvesting the cartilage or, in more advanced cases, harvest some of their rib cartilage.
Postoperatively, a revision rhinoplasty patient in Washington DC can expect to have a nasal cast on their nose for about one week. The cast and, occasionally, a few stitches are removed after a one-week visit. One of the main things Dr. Somenek speaks to his patients about is the fact that their nose will likely have some prolonged swelling, given that this is not the first round of a surgical procedure to the nasal skin. It is highly recommended that they follow up with him on a consistent basis to help expedite the resolution of the swelling.
If you are dissatisfied with the results of a plastic surgery, you do not have to keep it that way forever. At Somenek + Pittman MD, we are trained in the unique aspects of a revision rhinoplasty in Washington DC and can alter your nose closer to how you would like it. Reach out today to learn the next steps in this process.
Check out some of our work in these before and after galleries for rhinoplasty
Copyright © 2022 Somenek + Pittman MD. All rights reserved.
