Revision Rhinoplasty for Scar Tissue Build-up

All patients who undergo cosmetic surgery want their procedure to be a success. They have invested a great deal of time and money in attempting to improve their appearance, and want to have the best possible results. Unfortunately, in a few cases, the initial surgery may not go as planned, so a second revision surgery is needed. This can be particularly frustrating for patients who have undergone a rhinoplasty (nose job), not only because the nose is such a prominent feature on the face, but the build-up of scar tissue that can result from the initial rhinoplasty may actually cause functional problems with the airway.

What Can Cause Scar Tissue Build-up?

The key point to remember is that the formation of scar tissue is the body’s natural response to any incision. Even when an initial rhinoplasty surgery presented no initial problems, a certain amount of scar tissue will form during the healing process. Each patient has different skin. There may be differences in thickness, elasticity, and healing, as well as how easily the skin forms scars. Additional surgeries will lead to scar tissue formation each time. All of these factors will affect how much scar tissue is formed inside the nose.

How Can Revision Rhinoplasty Correct Scar Tissue?

The truth is that if there is when an excessive amount of scar tissue forms following an initial rhinoplasty, the patient may need to find another surgeon to do the revision. A revision rhinoplasty is a much more complicated procedure than a primary rhinoplasty and really does require a surgeon who is experienced in this specific procedure, such as Dr. Marcus Crawford and Dr. Steven Bailey.

The revision rhinoplasty involves opening up the nose again, and cutting through the scar tissue in order to re-sculpt the nose to the original desired shape. The trick to this, however, is not to remove too much scar tissue or cartilage, which will cause the nose to lose its structural integrity and possibly droop. On the other hand, if not enough scar tissue is removed, there will be no significant change to the shape of the nose. Once the proper amount of scar tissue has been removed, the nasal structure may need to be shored up with cartilage harvested from elsewhere (generally behind the ear) to give it the proper final shape. Complicating matters even further is the fact that excess scar tissue is very thick and nonelastic, which makes it very difficult to cut into.

What Can Be Done to Prevent Scar Tissue Build-up?

Our plastic surgeons recommend that patients avoid the sun as much as possible while the nose is healing. Use a sunblock with a very high sun protection factor (SPF) when outdoors. Cold compresses, taping the nose, and use of the herb Arnica montana will all help reduce swelling immediately following the procedure, which will in turn reduce the amount of scarring. Patients can also discuss the use of Kenalog steroid injections into the nose during the healing process. The steroids will also reduce the amount of nasal swelling.

If an initial rhinoplasty has failed due to excessive scarring, patients will be even more concerned about selecting the right surgeon to correct the problem. Our surgeons have many years of experience doing revision rhinoplasties and can help patients finally achieve the look they are seeking. Contact Crawford Plastic Surgery today.