Rhinoplasty is often credited with being the original plastic surgery. It has been around since ancient Egyptian times, around 3,000 B.C. Back then a common punishment for criminals committing theft was rhinectomy. You guessed it — having their nose removed. 

As you would imagine, enterprising doctors saw a need for reconstructing noses in response to these punishments. Rhinoplasty was born. The term is derived from the Greek words rhinos (nose) and plassein (to shape). 

But just because rhinoplasty has been around for a long time doesn’t mean the procedure has become any easier. Nose surgery is a complicated, delicate surgical procedure, and the final result isn’t always what the patient had in mind. That may explain why Dr. Barrera sees many patients who have had nose surgery elsewhere, but the surgery either was flawed in its execution or the patient simply wasn’t satisfied with his or her results. 

As a double board-certified plastic surgeon in both plastic surgery and neck and head surgery with over 35 years in practice, Dr. Barrera has the extensive surgical expertise to correct the deficient prior surgery and give you the nose you seek. 

What is revision rhinoplasty? 

The reasons patients come to Dr. Barrera for revision rhinoplasty are varied. Revision rhinoplasty can be needed for simple breathing, as the previous surgery has obstructed the nasal passages. It may be for cosmetic reasons such as the bridge sagging. Some people may have had as many as five or six prior surgeries. 

It may seem odd, but revision rhinoplasty can be a more complicated procedure than the original surgery. Tissue and cartilage grafts can be required to provide the required mass needed for the procedure. Sometimes the nose needs to, in effect, be rebuilt. 

How is this done? 

Dr. Barrera treats each case of revision nose surgery as a completely unique situation. Some of these surgeries can be straightforward, where the patient simply wants some additional bone or cartilage removed from the nasal bridge. Maybe the tip remained more bulbous than they were hoping. 

Or they can involve a complete rebuilding of the nose. In these cases, the previous surgeon removed too much tissue, cartilage, or bone, leaving the patient disfigured. Revising these prior mistakes can require surgeries lasting up to four hours. These surgeries may require tissue grafts harvested from the ear, ribs, or temple regions to restore the necessary amount of cartilage, bone, and fascia. In these types of revisions, the skin and soft tissue can be a limitation due to previous scarring and a developed resistance to expansion. In these cases, it’s important to have realistic expectations. 

It’s important with all cosmetic surgeries to do your research into your surgeon, but this is even more the case with rhinoplasty. Dr. Barrera is a double board-certified plastic surgeon. That’s the kind of experience you can rely upon for these procedures. 

If you’ve had prior nose surgery and you’re not happy with your results, you don’t have to live with them. Call Dr. Barrera at (713) 468-5200 to schedule a consultation and let’s see how we can help.