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Rhinoplasty Risks

Rhinoplasty Risks

Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica

A rhinoplasty—or nose job—procedure is a popular and relatively noninvasive plastic surgery procedure designed to reshape and improve both the function and aesthetics of your nose. And while rhinoplasty surgery complications are rare, they do exist.

Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim will discuss the risks and potential complications of a rhinoplasty during your consultation. Choosing a plastic surgeon experienced with nose job procedures can enhance your understanding of the surgery, help you establish realistic goals, limit your risks and ensure you achieve the desired results.

Rhinoplasty Complications and Side-Effects

Many of the complications and side-effects of rhinoplasty surgery are temporary and will subside as your body heals. For example, some patients experience a short-term loss of smell following a nose job procedure.

Other rhinoplasty complications and side-effects include:

  • Asymmetry of the nose
  • Burst blood vessels
  • Hematoma
  • Hemorrhage
  • Infection
  • Nasal bleeding
  • Nasal blockage or difficulty breathing through the nose
  • Nasal tip swelling
  • Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
  • Septal perforation, or holes in the septum
  • Skin dryness, redness or swelling
  • While some of the more rare side-effects—including a hemorrhage—require medical attention, others will subside naturally. Dr. Kim will review all the potential risks during your consultation and you can reduce your risk for complications after surgery by following Dr. Kim’s guidelines throughout your recovery process.

    Rhinoplasty Results

    Perhaps the most common risk associated with rhinoplasty relates not to health complications, but to the physical results of the nose job procedure. Although Dr. Kim will perform your rhinoplasty with the utmost care and attention for both your health and desired results, every surgical procedure involves risk and has limitations.

    Occasionally, different types of asymmetry can result from rhinoplasty. Among the more common physical conditions resulting from rhinoplasty are:

    • Droopy tip: The tip of your nose appears to droop
    • Broad nasal tip: The tip of your nose appears widened
    • Saddle nose deformity: An indented appearance on the bridge of your nose
    • “Pig nose” or short nose: Your nostrils are angled forward and/or slightly upturned instead of downward
    • Hanging columella: A noticeable outward flaring of the skin separating the nostrils
    • Pollybeak deformity: The bridge and tip of your nose resemble a bird beak

    These results are rare, and they are often correctable with revisional surgery.

    If you live in the greater Los Angeles area and would like to learn more about rhinoplasty, please contact Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim at E. Kim Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation.