ISTANBUL

A leading Turkish doctor has said the success of nose plastic surgery is determined by nose and skin structure, as well as surgical experience, and that alternative approaches from the internet will lead to confusion about the possibility of repeating the procedure.

“The successful rhinoplasty depends on factors such as the nose and skin structure, surgical experience, and the patient's recovery performance. The revision rate in nose surgeries generally varies between 5-10%,” Dr. Erkan Soylu, an ENT specialist at Istanbul’s Medipol Mega University Hospital, told Anadolu Agency.

Revisions are the second, third, or more surgeries required for correction if the desired results are not achieved.

Consulting other doctors or looking for alternative approaches on the internet during the healing process, he says, will lead to confusion, and he advises patients to stay in close contact with their surgeon.

Stressing that it is appropriate for the patient and the doctor to decide together whether a revision is required, he said it is inconvenient to plan revision surgery before the recovery period expires.

The recovery period is at least one year in patients with normal and thin skin, and at least two years in patients with thick skin, according to their experience, he noted.

“Some problems may disappear or arise when the healing process is completed. Therefore, it is the most rational approach to wait long enough to see all of the results and then plan the surgery if necessary,” he said.

Underlining that there are two goals in nose surgeries, including a better appearance and more comfortable breathing, he said the lack of sufficient improvement in breathing after the surgery is the absolute reason for revision.

"The issue of appearance is a bit more complicated. For example, a thin pointed and sharp nose cannot be obtained in a patient with very thick skin. Or a completely smooth nose cannot be obtained in a patient with severe facial asymmetry,” he said.

He also suggested all patients go into surgery with an understanding of the problems and limitations of their noses.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar