Rhinoplasty Risks

Complications and Telltale Signs

It is important to remember that every surgery comes with a list of possible complications. Rhinoplasty is no different. On this page, Dr. Loftus covers the complications that can occur during or after the procedure. If you are considering a nose job, you’ll want to be aware of these complications, make sure you are willing to accept the risk and discuss each of these with your plastic surgeon.
Bleeding may occur during or following any operation. If the bleeding during your surgery is significant, the surgeon may be required to use nasal packing to control it.
Sinusitis is an infection of the sinuses that can occur due to swelling of the nasal membranes following plastic surgery of the nose – or any nose surgery. Once it is identified, it is often treated with antibiotics and medications that shrink the nasal lining.
Nasal obstruction may occur due to inward placement of your nasal bones. This is not common, as the majority of airflow through the nose occurs near the floor of the nose, not near the nasal bones.
An undesirable appearance may occur. Examples include a scooped out nose (which has a concave appearance on profile), a polly beak (which looks like a parrot’s bill on profile), a pug nose (which is a small upturned nose), or a pinched tip. Dr. Loftus feels that most of these are preventable, but all of them can make your nose appear unnatural. They are called telltale signs, because they can only be attributed to previous plastic surgery of the nose. The only way to correct these problems is through revision nose job surgery.