My Rhinoplasty Revision Rate: What Patients Can Expect With Primary and Revision Surgery

Rhinoplasty Revision Rate: What Patients Can Expect With Primary and Revision Surgery WIth ARI HYMAN MD

One of the most important questions patients have — but often hesitate to ask — is:

“What is your revision rate?”

It’s a completely fair question. Rhinoplasty is one of the most complex surgeries in facial plastic surgery, and even with precise planning and execution, small refinements are sometimes needed.

I believe in being transparent about my outcomes, so here are my actual revision statistics based on my practice experience.

Primary Rhinoplasty Revision Rate

Overall revision rate: 1–3%

Revision requiring a full repeat operation: VERY RARE Less than 1%

Truthfully, revisions after a primary rhinoplasty at this practice is very uncommon. If needed ever, we would consider it minor “touch-ups.”
These may include:

  • small contour refinements

  • minor tip adjustments

  • small breathing-related tweaks

Major revisions (requiring a full secondary operation) are rare — less than 1%, which is significantly lower than the national average which is 10%

Revision Rhinoplasty Revision Rate

Overall revision rate: around 5%

Revision requiring a full repeat operation: Still very low and is around 1%

Revision patients often have:

  • weaker cartilage

  • scar tissue

  • prior collapse

  • missing support

  • unpredictable healing tendencies

  • unpredictable internals

Even so, because of my structural approach — using septal extension grafts, spreader grafts, cartilage reconstruction, and precise suturing as well as rib grafting— the need for a second revision is still only about 1%.

Most secondary refinements in revision cases are also minor adjustments, not complete surgeries.

Why My Revision Rates Are Low

The biggest factor is TRAINING, AESTHETIC EXCELLENCE, DEDICATION TO RHINOPLASTY, EXPERIENCE, AND KNOWLEDGE BASE. We are a center for revision surgery. People travel from around the world for revision rhinoplasty here. We have observers from all over the world who observe our techniques. I have written, spoken, and published on this topic, and we perform over 100 revision rhinoplasties a year (we perform well over 200 rhinoplasties a year when including primary surgery).

What Counts as a Minor Touch-Up?

Minor revisions (the majority) can often be addressed with:

  • small cartilage smoothing

  • tip suture adjustment

  • minor graft refinement

  • dorsal contour corrections

  • subtle asymmetry improvement

Many take less than 1 hour o perform and have quick recovery.

These adjustments are not failures — they’re refinements.
Rhinoplasty healing is dynamic, and subtle tweaks can optimize results.

What Counts as a Major Revision?

A “full revision rhinoplasty” is needed when:

  • When another rib is required or the tip needs to be reset.

This is rare in my practice.

Why Being Transparent Matters

Publishing my revision rates helps set realistic expectations and shows that:

  • rhinoplasty is complex

  • healing varies

  • minor refinements not common frankly, but are a part of this business

  • most results are extremely stable

  • structural technique keeps long-term revision rates low

  • WE HAVE A VERY HIGH SATISFACTION RATE

Patients appreciate honesty — and it helps them feel more confident in their decision. We are also proud of these numbers.

ARI HYMAN