Revision Rhinoplasty in Korea — Timing, Materials, Length of Stay & Aftercare

Situations where people consider revision

By cause, they are as follows.

• The implant shows through, or the bridge feels like it moves (the skin has thinned or the implant has shifted)
• Redness, swelling and pain keep coming back, inside or outside the nose (suspected inflammation or infection)
• The nose has become shorter and the tip tilts upward (contracture). The nostrils show a lot from the front
• The nose bends to one side or the two sides look different
• The tip is bulbous, or too pointed and unnatural
• Breathing is uncomfortable (deviated septum or an internal structure problem)

When to consider revision after the first surgery

It is usually judged 6 months to 1 year later, once swelling has gone down and the tissue has settled. Swelling at the tip lasts a long time, so deciding from how it looks at 3 months can lead to the wrong call.

The exception is inflammation or infection. If swelling, fever and pain continue, simply waiting can increase tissue damage, so the infection is treated first (and the implant removed in some cases) before any shape correction. Clinics differ on this, so if you have symptoms, get examined first regardless of timing.

If your previous surgery was recent and it is hard to take time off abroad, you can send photos first and ask whether surgery is needed now or you can wait.

What is done for each cause

Tip work itself is covered in the tip rhinoplasty guide, and the overall makeup of a first surgery in the rhinoplasty guide.

Cartilage materials and implant removal or replacement

In a revision, the cartilage inside the nose has often already been used or weakened, so the choice of material matters.

• Septal cartilage: taken from the wall inside the nose. Considered first, but little may be left if it was used in the first surgery
• Ear cartilage: curved, so it is used to reinforce or cover the tip. It has limits as a long, straight support
• Rib cartilage (your own): cartilage from the ribs. There is enough of it and it is firm, so it is used for contracture and large reinforcement. It adds a chest incision and more recovery
• Donor rib cartilage: processed cartilage from another person. No harvest burden, but whether it is used and the policy differ by clinic, and you should hear about the chance of absorption or warping

When an implant is removed, two things are checked together. One is how much the bridge sinks or the shape changes after removal; the other is how to handle the membrane (capsule) that formed around the implant. Sometimes it is only removed, but usually the height is rebuilt with cartilage or similar.

How to check your implant product

If you do not know which implant was used before, planning a revision is harder, and the same check applies to any new implant.

• Ask for the product name, manufacturer, size and lot number to be explained before surgery, and request them in writing
• Ask whether you, or your manager, can watch the package being opened in the operating room
• Get the warranty card or sticker after surgery and keep a photo of it
• Check that the surgical record lists the materials used (implant, cartilage donor site)

We cannot say one product is better; what matters is whether the material suits your nose. The lot number and product name are the most useful information if you see a doctor at home years later.

Surgery time, anesthesia and recovery schedule

On the day of surgery, you usually rest in the recovery room for a few hours and then go back to your accommodation. If rib cartilage was taken, some people find the chest more painful than the nose, so ask in advance how that pain is managed.

Recommended stay and sample schedule

For a revision, a stay of about 10–14 days is common. It can be longer if rib cartilage is used or infection must be treated first.

• Day 1
  Arrival, in-person consultation, exam, tests such as CT
• Day 2
  Surgery, rest at your accommodation
• Days 3–4
  Dressing and check-up at the clinic; check whether the nasal packing comes out
• Days 5–7
  Splint and stitches removed. Short outings with a mask are possible
• Days 8–12
  Light schedule. Extra check-ups if needed
• Final check-up
  Confirm you can fly; receive aftercare instructions and documents

What to prepare before the consultation

• Previous surgery records: date, clinic and materials used (implant name, cartilage site). An English or translated copy is even better
• The implant warranty card or product information, if you have it
• Photos from the front, side and below, from before surgery, right after, and now
• If you had a recent CT, the image files (CD or digital). If not, ask whether one can be taken in Korea
• Medications, allergies, any filler or silicone ever injected into the nose, and current symptoms (pain, fever, blockage)

You can still have a consultation without records. But what is in your nose has to be confirmed by CT or exam, so the tests on your first day matter more.

Precautions while in Korea

In a revision, the skin and tissue of the nose have already been through surgery once, so be especially careful about knocks and pressure.

Aftercare at home and documents for your local clinic

After you go home, it is best to send front and side photos at about 1, 3 and 6 months for a check. If you have fever, redness, pain that keeps getting worse, or a feeling that the implant shows through, contact us right away.

Documents to bring to your local clinic

• Surgical record (name of surgery, date, materials used and donor sites)
• Documents or photos showing the implant product name and lot number
• CT and other imaging, and a medical report (request it in English)
• List of prescribed medications and discharge instructions
• Before and after photos

Questions to ask at the consultation

1. What is wrong with my nose, and what do you think caused it?
2. Is it fine to operate now, or should I wait? Why?
3. Will you only remove the implant or replace it? How will the shape change if it is removed?
4. Which cartilage will be used, from where and how much? Is this a case that needs rib cartilage?
5. What anesthesia and how long is the surgery? Will an anesthesiologist be there?
6. Will the doctor I consult be the one who operates?
7. How many days do I need to stay, and when can I fly?
8. What limits should I expect after surgery (what can improve and what is hard)?
9. If a problem comes up after I go home, how do I get it checked?
10. Can I get the surgical record and material details in writing?

How to choose a clinic

• Has a revision consultation and surgery menu, and can explain its revision experience
• A board-certified plastic surgeon consults and operates personally
• Explains the cartilage and implant plan before surgery
• Does CT or other tests and builds the plan from the results
• Checks your progress by photo after you return home

Among KBEAU partner clinics, Icon Plastic Surgery is on Nonhyeon-ro in Gangnam-gu (near Sinsa and Apgujeong). It lists revision rhinoplasty as a service and also covers hump nose and crooked nose, short nose and bulbous nose, and non-incisional rhinoplasty. Caramel Plastic Surgery is on Gangnam-daero near Nonhyeon Station. It has revision rhinoplasty and revision eye surgery as revision services, and describes low nose, hump nose, crooked nose, bulbous nose and short nose by type.

Send us your photos and previous surgery details and we will tell you which clinic's consultation fits. Your manager goes with you and interprets at the consultation, surgery and stitch removal. We can also arrange accommodation near the clinic and an airport pickup.