Rhinoplasty or nose job is a surgical procedure that helps you change the shape of your nose to improve your look and breathe better. Rhinoplasty is considered a safe surgery even for elderly patients, but just like in any other surgery, rhinoplasty risks and complications are almost inevitable although they might be minimized by choosing a proficient surgeon.

Since rhinoplasty procedure involves working many types of tissues such as skin, bones, cartilage, nerves, muscles, fat, etc., the surgeon cannot always control or predict the exact reactions of every one of them. As a result, it is possible that you notice a change in the looks of your nose in the long term after a year or so following the surgery. In the short term, you may also suffer from a few complications.

In this article, we will tell you all about rhinoplasty risks and complications to be able to prepare for them if you are planning to have a rhinoplasty.

• Rhinoplasty is considered a safe surgery with a few possible risks and complications
• Secondary or revision rhinoplasty is associated with more severe risks and complications, albeit similar in nature to those of primary rhinoplasty
• Liquid rhinoplasty has fewer complications than surgical rhinoplasty
• Most of the complications and side effects are temporary and does not require hospitalization
• You might lose sense around your nose for a while after rhinoplasty
• Some patients might have a negative reaction to anesthesia

Rhinoplasty is performed in several cases to enhance breathing and enable the patients to breathe easily. However, rhinoplasty can decrease the cross-section of the nasal airways, which might result in some difficulties in breathing.

Some of the patients might complain about breathing problems. These breathing problems might be new or residual caused by remaining septal deviations or nasal vestibular stenosis. The separation of the upper cartilages from the septum may cause some valve problems.

Swelling is very normal after rhinoplasty but it is possible to have complications like:

• Abnormal swelling
• Hematoma
• Skin narcosis

These complications might lead to pain, fibrosis, and numbness. In some cases, the patient might have subcutaneous cysts and granulomas.

Numbness in the nose (especially in the tip of the nose) is common, too. It can happen due to the damage of the nerves during the surgery. It is common for the patients to regain the sense of the nose during the following 12 months.

• Also Read: How long does it take to recover from a nose job?

Nose swelling is very normal after a nose job surgery.

It is normal to bleed from your nose after rhinoplasty. However, excessive bleeding can be a problem. You might need to use ice, nasal packing and blood transfer in some severe cases.

Some patients might suffer from negative reactions to anesthesia. The reactions might include vomiting, nausea, pain in the throat, and confusion. The risks of anesthesia complications after rhinoplasty are not common, but your doctor will perform few tests to avoid any possible negative reactions.

To avoid any possible side effects and reduce the risks of rhinoplasty, your doctor will conduct a physical examination and ask you to have a few blood tests done. He/She will review your medical history to make sure you are a good candidate for rhinoplasty.

• Read More: Anesthesia in plastic surgery: Everything you need to know