Author: Jo Jin-woo (Plastic Surgery Specialist, Director of view plastic surgery)
This content has been prepared in compliance with relevant laws including the Medical Service Act.
Cases in Gangnam where autologous cartilage revision surgery is needed due to nose implant visibility or crooked bridge
If you see the silhouette of a silicone implant showing through below the bridge line every time you look in the mirror, or if your bridge appears bent to one side when viewed from the front, it may not just be an aesthetic issue but a signal that structural problems have begun.
When an implant becomes visible or its position shifts, clinically the recommended approach is to remove the implant and rebuild the nose structure with autologous cartilage (auricular cartilage, nasal septal cartilage, rib cartilage). Autologous cartilage can integrate with tissue without foreign body reactions, enabling stable reconstruction. However, which cartilage to choose depends on skin thickness, the amount of remaining cartilage, and the number of revision surgeries, so precision diagnosis must come first.
Direct diagnosis through a plastic surgery specialist in the Gangnam area is the first step. Rather than making judgments based on online information alone, starting by accurately understanding your current condition is the key to successful revision surgery.
Why implant visibility and crooked bridge require autologous cartilage revision surgery
Why does the implant become visible?
The phenomenon of silicone implants becoming visible often stems from problems with implant size or insertion depth. According to clinical data, when an excessively high implant is used or inserted in a shallow layer of skin, the raised bridge continuously pressurizes the skin, and as a result, the skin gradually becomes thinner, revealing the implant's contours.
Why does the bridge become crooked?
When an implant is inserted, the body forms a capsule around it to keep it stable. However, when inflammation repeats within this capsule, the capsule undergoes a self-contracting reaction, causing the bridge to shorten or bend to one side. According to a Pharmnews report, when inflammation develops in the capsule around a silicone implant, immune cells have difficulty eliminating bacteria through the capsule, and as inflammation repeats, contracture phenomena appear. Contracture, once started, tends to progress continuously, making early detection and improvement important.
Then why is autologous cartilage a better choice?
According to clinical data, auricular cartilage, nasal septal cartilage, and rib cartilage each have different elasticity, strength, and texture, but when transplanted to the nasal tip, their own blood circulation forms, and unlike implants, they do not continuously irritate the skin. Because there is no foreign body reaction and engraftment occurs, when structural deformation or bending is involved, complete implant removal followed by autologous cartilage reconstruction is considered the principle choice. However, if it is in the early stages of visibility, a conservative approach can also be reviewed together, so accurate diagnosis of the current condition is a priority.
view plastic surgery's approach to revision rhinoplasty — from 3D-CT precision diagnosis to autologous cartilage reconstruction
One reason why revision rhinoplasty is more difficult than first surgery is that thick scar tissue and capsules beneath the skin often mean that the skeletal structure predicted from the outside differs from the actual internal condition. This is why clinical data mentions that three-dimensional CT imaging plays a major role in revision surgery.
view plastic surgery utilizes over 20 years of accumulated plastic surgery expertise and state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to systematically design the cause and direction of revision rhinoplasty. Through the proxy surgery prevention real-name system and the VOD operating surgeon confirmation system in front of the operating room, we provide an environment where revision surgery can be received with peace of mind.
view plastic surgery's approach flow to revision rhinoplasty is as follows:
• Precision diagnosis stage: Current condition assessment through 3D-CT analysis
• Surgical planning: Plastic surgery specialist directly determines the type of autologous cartilage and reconstruction scope
• Safe surgery execution: Proceeds under 1:1 dedicated anesthesia by anesthesiology specialist on-site 365 days a year
• Operating room transparency: Real-time confirmation of operating surgeon through VOD screen in front of operating room, proxy surgery prevention real-name system operation
• Post-operative care: Premium recovery care program applied utilizing 3 hyperbaric oxygen chambers
As a medical institution with Seoul National University College of Medicine educational cooperation and recipient of a Minister of Health and Welfare commendation, our credibility serves as the foundation for trust when deciding on revision surgery.
Before revision rhinoplasty, first check if your condition is an indication for autologous cartilage
If you are considering autologous cartilage revision rhinoplasty, please check the following items first. The checklist below does not replace diagnosis and is provided as reference material for organizing your condition before specialist consultation.
• Implant visibility: When viewed from the front or side, the implant contours are visible showing through the skin
• Changes in bridge direction: When viewed from the front, the bridge is tilted to one side or has changed form from before
• Number of revision surgeries: You have undergone rhinoplasty one or more times previously
• Inflammation or infection history: You have experienced prolonged swelling after surgery or received treatment for inflammatory findings
• Current nasal septal cartilage remaining: Whether nasal septal cartilage was used in previous nose surgery
According to clinical data, when nasal septal cartilage has already been depleted, rib cartilage becomes an alternative. Rib cartilage is the largest and most rigid autologous cartilage that can be harvested from the human body, and is utilized as stable material in revision surgery requiring complete nose reconstruction. Auricular cartilage and nasal septal cartilage are often more suitable for partial reconstruction.
However, rib cartilage harvesting involves a small incision in the lower chest, and the traction sensation at the harvest site can be felt for a few days after surgery but mostly improves naturally over time. Scarring also gradually becomes less visible over time.
Residents in the Gangnam area, including Seocho, Yeoksam, and Sinsa-dong, can also receive consultation and precision diagnosis using the same diagnostic criteria and procedures. If you are looking for Seocho revision rhinoplasty, Yeoksam revision nose surgery, or Sinsa-dong revision rhinoplasty plastic surgery, Gangnam access is not difficult, so please feel free to visit.
If you're considering revision rhinoplasty in Gangnam, ask view plastic surgery first
If you're concerned about implant visibility and crooked bridge, we recommend first consulting with a plastic surgery specialist at view plastic surgery and gradually confirming the revision surgery direction suited to your nose condition.
As mentioned in Pharmnews, contracture, once started, tends to progress continuously. It is important to receive accurate diagnosis before tissue damage accumulates and to plan the timing of revision surgery strategically.
It's natural to feel worried before facing revision surgery. Direct consultation with a plastic surgery specialist, proxy surgery prevention real-name system, VOD operating surgeon confirmation system in front of the operating room, and systematic recovery care utilizing hyperbaric oxygen chambers — we will prepare together from start to finish. Revision rhinoplasty, please tell us what concerns you first.
Nose implant removal and autologous cartilage revision surgery, frequently asked questions
Q1. If the nose implant is removed, won't the nose collapse or look strange?
Removing the implant can temporarily change the nose shape. However, when simultaneous reconstruction with autologous cartilage is performed, a considerable portion of the situation where the nose appears greatly collapsed after implant removal can be prevented. The reconstruction method and scope vary depending on current skin condition and remaining cartilage amount, so it's important to establish a concrete plan through specialist consultation.
Q2. Which autologous cartilage should be used among auricular cartilage, nasal septal cartilage, and rib cartilage?
The three types of cartilage differ in size, strength, and harvest site. Auricular cartilage and nasal septal cartilage are suitable for partial reconstruction, and when complete reconstruction is needed or nasal septal cartilage has already been used in previous surgery, rib cartilage becomes an alternative. Which cartilage to choose will be determined by the plastic surgery specialist based on your current nose condition and surgical history.
Q3. How much more difficult is revision rhinoplasty than first surgery?
Revision surgery is complicated by scar tissue and capsule formation beneath the skin, making skeletal structure assessment difficult, and the possibility of unexpected situations occurring during surgery is higher. That's why pre-operative precision diagnosis and direct surgery by an experienced plastic surgery specialist are important. When planning revision surgery, please select a hospital equipped with precision diagnostic equipment such as 3D-CT.
Q4. What are the recovery period and precautions for Gangnam revision rhinoplasty?
After revision rhinoplasty, swelling and bruising mostly subside within about 1-2 weeks, and overall recovery can take several months. During the recovery period, it is recommended to avoid strong stimulation to the nose area and refrain from wearing glasses. If rib cartilage was harvested, traction sensation at the harvest site may persist for a few days but mostly improves naturally. There are individual differences, so please follow your surgeon's post-operative care instructions.
ℹ️ Procedure effects vary by individual; please decide after consultation with a specialist.