How the Secondary Rhinoplasty Process Works

Updated

In brief

The process starts with a free online assessment: you send photos and your operation details over WhatsApp, and our surgeon replies with a plan and a quote. If you proceed, you travel to Istanbul for about 10 to 14 days and then follow up remotely for a year.

Key points

  • The first step is free and happens entirely online.
  • You need six photo views and details of your previous surgery.
  • The final quote is given only after our surgeon reviews your photos.
  • Plan to stay in Istanbul about 10 to 14 days.
  • Follow-up continues by photo for the first year.

The process has five parts: an online assessment, a written quote, booking, the trip to Istanbul and follow-up once you are home. Each part is meant to be clear, so you know what happens next and what is expected of you.

How does the online assessment work?

The online assessment is a free review of your photos and surgical history by our surgeon. You send the material over WhatsApp, and you receive a reply with an honest opinion, a plan and a quote.

There is no need to prepare a long message. A few lines about what bothers you, when your last operation took place and how many operations you have had is enough to begin. We ask for more if the case needs it.

Which photos should you send?

You need six views, taken in good light against a plain wall. They give the surgeon a complete picture of the shape, the symmetry and the tip.

  1. Front view, face straight on.
  2. Left profile.
  3. Right profile.
  4. Left oblique (three-quarter view).
  5. Right oblique.
  6. Base view, taken from below with the head tilted back slightly.

Do not use filters, makeup on the nose or wide-angle modes. Our contact page lists practical photo tips.

What details and documents help?

Information about your earlier surgery helps more than most people expect. The more we know about what was done, the better the plan.

  • The date of each operation and where it was done.
  • The operation report or discharge summary, if you have it.
  • Any note about grafts, implants or rib cartilage used.
  • Your current medicines, allergies and health conditions.
  • Any scans, such as a CT of the sinuses, if they exist.
  • A short description of any breathing problems.

If you do not have the records, send what you remember. Our guide to revision after surgery abroad explains how to request them.

What does the quote include?

The quote is a written price and plan from our surgeon, given only after the photos have been reviewed. It states what is planned, which grafts are expected and what the package covers.

The package usually includes surgery, anesthesia, a hospital night, hotel, airport and clinic transfers, medication and follow-up. The written quote confirms the details for your case. Our cost guide explains what changes the price and what to ask about.

A quote is based on photos, so it can change if the in-person examination shows something different. If so, we explain why before you decide anything.

How do you book?

You book by accepting the plan and agreeing a surgery date with us. Revision is rarely urgent, so there is time to think and to compare opinions.

Before that, we confirm that you have waited long enough. Revision usually takes place at least 12 months after your last nose surgery. People with thick skin or lingering swelling may need to wait longer. Earlier surgery is considered only for a clear functional problem.

Once the date is set, we help with the practical side: arrival time, the hotel and transfers. You arrange flights yourself unless your quote states otherwise.

What happens during the trip?

You spend about 10 to 14 days in Istanbul, and the schedule below shows a typical pattern. Dates move slightly depending on your plan and how you heal.

DayWhat usually happens
1Arrival, airport transfer and hotel check-in
2In-person consultation, examination and pre-operative tests
3Surgery under general anesthesia (usually 3 to 5 hours), then a night in hospital
4Return to the hotel after the surgeon’s check
5 to 6Rest, with swelling and bruising at their peak
7 to 10Splint and stitches removed, early check of the nose
11 to 14Final check, then travel home when the surgeon agrees

Surgery is usually done with an open approach, and cartilage grafts are often needed. Their source, whether septum, ear or rib, is part of your plan. If rib cartilage is used, you will also have a small scar and some soreness at the chest.

Plan on quiet days. Most people can return to desk work about two weeks after surgery, and bruising is mostly gone by then. No contact sport or heavy lifting for about six weeks, and glasses should not rest on the bridge for about six weeks as well, longer after a rib-graft bridge.

What happens after you return home?

After you return home, follow-up continues remotely for a year. You send photos over WhatsApp at set points, and our surgeon reviews your healing and answers questions.

Expect a long road. Swelling in a revision nose lasts longer than after a first operation, and the shape keeps refining for 12 to 18 months, with the tip settling last. A nose can look uneven or full during the middle months, which is normal and not necessarily a problem.

If you notice something that worries you, such as growing pain, unusual redness or a sudden change, contact us without waiting. Our recovery guide lists what is normal and what needs a call.

Is travel for revision right for everyone?

Traveling for surgery has real limits, and we say so openly. You will be away from home during the first days of healing, and a problem after you leave is harder to manage from a distance.

That is why we plan follow-up before you travel and why you stay for 10 to 14 days. Our guide for international patients describes the risks and how to judge any clinic abroad.

Questions patients ask

How soon will I hear back after sending photos?

Our surgeon reviews every case personally, so replies take a little time, and complex histories can take longer. You will get a plan and a quote rather than a quick sales message. If we need more photos or documents, we will ask for them directly.

Do I have to decide before the assessment?

No. The assessment is free and carries no obligation. Many people use it to understand whether revision can help and what it would involve. You can take the plan and quote home, compare it with other opinions and decide in your own time.

Can a companion travel with me?

Many patients bring a partner, relative or friend for the first days after surgery. Ask about this when you receive your quote, because the hotel arrangements and what the package includes are confirmed in writing. Having someone with you can make the early recovery easier.

What if I need help after I get home?

Write to us on WhatsApp. During the first year you send photos at set points, and our surgeon reviews how your nose is healing. If something looks or feels wrong between those points, contact us earlier rather than waiting for the next check-in.

This page is general information written for patients. It does not replace a consultation or examination, and the right plan for your nose can only be set by a surgeon who has assessed you.

Free online assessment

Find out whether revision can help

Send photos of your nose and any notes from your previous operation. Our surgeon reviews them and replies with an honest opinion, a plan and a quote.