INFORMATION PLASTIC SURGEONS WON'T TELL YOU: NUMBER 5

5. “I make a mint off other surgeons’ mistakes.”

Dr. Sam Rizk, a plastic surgeon in New York City, says 1 out of 3 of his rhinoplasty patients have had previous nose jobs. Among the most common problems he sees are “scooped bridges,” over-restricted nostrils, and pinched tips. The number of botched nose jobs he has repaired has soared over the past three to five years as more surgeons are performing the surgery who aren’t well trained or experienced, he says. Industry wide statistics bear out his experience: Revision surgery is up 35% from 2008 to 2012, according to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

What’s more, “revision rhinoplasty” is a more complex procedure that can take twice or three times as long as the original surgery — and can cost 50% to 100% more, depending on what’s needed. Dr. David McDaniel, a dermatologist in Virginia Beach, Va., says he spends much more time these days correcting others’ mistakes with lasers and injectables than he did even a few years ago.