Bumps on the Nose Five Weeks After Rhinoplasty

Michael A. Persky, MD answers: Hard bumps on nose after rhinoplasty

I am five weeks post open rhinoplasty. I had a tension nose with a pronounced hump and droopy tip. Everything has gone very well, and I was extremely pleased upon removal of the cast, splints, etc... At that time, my hump was gone, the front and sides of my nose were very smooth, and my tip no longer drooped.

However, over the last couple of weeks I have developed bumps on both sides of my nose - on the right side just next to my eye, and on the left side a little lower than my eye. The bump on the left is fairly significant and hard. It makes my nose look crooked - similar to Owen Wilson's nose. I realize that it can take up to a year to achieve final results.

My surgeon has been great, but his response to my bumps is 'we will just wait and see'. However, I need to know if this is common and how likely these bumps are to go away. People are even starting to comment that my nose looks crooked.

Please share your experiences with me, so that I have some idea of what I am dealing with. Is this likely part of the healing process, or should I be concerned?

Thank you,

Nancy


Michael A. Persky, MD
11 months ago
By Michael A. Persky, MD - Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

Hi Nancy,

Only your surgeon knows for sure. 

It sounds as if there is a "step-off" in the area of the upper osteotomies, higher on your right than left.  When the nasal bones are incised to narrow the upper third of the nose, there is sometimes a palpable and noticeable area of swelling.  This usually resolves with time as the bones heal. 

If grafts were placed in the areas of concern, then address the issue with your surgeon at your next post-operative visit.  There is nothing to do at this point, and for the next few months.  Don't worry about your friends "Owen Wilson's nose" comments; they're probably just jealous of your new nose.

Be patient and most likely all will be well.  Happy and healthy New Year.

Dr. P

 

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More answers to “Hard bumps on nose after rhinoplasty”

A: Recovery after Rhinoplasty: Swelling, Edema, Bruising, Assymetry

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
11 months ago
By Raffy Karamanoukian, MD - Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplasty requires aesthetic and technical prowess to acheive perfect results.  In the early postoperative period, edema sets in the nasal skin and subcutaneous tissue and can obscure the actual results of the soft tissue.  It is customary to wait one year after rhinoplasty, when the swelling has reached a nadir, to contemplate additional corrective surgery.

In some cases, the assymetry is caused by the nasal bones.  If this is the case, the assymetry may persist after one year. On your next consultation with your surgeon, discuss whether the pattern of assymetry is due to a bony prominence, cartilage, or merely soft tissue edema.

Your surgeon appears to have given you correct advice and he/she is the only person who really understands the specifics of your rhinoplasty as he/she performed it.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD Kare Plastic Surgery & Skin Health Clinic

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