Cortisol Injection to Correct Large Nostril?

I had rhinoplasty 3 years ago, with a minor revision a year later for a "drooping tip. I may be looking way far into this, but my left nostril is wider than the other with a curve rather than blended as in my right. Will a small cortisol injection help with the appearance of the larger nostril? I wouldn't go into any major surgery for it again, but thought it might be better than nothing! Any advice?

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8 Doctor Answers | Asked by Shell. in Sydney

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Steroids will not correct nostril asymmetry

Steroid injections have a very limited use in improving rhinoplasty results. The material we use is Kenalog 40 to which we add a small amount of lidocaine for a numbing effect as the injection can be quite uncomfortable. The only place we use the steroid is in individuals with thick skin in the area just above the tip to help tip with definition, and then with caution and only sparingly. The steroid has the effect of thinning the scar tissue. If applied too generously it will thin the skin... more

Be Careful Of What You Wish For

Hi Shell, The use of cortisone (steroid, Kenalog) injection in the nose causes atrophy of the skin and underlying soft tissue. Its use should be in very small doses. It is better to return for a series of 3 injections once every 3 weeks rather than to have a one time dose. Your injector/surgeon should have experience and feel that the deformity that bothers you would respond to the treatment. Be careful by all means because too much atrophy and then can you say "Michael... more

Michael A. Persky, MD

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Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

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Probably not.

A cortisol injection will not help the asymmetrical nostril and will not shrink a large nostril. A very small alarplasty can sometimes be helpful in creating more symmetry.

Kenalog and the Nose

The injection of steroid tissue should be used with extreme caution and should be done by someone with expertise in the nose. Typically, injections of steroid are used to reduce scar tissue and not to atrophy dermal elements. It would be an atypical use of intranasal steroids to try and reduce alar base width by atrophying soft tissue elements of your nose. The steroid used most often for injections into the nose is Kenalog, generic name triamcinolone (trye am SIH no lone). It is most... more

Probably not

A steroid injection is not likely to help change the size or shape of the nostril. Talk to your surgeon, perhaps a small revision might be helpful in your case.

I doubt it

Cortisone is injected into areas of scar to reduce the scar tissue or the swelling. I doubt it would give you the desired effect. It is possible with a small procedure the result could be obtained. Seek the help of a competent well trained rhinoplasty surgeon.

ABR

Steroids are not a permanent fix for anatomical assymetry. However, an Alar Base Reduction may help correct the assymetry. This procedure can be performed as a minor procedure under local anesthetic.

It won't help correct a large nostril.

The only way to balance the two is to take a wedge out of the large side, This is a minor surgery under local anesthesia, You should discuss this with your surgeon.