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Graft in Tip is Showing Through Skin? Is It an Implant? 6 Months Post Op Rhinoplasty

asked 5 months ago by wedowhatwecan in California
Latest answer by Richard W. Fleming, MD
Question viewed 206 times
Tags: nose tip, 6 months post-op, graft, implant

My surgeon and I did not discuss any sort of implant but 6 months post op I appear to have a small, circular implant on my tip that sometimes shows in bright light. When I touch the area, it feels hard, and so I'm thinking it's probably some kind of implant. I had no idea he did this. I actually really like the way my nose is healing and I don't want to go in for a revision. But I really think the circle thing looks weird--did he do a poor job of placing it? It's not usually visible, however

12 answers to Graft in Tip is Showing Through Skin? Is It an Implant? 6 Months Post Op Rhinoplasty

Nasal Tip Graft Showing Through Skin

A cartilage tip graft which is used to increase tip definition or projection may feel firm after placement. Just ask your surgeon what was used and tell him you think it looks weird. My only concern when you say you can see it, is to make sure the graft is not pressing on the skin which could compromise skin circulation. Have your surgeon examine your 6 month result.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Graft

You are suffering one of the complications of tip grafting. This one of the reasons tip grafting is not as popular as it was in the pasr. More than likely you have a cartilage graft as alloplastic materials don't always do well in the tip of the nose. Ask your surgeon

David A. Bray, Sr., MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

Graft in Tip is Showing Through Skin? Is It an Implant? 6 Months Post Op Rhinoplasty

This sounds like a cartilage onlay graft to the nasal tip which can be used during a Rhinoplasty. You would have to ask your Rhinoplasty Surgeon what it was for verification. Edges may soften over the next 6 months.

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Visible Tip Cartilage Graft After Rhinoplasty

Almost undoubtably, this is a cartilage tip graft and not an implant. This is a standard rhinoplasty technique, while not as commonly done as it was a decade ago, is still a valid tip reshaping technqiue. The outline of such grafts can ultimately appear as thin nasal skin contracts around it many months later in some patients. Whether this is worth revising or not is a discussion that you need to have with your original plastic surgeon. It is a balance of how much it bothers you versus... more

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD
Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com

Nasal tip issue

What you are describing sounds lip a nasal tip graft that many surgeons use to augment the tip and refine the shape. At 6 months it is a bit early to go back in to remove it.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Implant in nose?

It's probably a graft made out of cartilage. It's a little early for it to show to the extent that you don't like it. If it is red at all you should see your surgeon promptly.

Ronald Schuster, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

Tip grafts are common in rhinoplasty

The tip is commonly supported with a visible tip graft in rhinoplasty to improve both shape and projection. The graft is most often natural cartilage and is not a 'implant', though you should ask your surgeon and understand what was done. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd.com

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Graft visible on tip after rhinoplasty

It isn't uncommon to place cartilage grafts during rhinoplasty. There can be issues in patients with thin tip skin, though, so this may be what you're seeing. The fluctuating visibility may be due to changes in the overlying skin edema. This can change with activity level, salt intake, etc. You can ask your surgeon to check it out to see what he thinks.

Thomas A Lamperti, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

Tip Graft Showing through the Skin

Hi, It may be a cartilage graft. The skin in the tip of your nose is very thin so if the graft is not place right, no matter what kind of graft it is, it will show through the skin. Ask your surgeon what he/she put there. Best, Dr.S.

Oleh Slupchynskyj, MD
New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.facechange.org

Graft shows on nose

The best recommendation I have for you is to see either the operative surgeon or a different surgeon or both. Grafts to the tip of the nose sometimes show. without an examination one can not tell if it is cartilage or foreign material. Option do exist for improvement.

Rick Rosen, MD
Norwalk Plastic Surgeon

Tip graft showing

You should ask your surgeon directly rather then have others speculate. You may well have a cartilage graft and not an implant. One of the risks of tip grafts especially in people with thinner skin is the psossibilty of graft show as the skin contracts around it. The best thing for you to do right now is keep your lines of communication open with your surgeon and together work for a solution.

Michael L. Schwartz, MD
West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon

www.palmbeachface.com

Tip Abnormality Following Rhinoplasty

Without any photos it is hard to render any opinion regarding the area of concern. I would recommend you simply talk with your surgeon to clarify exactly what was done during your surgery. Implants in the tip region are fraught with problems in my opinion. Grafting is a much more common technique for tip reshaping. Both can feel somewhat hard at 6 months postoperatively so that is not a reliable method to differentiate the two. The fact that you can see the area more readily in bright light... more