Will Massage Help my Nose to Look Normal Faster After a Staged Reconstructive Forehead Flap Graft Post Dog Bite?
asked 1 year ago by Dog bite victim in Windham, ME
Latest answer by Aaron Stone, MD
Question viewed 344 times
Tags: forehead, nose, female, cartilage, dog bite, massage, options, skin tone, steroid
Four months ago I suffered a dog bite where I lost the right side of my nose (and underlying cartilage). I had a staged forehead flap graft (with cartilage from my ear). I am pleased with the outcome thus far but am wondering if massage of the nose will help it to look better faster and what can I do so that the graft looks the same color as my existing skin? I have had steroid injections in the forehead as well as the periphery of the nose. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
2 answers to Will Massage Help my Nose to Look Normal Faster After a Staged Reconstructive Forehead Flap Graft Post Dog Bite?
+1
Revision of nasal reconstruction
Your injury was difficult to reconstruct given the loss of skin, fat, cartilage and most likely nasal lining as well as the margins of loss being outside the boundary of aesthetic units. If the edges of the reconstruction lie along the edges or borders of an aesthetic unit the result is much more natural looking. If the loss of tissue extends into an adjacent aesthetic unit the surgeon takes some risk in cutting out normal healthy tissue in order to reach the edge of that unit. It can be a...
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Aaron Stone, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1
You are still very early from this reconstruction.
It is very, very common to need additional reconstructive surgery after such a complex trauma. I would judge the result that you have as unacceptable but I do not fault your surgeon. For a first step in reconstruction, there is often only so much that can be done. Message will not expedite the improvement of this situation. The graft that was placed needs more time to heal. Ultimately you will benefit from further reconstructive surgery. Making these...
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