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Rhinoplasty and Excess Skin

asked 2 years ago by knewme in Springfield MO
Latest answer by Sam Naficy, MD
Question viewed 2,337 times
Tags: nose, big nose, excess, skin, smaller

I just wonder, how can you make a big nose smaller and there's not noticable excess skin?

16 answers to Rhinoplasty and Excess Skin

The skin shrinks after rhinoplasty.

The thicker the skin the less effect the shrinkage has. In most noses the excess skin shrinks and does not require any additional treatment such as excision, even in large noses.

Toby Mayer, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Skin can shrink in reduction rhinoplasty, but there's a limit to how much

Whether or not the skin will shrink enough to conform cleanly onto the skeleton of the nose depends on two main factors: 1. How much reduction was performed. 2. How thick the skin envelope is. Thick skin tends to contract less. This is why we see the polybeak deformity more often in thick skin patients (polybeak refers to a complication in which the skin fails to shrink down to the bridge of the nose and a resultant fullness ensues along the bridge, most apparant on profile). But... more

David W. Kim, MD
Bay Area Facial Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplasty and Excess Skin

In most, if not all, cases the skin shrinks to the new size of the nose. It is not standard to excise (remove) skin during rhinoplasty. Just the act of lifting the skin off of the underlying structures to perform the surgery induces a reaction in the skin. This creates more collagen production which contracts as the tissues are healing. Good luck.

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

The skin on the nose shrinks to the underlying cartilage and bone after rhinoplasty

Despite popular belief, if you have a big nose and the nose is made smaller by shaving the cartilage and bone the skin will not sag, it shrinks to fit the underlying skeleton. That is the standard answer. In reality thick skin shrinks a little less than thin skin so the skin won't get baggy or droop, but you might see less refinement than would occur with thin skin.

Steven J. Pearlman, MD
New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

The skin shrinks after rhinoplasty even in big noses

The STSE known as the skin soft tissue envelope shrinks to conform to the underlying altered architecture of the cartilages and the bones after rhinoplasty. However, there are a few exceptions and therefore follow-up with your surgeon is necessary afterwards. If you have thick skin, sometimes scar tissue can build up especially in the tip region that may require treatment during the healing process. Also, if you are over 65, sometimes the skin doesn't completely shrink to fit the nose and... more

Scott Trimas, MD
Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon

Skin does shrink after rhinoplasty

In most instances the skin shrinks after reduction of the cartilage and bone during rhinoplasty. The thicker the skin is the less the amount of reduction which is why thick skinned noses should not be dramatically reduced in size.

Sam Naficy, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

Excess skin after Rhinoplasty

Skin, even when thick, will shrink after reducing the size of a large nose with two exceptions. A rhinoplasty surgeon must be careful in reducing tip size because this skin does not retract well. The excess skin at the base of the nose is excised when narrowing the nasal base.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Skin will self adjust after rhinoplasty

When the hump reduction is taken down from a large nose, there is no excess skin removal needed. The skin simply shrink-wraps over the new bone and cartilaginous framework. No excess skin will need to be removed and will look natural.

William Portuese, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattlefacial.com

Rhinoplasty and excess skin

Hello, The nose will conform due to shrink wrappage of the skin around the new nasal skeleton. Excess skin will not be noticeable. Hope this helps answer your question. Thank you and best of luck to you. Dr. Nassif

Paul S. Nassif, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Skin shrinkage after rhinoplasty

Fortunately, there is enough elasticity in the nasal skin such that even after removal of a large hump, the skin will contract to its new shape. This can sometimes take many months, especially in thicker skin. I have never had to excise skin from the nose for this reason. Best, /nsn.

Nina S. Naidu, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Excess skin is usually not problematic after Rhinoplasty Surgery.

I recently had a patient ask the identical question. Your nose skin will redrape after Rhinoplasty Surgery, even if you have your nose made smaller. I have not had reason to excise excess skin in any of my Rhinoplasty patients. I hope this is helpful for you.

Eric M. Joseph, MD
West Orange Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.ericmjoseph.com

Skin shrinks after Rhinoplasty

The skin naturally shrinks after a rhinoplasty. I have done them for over 35 years and other than removing some nostril skin (the alar bases do not shrink on their own) I have never had to cut away excess skin.

William B. Rosenblatt, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplast and excess skin

Hi, Typically, a very large nose can reshaped to look smaller but not actually made smaller. In very unique cases the skin is removed usually in older patients. Best, Dr.S.

Oleh Slupchynskyj, MD
New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.facechange.org

Nasal skin shrinkage after nose job (rhinoplasty)

Interestingly, the skin shrinks in most instances. It is highly unusual to develop loose skin after a rhinoplasty even after considerable reductions in size. Due to surgery the skin may lose some innervation and feel numb as well as seem more oily for a period of 6 months.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplasty doesn't require skin removal

Even when there is a dramatic reduction of a dorsal hump or refinement of a boxy bulbous tip, the excess skin is allowed to shrink away rather than excising it. I suppose there might be rare circumstances where skin is removed but they are truly rare.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Reduction Nose Job (Rhinoplasty)

Several nose dimensions are described as BIG by Non-Plastic surgeons- the TIP of the nose- The Back (dorsum) also called the "top" of the nose and- the LENGTH (from tip to root) of the nose. Reduction of each one of these structures and refinement involves different surgical procedures but the amount of excess skin is usually not enough to result in visible ripples or pleating. Moreover, most skin somewhat shrinks to fit the new scaffolding underneath so that surgical trimming of... more