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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

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13 Doctor Answers | Asked by Nancy67 in VA

Doctor Answers (13)
Community Comments (0)

Massage May Help Bumps On Side of Nose After Rhinoplasty

Thank you for your question. It is very common to feel irregularities on the side of the nose near the eyes after Rhinoplasty. As others have explained this is where the bones were cut. Usually this swelling is a combination of tissue swelling and blood and will resolve. I find that massage often helps speed their resolution. Keep in touch with your surgeon and follow his/her advice.

Rhinoplasty results can test your patience

The bumps you describe sound like swelling in the area where the bones are broken to achieve the desired result. The swelling in a rhinoplasty can be slow in resolving. My advice is to ignore your friends and relax.

Recovery after Rhinoplasty: Swelling, Edema, Bruising, Assymetry

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... more

Bumps on side of nose

Many times a rhinoplasty will look best when there is still a little operative swelling to hide any imperfections.It now appears you are seeing slight remnants and imperfections of the osteotomy sites. I tell patients it only matters if the problem is visible and not what you can feel. However if you can see a problem it may be necessary to go back in and clean up the osteotomy sites so that they are smooth and straight. This problem arises more often if the osteotomies were... more

Rhinoplasty recovery

Post-Rhinoplasty is a waiting game. Once the splint is removed, swelling ensues and may change the appearance of the nose. Be patient and you have to give it some time. I would wait 6-12 months before making a decision about doing anything else.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Bumps on the Nose Five Weeks After Rhinoplasty

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... more

Michael A. Persky, MD

21 reviews

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

drpersky.com

Contour Irregularity Following Rhinoplasty

The type of contour irregularity that you describe is very common following rhinoplasty surgery. During this procedure the nasal bones are filed and the nasal cartilage is shaved to reshape the nose. It’s not unusual to have residual boney irregularity, cartilaginous irregularity, scarring and swelling following this procedure. When these bumps occur, they can usually be felt, but not seen. In some cases, they may be visible as well and this can be a major source of... more

Patience is a virtue

Your surgeon is correct. Wait and see. If there is a slight irregularity in the bone along were it was cut (the osteotomies) this can often be filled a bit. If there is a piece of a graft sticking up, this can also be filed. Injections of steroids are commonly used for soft tissue swelling and scar. I too would wait 12-18 month before doing anything. It is the nature of the operation that the nose does not always heal the way we want it to heal. more

Bumps after rhinoplasty

Thank you for your question Nancy. From what you are describing the irregularities may be in the region of the osteotomies which were probably performed during your rhinoplasty. Overall I agree with your surgeon in that things are very early and you can expect further changes. Some patients may feel ridges along the osteotomy sites.

Edward S. Kwak, MD

3 reviews

Manhattan Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.eskfps.com

It takes some time to assess the results of rhinoplasty

As the nose heals it takes some time to allow the tissues to settle and see the final result. it is still early in the healing process. Express your concerns with the surgeon who performed the procedure. A nose may appear crooked as the swelling resolves in an uneven fashion, but improve with time.