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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

Asked 38 months ago by Nancy67 in VA

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bumps side effects

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.

Robert M. Freund, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

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

Richard Galitz, MD

Miami Facial 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

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

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.

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Robert Mounsey, MD

Toronto Facial Plastic Surgeon

Hard bumps 6 weeks after Rhinoplasty are likely swelling

It is almost impossible for you to tell if hard bumps are bone or cartilage after rhinoplasty. They often are the result of swelling and scarring around bone and cartilage will resolve. I know it is scary but it is likely to go away, but you will not know for at least three more months. I often start my patients messaging their noses at 6 weeks to help this resolve. Ask your doctor before you do anything tough.

Andrew Jacono, MD

New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

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

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Mild asymmetries are common.

Dear Nancy, As you are very early in the recovery period, your surgeon is right to say "Let's wait and see." Hard bumps can be caused by many things. The most common problem is swelling. With time and gently massage, this will go away. Less commonly, asymmetric bone breaks (osteotomies) used to narrow the nose can leave a small piece of bone jutting out known as a rocker deformity. If your surgeon used a perforation method to fracture the nasal bones, it can come out less... more

Manish H. Shah, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

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

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Work with your Surgeon & Time

Hi Nancy, Recovering from Rhinoplasty surgery can be a difficult and frustrating time for Patients and Physicians. Due to the complex anatomy of the nose and the extensive nature of surgery (bone is broken, cartilage removed, etc) the healing time is indeed close to a year. During this time as scar tissue develops and bones heal into place many changes can be seen in the appearance of your nose. The majority of these changes are temporary and as healing occurs a more accurate view of your... more