Will Massaging the Nose After Rhinoplasty Help?

Rhino7,
The nose, especially the skin around the tip, normally swells after rhinoplasty. Most swelling resolves in a few weeks, but the last 20% of nasal swelling takes at least 1 year to resolve.
Gently pressure and massage may be appropriate after rhinoplasty. The bridge, middle, or tip of the nose may be massaged.
Scar tissue softens and swollen tissue is reduced with any massage of the skin. Pressure that is too forceful may shift and move the nasal bones and cartilage.
Steroid injection under the skin may be required to help control swelling, scar, and edema.
Speak to your facial plastic surgeon if nasal massage is appropriate for your particular case.

This is a good question but tricky.  First I recommend you ask your surgeon as each doctor has their own protocol.  While massaging can have some mild benefit in reducing swelling the downsides in my opinion out weigh the benefits.  In the hands of an untrained professional you can shift and mold the nose in an unfavorable way and hence I do not have my patients massage after surgery.  Your surgery should not require massage in order to get a beautiful outcomeGood LuckDr Rahban

Hello and thank you for your question. I never recommend massage or taping for any of my patients after surgery. In my opinion, this can be damaging to the underlying grafts. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Following your procedure your surgeon may prescribe nasal massage type therapy to help with the resolution of swelling and therefore reduce recovery time. It is vital to check with your surgeon before performing any physical therapy or massage after your surgery. In general, any recommended massage pressure must be firm enough to smooth any lump or swelling caused by oedema (fluid) or healing tissue (immature scar or bone) but NOT so hard as to cause pain, tenderness, bruising or deformity to the delicate underlying operated tissues. A vital precaution to remember is whenever you apply pressure to an area of the nose there should be no significant movement of other areas of your nose. The rest of the nose must be securely supported with other fingers to stop excessive or harmful movement under the effect of the manipulation.
I don’t recommend my patients perform any massage or exercise without my direct instruction as Excessive pressure, twisting or bending of the nose can cause damage leading to contour irregularities. You should seek advice from your treating doctor. 

Hi,
In general, patient's are advised to refrain from manipulating their nose after surgery. Many rhinoplasties require precise placement of grafts and sutures and massage or other manipulation of the nose can compromised the final results. Your surgeon will know exactly what he/she did during the rhinoplasty and if they recommend gently massage or pressure then it is safe to follow their post-operative instructions; but unless you are explicitly told to massage the nose, don't. 
All the best,
Mehdi Sina, MD

Dear Rhino7,As a rhinoplasty surgeon that performs a good number of revision, or redo, rhinoplasty procedures I must say that massage is an important component of my improved result.  Many of these patients looking for a secondary rhinoplasty have firm, and prominent areas that they feel is unattractive and not the result that they expected- often this in the tip. I find that in many cases they where never instructed to massage by the primary surgeon. Perhaps this is due to the way the surgeon 'engineered' the procedure, and that they are concerned that it may disrupt the work performed. I often tell my post-op patients that if it is tender and firm, it will be prominent. By careful massage I believe that I can have the patient better control the amount, and the presentation of collagen (scar) that will form in the operative bed during the tissue "remodeling" phase.  I feel that for a superior, more natural result this understanding, and effort is vital to a optimal result. Timing, the details of how to massage, and the areas to massage are all instructed and modified during different phases in the healing period by me in the follow-ups post-op.  Thus the importance of  follow-ups as part of ensuring optimized healing.  Since the rhinoplasty is a surgery of extreme detail, and of millimeters- I feel scar control is vital to the result.  However my post-operative management is based on how I construct the procedure in surgery. Please discuss this matter with your surgeon for the best steps to take in optimizing your result.I hope this helps,Sergio P. Maggi, MD, FACSdrmaggi.comAustin Plastic Surgery Center

Compression exercises may help reduce swelling after rhinoplasty but should only be performed under the guidance of your surgeon. They must be performed exactly as you have been instructed.

Thank you for your question. I would avoid massage or putting any pressure on your nose after a rhinoplasty. I agree to just be patient and let the swelling go down naturally. You do not want to risk manipulating the nose to avoid any potential problems or injury. Best of luck!Dhaval M. Pateldouble board certifiedPlastic surgeonHoffman EstatesBarringtonOakbrookChicago

There are rarely instances where massage is useful and can certainly be detrimental.  I would strongly advise against massage unless your surgeon has specifically instructed you to do so.  I find that patients often feel like more is better and become over enthusiastic with these actions.  Especially in the early recovery period, you are more likely to cause injury than to help the healing process.

Generally speaking, it can take 6 to 12 months to completely heal after surgery. Please keep in touch with your surgeon or his/her clinical team to discuss your ongoing concerns.

No, please refrain from rubbing or massaging
your healing nose. It is understandable that you are anxious to speed up your
recovery and start reaping the benefits of your nose job, but please try to be
as patient as possible to ensure that you do not accidently compromise your
results.