Does skin around the nose stretch after a rhinoplasty with rib cartilage graft?

Skin is elastic and it is also vascular. A small or under-projected nose will stretch immediately when augmented, and the skin will adapt and allow for further projection once recovered. The blood supply must also recover from the trauma of an initial surgery to allow for proper recovery and healing from a revision surgery.

If you underwent augmentation rhinoplasty 6 months ago utilizing your own rib, I believe it is too soon to consider revision surgery. You need all of your surgical swelling to go down. Before considering the uncertainties of adding more rib cartilage, you may wish to consider a permanent non-surgical nose job to permanently raise the bridge of your nose from where it is now. And our practice, we utilize microdroplet Silikon-1000 injections to achieve several millimeters of additional nasal bridge projection. Thank you for this excellent question, and I hope it's helpful. Sincerely, Dr Joseph

Hello and thank you for your question. It is always advisable to wait for the swelling to resolve prior to performing a revision. The skin will accommodate around grafts which can be placed. That part should not be a problem. It is possible to place additional grafts during a revision to build the tip and dorsum. With good surgical technique, you could likely have an outstanding result. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

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