Accidently Hitting my Nose While Sleeping After Rhinoplasty?

Patienst worry about accidently hiting their nose after surgery and causing damage. Surgeons constantly warn patients to be especially careful the first month. The nose is bumped realatively often, maybe as high as 10% of the time in my experience. However I can recall only 3 times over the last 25 years where the injury clearly negatively affected the outcome. And with each case, the injury was very significant and not just a little tap or bump. Having said that, people still need to be careful and protect their nose from accidental injuries.

Dear thebestornothingThanks for the question. The strength of the impact is crucially important to say something processing.  In 2 weeks the shape of the nose looks damaged retouch can be done. Of course, the physical examination is the key to figure out actual damage it’s better to visit your doctor immediately. I wish you all the best.

I have heard this same story on many occasions over the years. You really do need to be more cautious as even slight trauma to certain noses can be quite detrimental to the final result. Check with your rhinoplasty surgeon to make sure nothing significant was done from the inadvertent injury.

Hi New Happy Nose,

Cut it out!  Stop hitting that nice new nose of yours!  If you hit it hard enough, that's what revision rhinoplasty is for!

Kidding aside, unless you can see or feel a deformity in your nose after your nocturnal self-induced traumas, you should have no worries.  If you do, see your rhinoplasty surgeon. 

As for the "expensively paid for nose", it seems that in your case you got what you paid for.  Enjoy your new beautiful nose.

Good luck and be well.

Dr. P

    Hitting your nose while asleep likely had no ill effects on your rhinoplasty.  If your nose looks different or you have any concerns, just ask your plastic surgeon.  This is always much easier than worrying about it.

It is doubtful that you hit your nose so hard while you were asleep. It is common for the nose to be sore after surgery. 

 While the nose should not be hit or bumped following a Rhinoplasty, minor incidence of this would most likely not create any movement of Rhinoplasty tissues.  If you're concerned you might want to contact your Rhinoplasty Surgeon and have your nose examined to rule out any trauma.  

 I have over the past 2 decades had Rhinoplasty Patients that have been hit by horses, all manner of balls, fists, children's heads and who knows what.  The bottom line is whether the incident shifted nasal bones or cracked nasal cartilages that may require Revision Rhinoplasty, at six months, to repair the damage.  

It would take a lot more force than you probalbly did to affect the result of your rhinoplasty.  The nose is very sensitive after surgery and the discomfort is out of proportion to the trauma.  Donald R. Nunn MD  Atlanta Plastic Surgeon.