Rhinoplasty : "sharp" piece of bone under the skin. Should I be worried? (photos)

Question

I had a rhinoplasty in July. Most of the swelling is gone, and a flaw has appeared : I can see a thin and “sharp” piece of bone under my skin. From the side, you can see a small, unnatural looking hump. Anyway, this hump doesn’t really bother me ; I don’t want to have another rhinoplasty because of this. The problem is that in the area of this hump, the skin is white, as if it was compressed and that blood could not pass. Should I be worried? Can I still wear glasses?

Thomas J. Walker, MD, FACS · Answer

You definitely need to see your surgeon for this as it is not clear on pictures whether this is a nasal bone irregularity, cartilage graft, or even alloplastic implant. No matter what the case is, the fact that your skin is blanching (white) without good capillary refill might become a problem down the line, such as skin necrosis, skin erosion, or even extrusion of a graft or implant. If your surgeon is not available for whatever reason, you need to see a revision rhinoplasty specialist for further assessment and treatment. Best wishes!

Rajan Uppal, MBBS, FRCS · Answer

Yes you are right to be concerned about the bone. You have very thin skin and so the uneven bone is visible. You need to see your plastic surgeon about this. He will be able to correct this quite easily with a small revision. Then you should have a lovely result. This bone prominence can happen so don't worry.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD · Answer

There are number things this could be depending on what your surgeon did to your nose. This is not normal and something you should point out to him in order to find out what is and what the treatment will be. Regrettably, this will require another operation.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

I would recommend an exam to determine the best course of action.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA..

Rhinoplasty : "sharp" piece of bone under the skin. Should I be worried? (photos)

Answers (4)