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Does post-op Rhinoplasty nose massage really reduce swelling?

5 weeks after revision rhinoplasty, and my nose is far more swollen on one side (frontal view) than the other, making my nose now completely asymmetrical. My surgeon has suggested i press the swollen area 3 times a day for 10 minutes. But in doing this for now 4 days, the swelling seems to have increased and made the bump on one side now even larger and harder, Does post op nose massage really help or reduce swelling? And why is it that one side of my nose is perfect and the other not?

Doctor Answers 3

October 19th, 2016

Post op nose

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Louisa34, yes all of my patients are told to massage and with a revision it can take about 3-6 months to have a good idea of where you are going. Work with your surgeon and if you are unhappy after a year see an experienced surgeon that does "only faces" for another opinion. Good luck!

M. Sean Freeman, MD


Charlotte Facial Plastic Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 52 reviews

October 19th, 2016

Massaging your nose may not help

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I am not a big believer that massaging your nose is going to make the swelling go away. I think time and or a steroid injection might help. My feeling is that was what was not accomplish during surgery won't be accomplished by massaging the nose.  Asymmetric swelling is not uncommon. Therefore what I do with patients when one side is more swollen than the other after 6 to 8 weeks is inject Kenalog. This will work if the reason your asymmetric is purely swelling. If the swelling is due to a error in leaving too much cartilage  or not creating a symmetric osteotomy (bone break) then  all the massaging and steroid injections in the world will not help. 

Carlos Wolf, MD
October 19th, 2016

1 month post op, some advices:

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Thank you very much for enquire.

Swelling after a rhinoplasty depends of the surgery complexity.
In this regard, the nasal swelling Post-op It can last from two weeks to two months.
To reduce this swelling, I recommend you perform delicates daily lymphatic drainage massage therapy over the face (around the nose) avoid sun exposure, and take pain/inflamation pills, as your surgeron precribe you.
Kind regards, 
Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.-  

Emmanuel Mallol Cotes, MD

Emmanuel Mallol Cotes, MD
Dominican Republic Plastic Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 306 reviews

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