What Happens to the Excess Skin After a Rhinoplasty and What Does the Squishy Nose Mean?

Nasal skin is not removed during rhinoplasty. After modifying the structure of the nose, the nasal skin will contract or "shrink wrap" around the underlying skeleton of the nose. Stephen Weber MD, FACS

Dear higuys,

Thank you for your question.  Photos usually help in explanations.  In general, the skin is elastic.  It will retract to the dimensions of the underlying structures, within reason.  This is why you can make a large nose, smaller, but not necessarily small.  Squishiness I assume is related to poor support structures (caritlage) of the tip.  A strut can be made of firmer cartilage and placed at the tip to strengthen it.

Best wishes,

Pablo Prichard, MD 

 When performing a rhinoplasty there is no skin excision. The undermining of the skin and bridge line and tip  are accomplished in such a fashion that the skin re-drapes over the cartilaginous framework.  The skin shrink wraps over the new framework of the tip. In thick skin individuals  the skin does not shrink-wrap as well as thin skin individuals. Sometimes cortisone shots are required to reduce edema that is present in the supratip area of the nose in the postoperative phase.  For many before and after examples of closed rhinoplasty, please see the link and the video below