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

Question

Hello everyone.Male here. I have two questions to ask you. First one is: let`s say the nose has a bulbous tip, and it`s unproportional to the face ( too long) by quite much. What happens to the excess skin that was there when the nose was long? Is it cut out? I`ve always been wondering... Also, if I`ve been told that I my nose has an average skin thickness. However, it is squishy at the tip. What exacly does it mean in terms of my rhinoplasty?And to what extent?

Stephen Weber MD, FACS · Answer

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

Pablo Prichard, MD · Answer

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

William Portuese, MD · Answer

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

Taek Keun Kwon, MD · Answer

Dear patient,

	Thanks for your inquiries.
	In your case, we call it ‘long nose’ or ‘plunging tip.’
	You don’t need to remove the excess skin, but it seems your alar cartilages should be rotated upward. Diverse methods of cartilage rotation can be applied according to each person’s nose shape and status.

	Thanks,

	Dr. Kwon Take Keun

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

The refinement that is achieved in the nasal tip in rhinplasty is highly influenced by the overlying skin's ability to shrink. As long as the amount of tip skin is not excessive (medium thickness description suggests it is not excessive), you should have good skin shrinkage that largely reflects the underlying cartilage reduction. Nasal skin is never cut out.

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

Answers (8)

Answer: You might need cartilage rotation

Answer: You might need cartilage rotation

Answer: Skin Shrinkage after Tip Reduction in Rhinoplasty

Answer: Skin Shrinkage after Tip Reduction in Rhinoplasty

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

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

Answers (8)

Answer: You might need cartilage rotation

Answer: You might need cartilage rotation

Answer: Skin Shrinkage after Tip Reduction in Rhinoplasty

Answer: Skin Shrinkage after Tip Reduction in Rhinoplasty

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.