Can you advise on nose tip swelling 6 months post-op open rhinoplasty?

Question

6 months post open rhino with tip narrowing and rotation. nose tip swells when i lay down. upon getting up nose tip is swollen. narrows down by around 10 am, stays narrow most of the day and then swells up in evening after i take a nap. seems it also swells after eating lunch, even with no sodium intake

Alan Gonzalez, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello @deen, thank you for your question.   It is not uncommon for swelling to occur 6 months post-op open rhinoplasty, this not a cause for concern as it often occurs due to normal fluctuations in your body’s metabolism following surgery. It also may be that your nose has yet to completely heal from the procedure, which can take up to a year. The best thing you can do for now is to be patient, give your body time to heal properly and follow your surgeon recommendation. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD. American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS),  International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science Member (IFATS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP).

Christian Conderman, MD · Answer

Hi!
What you're experiencing can definitely still be a normal part of the healing process after open rhinoplasty. Swelling of the skin and soft tissue envelope can last for 12-18 months after a primary nasal surgery. I understand how this can be frustrating but the fluctuating aspect of the swelling you're experiencing should improve as your nose continues to heal. Hope that helps!

Selcuk Inanli, MD · Answer

Hello! Thank you for your question. As far as I can understand your question, the swelling and the healing process is totally up to your skin type. If you have thick skin, your nose will be heal likely in 1,5 years. The low water intake and high sodium intake can be effect the swelling badly. If you can provide photos from front of your face, from the side of your face and 1 meter away I would be able to make a proper evaluation. It would be more convenient to decide with face-to-face consultation. Best Regards!

Eric M. Joseph, MD · Answer

Generally advise our patients that when you're 10:00 pm nose becomes your 10:00 am nose, you will know that all of your swelling is gone. This amount of time is typically 12 to 18 months after rhinoplasty surgery depending upon the type of procedure you had performed and the thickness of your skin. Hope this helps! Dr Joseph

Timothy Ortlip, MD · Answer

Nasal tip swelling can be common after rhinoplasty surgery. Especially within the first year. This does not surprise me and I don't think it should concern you much.  Laying down allows all the blood to rush into the head/face and soft tissue can tend to swell. Trying to sleep slightly upright or some gentle taping of the tip at night under the advice of your plastic surgeon could potentially help with this. I think with time this will be less of an issue.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

We routinely advise our patients to apply overnight tapes after splint is removed for an average of 2-3 months, in some cases with prolonged swelling, even longer. You may try to do taping for 2 months and see whether that will help with recurrent swelling. Good luck.

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

That’s not entirely unusual. Swelling can persist up to a year and tends to be worse in the morning. The other possibility is that there is a cartilage graft that is doing this. If so you might want to get it removed

Can you advise on nose tip swelling 6 months post-op open rhinoplasty?

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