What is This Bump Growing on the Side of my Nose? (photo)

Question

growing a bump on the right side of nose. It feels hard when i touch it. Had rhinoplasty in 2006 at age 18. Do I need surgery to fix it or is there a way it will go down on its own? It has already been there for almost 2 years.

Michael R. Macdonald, MD · Answer

No, it is not likely to go away on its own given the description of your bump and the timing and duration of its appearance. That said, you may not require an invasive revision rhinoplasty to fix it either. You'll want to see a plastic surgeon to fully assess the nature of your bump and options for treating it.

	Since this bump developed approximately 4 years after your rhinoplasty, it is not necessarily related to your original surgery in 2006. Other possible diagnoses could include a non-pigmented type of mole or a cyst in the skin. It's impossible to tell without seeing and examining it.

	However, it could perhaps be scar tissue that was not immediately obvious after your rhinoplasty. Your plastic surgeon can evaluate whether a revision surgery is required or if a more simple solution can be offered instead. Simpler solutions could include:

	
		a triamcinolone injection to break down any scar tissue,
	
		simple shaving of the lesion, or
	
		a small direct excision.

Andre Panossian, MD · Answer

After 2 years following rhinoplasty, the likelihood that your bump will go away on its own is unlikely. I'm also not sure what you mean by the bump "growing." Was it not there after surgery? In other words, was the bump not there 1 year after your surgery? It's a fairly sizable bump. Most often it is thick scar tissue, but sometimes it can be due to a dislodged cartilage graft. If it is truly growing, then you will need to get it checked out for other rare possibilities such as tumors or cysts. However, if the plastic surgeon examining you is certain that this isn't something more concerning, then I would possibly recommend a trial of steroid injection to try and flatten it. If that doesn't work, then a revision rhinoplasty is the only way to refine the tip and eliminate the bump.

Chase Lay, MD · Answer

Most likely the soft tissue (skin, collagen, tiny amount of fat) around an edge of cartilage is starting to thin making the cartilage beneath more visible.  This is something that can happen years after a rhinoplasty.  I see it from time to time in my practice.  A patient had a rhinoplasty years ago and they are starting to notice a "bump" on the nose.  Usually it's bone or  cartilage that wasn't properly camoflaged or smoothed during the original surgery.  However, it's hard to say for sure.  It's pretty late in the game to have a build up of scar tissue. 

	If your surgeon finds it is cartilage then you may need surgery to correct.  Another option you could try first is your own blood plasma and stem cells injected around it to build up the soft tissue again.  If it doesn't work you can proceed with surgery.

	If it is scar tissue then a few steroid injections may help.

	Likely you'd need surgery, is my guess.

	At the rhinoplasty link below there are a few examples of noses that have some visible cartilage and bone beneath the skin.  These were reshaped and covered with a small soft tissue or cartilage graft.

	Best of luck

	Chase Lay, MD

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

Either your surgeon or another expert rhinoplsty surgeon needs to check you in person as this is not normal and can probably be improved. It could be twisted cartilage, a graft that was used, scar tissues, a cyst and possibly other things.

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