Can taping the nose after Rhinoplasty affect the shape?

First, confirm with your surgeon that you are applying the tape as intended.In general, the point of taping is to help the skin mimic the structural changes that were done underneath the surface.  You want to allow those changes to show while keeping swelling and any potential scar tissue formation under the skin surface to a minimum.In rhinoplasty surgery there is almost never any change to the skin of the nose itself.  Instead the structural support underneath (the cartilage and bone) is altered.  You want the skin to redrape and show those changes.  In contrast, the tape is not intended to alter rotation or projection of the tip.Leaving some of the tip exposed and taping the other areas like you have been doing is the standard way of applying the tape.  It's more about getting pressure on the skin in certain areas and maintaining good blood flow in others.  Leaving the tip exposed won't give you more rotation, but just check with your surgeon to make sure you are not putting to much upward "pull" on the piece of tape that loops around the infratip area (the part that is in the middle just below the tip and above the edge of the nostrils when viewed from below).Good luck to you!And remember -- 3 weeks is early.  It's very common for a nose to "settle" in the first few weeks to months after a rhinoplasty leading to a little bit less rotation.

Dear Lereve1234, Personally I do not have my patients tape their nose after splint removal. I remove the splint at seven days post surgery and then give instructions for nasal exercises I prefer to taping. Some surgeons do have their patients tape and it is a personal choice of each surgeon. Discuss your concerns with your surgeon and follow his/her post operative directions. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.