How damaging can nose picking to the nose be after 6 months after a Functional Rhinoplasty?

Short answer is a lot. Constant picking of your nose can actually cause injury to the delicate mucosa of the nose. If something is bothering you on the inside of your nose, you should seek evaluation by a rhinoplasty surgeon. Good luck.

Chronic nasal picking can result in chronic inflammation and even permanent damage to the inside and outside of your nose. For example I have seen quite a few patients that have literally picked holes into their septum from chronic q-tip use. Also, simply as an example of how severe a chronic but otherwise "harmless" tendency to nose pick can be, there are patients who suffer from what is known as trigeminal trophic syndrome, wherein, usually due to a stroke or other neurologic condition, patients develop partial numbness and tingling in the nose/face. I've seen several patients with this disorder actually pick more than 50% of their noses off over years. My goal is not to scare you, but these examples do point to the significant impact that chronic nasal picking can have on your nose regardless of whether you have had rhinoplasty. The microtrauma that ensues can lead to inflammation, scar tissue formation, and impact your surgical result or your nasal functioning. Damaged nasal mucosa is unable to produce mucus, which can generate a life long nasal irritation. It's important that you follow up with your nasal surgeon, as sometimes suture granulomas can form that can generate enough inflammation to lead to discomfort and a tendency to pick the area. Other times, bacterial colonization with staph can lead to mucosal inflammation as well, and such cases benefit from a topical nasal antibiotic ointment (such as mupirocin). Keep your nose well humidified by nasal saline mist bottles; this can help quite a bit as well. Finally, applying some vaseline or aquaphor ointment to the inside edge of your nasal rims can help maintain good moisture and prevent the drying and itchiness that can develop following a rhinoplasty. Best of luck to you :)!