Hard nose tip 7 months post rhinoplasty. Will it ever soften up?

Question

I am 7 months post-op and my nose tip is still hard as a rock. Will my tip ever become soft like it was pre-op or will it stay hard forever? For extra detail, I'm middle eastern with thick skin and I had an open procedure, the tip support used was a double floating medial crural strut. Please can someone get back to me.

George Bitar, MD · Answer

At 7 months post rhinoplasty, there are many reasons why your nasal tip is firm.  There may be residual swelling and scar tissue from your surgery, which generally takes about a year to go away.  With thicker skin, it may take even longer.  You also had a strut placed to add support to the tip, which can make the tip feel firmer.  Things will likely improve and soften as you continue to recover, but there is no guarantee that the tip will be as soft as it was before your surgery.

Caner Kacmaz, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Most of the swelling will go down after 3 months of your surgery but the tip will continue to feel hard. This should resolve completely after 12 months. A hard tip is usually due to swelling of your nasal tissue. This is a part o the recovery process. If the hardness and swelling continue after 12 months you might think about getting a steroid injection. This will help with the swelling and hardness of the tip. Be patient and good luck.

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

It sounds like you had a cartilage graft on your tip. I would give it some more time to soften up. The graft could be removed but then the tip might look more like a glob

Vasfi Celik, MD · Answer

The recovery time of patients with thick skin may be slightly longer than patients with thin skin. The 7-month period is considered new in such patients, it may take 1-2 years for this hardness at the tip of the nose to disappear completely.

Robert Ciardullo, MD · Answer

Hardness of the tip post rhinoplasty: The tip of the nose after seven months they feel hard from several causes some of which will dissipate while others will remain. Part of the hardness is due to a buildup of scar tissue. This will soften up over time. Seven months is still rather early in the postoperative period, particularly for someone with thick skin who had an open rhinoplasty and grafts added. During the procedure some things are done to improve tip projection and narrow a wide or bulbous tip. Some of these maneuvers involve suturing the domes of the tip together and adding Cartilage such as columella struts for additional support. These will make the tip of the nose firmer. In some cases the tip of the nose lacks support and pressing on the tip will make it easily touch the upper lip. In cases such as that support may be added in the form of Cartilage to strengthen the Columella and the tip Cartilage. this is done to maintain the forward projection of the tip. this will make it feel firmer, but this is by design and is not a problem or complication. So in summary your nose will probably be firmer than it used to be in the tip area but not as firm as it is now.

Joseph Shvidler, MD · Answer

The tip  feels firmer after a rhinoplasty, but should should soften up after 3-6 months, unless you had grafts placed in the tip and columella to help support and shape your nose. The more grafts you have, the stiffer your nose will be. If you had a rib graft, the tip will be even stiffer. I find that if i have to place a graft, septal cartilage is best if available.

Jeffrey C. Hamm, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hi and welcome to our forum!
Rhinoplasty is a traumatic procedure. The skin and muscle is surgically divided from the underlying nasal skeleton and with open technique the lower 1/3 of the nose is totally dissected free from underlying structures (allowing for better tip exposure). In addition, you underwent extensive cartilage repositioning. As a result of temporary interruption of your nasal lymphatic system, postoperative swelling will be more intense and will last longer. It will take 18-24 months for swelling to totally subside. During the interval, the nasal tip may be large, round, and firm. Be patient...as the swelling diminishes, nasal firmness will subside.
If still concerned, revisit your plastic surgeon for re-evaluation.
Best wishes...

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