Nose Exercises to Help Maintain Results After Rhinoplasty?

I think you might want a clarification.  I suggest nose exercises for my patients, but you need to be clear what that means.  One, I agree that you should not manipulate the tip of your nose at all.  That has been surgically corrected, and could be disrupted with aggressive rubbing.

Two, the portion of the bony nose, where the nose meets the face in the upper third of the nose, is where we usually do ;ateral osteotomies.  That does have a tendency to drift out after the splint is removed a week post op, in those patients that have had the upper two thirds of the nose narrowed.  So in order to counteract this movement, I have patients put pressure on the osteotomy sites early after the splint is removed, but only for three additional days.  By ten days post op, that position becomes more fixed, so additional pressure after that is neither effective nor suggested.

Third, about a month after surgery I have patients gently massage the skin to stimulate lymphatic flow, effectively cutting down on swelling.  The key is this is soft pressure, a point I demonstrate for them so they don't get carried away.

So are these types of activities considered exercises?  Yes.  But they are at specific times, are shown to the patient, and generally do not involve the tip. 

Generally speaking, it can take 6 to 12 months to completely heal after surgery. Please keep in touch with your surgeon or his/her clinical team to discuss your ongoing concerns.

For starters, I would love to know what a "nose exercise" is, because I have never heard of such an activity.  I definitely concur with previous posters:  the nose is best left alone after Rhinoplasty and there is no benefit to moving it around.

Occasionaly a light compression to the sidewall of the nose specifically directed by your surgeon can have some benefit. Don't try this without consulting your surgeon first. Otherwise avoid any compression or manipulation of your nose after your Rhinoplasty. The nose is not a muscle or joint that requires exercise . The surgeon reshapes the nose not the patient .

The surgery by a good surgeon is the exercise you want to do. The surgery should do the job, not you. Avoid any manipulation of your nose.

Nose exercise is not necessary and will do nothing to improve the overall shape, form or function of the nose after the surgery.

Love Dr Mayers' statement! I recommend compression of the swollen areas after the 1st 3 weeks NOT BEFORE. But exercises will not really help.

FROM MIAMI DR. B

EXERCISE - some definitions from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary
- regular or repeated use of a faculty or bodily organ
- bodily exertion for the sake of developing and maintaining physical fitness
- something performed or practiced in order to develop, improve, or display a specific capability or skill
- a maneuver, operation, or drill carried out for training and discipline

Nose "exercises" MAY be applicable to Samantha Stevens, to elephants or to circus performers NOT to post nose surgery patients.

After nose surgery, the surgeon tapes the nose skin to prevent movement which would increase long term swelling. The less the swelling, the better the results and the quicker they become visible.

Follow your surgeon's recommendations. Results are achieved during surgery, not after. Avoid any type of nasal trauma for at least 6 weeks after your surgery.