Injecting Botox to Deactivate Depressor Septi Nasi Muscle After Revision Rhinoplasty

Some patients have a small muscle at the bottom of the nose, that pulls the tip of the nose down when the patient smiles. When performing an examination during a rhinoplasty consultation, patients are evaluated for this condition. The muscle can be clipped during surgery. If it was not diagnosed , certainly Botox placed even before the surgery can help. It could be placed anytime after wards as well. I do not recommend BOTOX in the operating room, as it does not seem to last as long. We know the muscle has to actively be used to help pick up the BOTOX, with the patient asleep, the muscles cannot fire, and the BOTOX may not work.

 Tip droop  after surgery can be related to a variety of factors, thick heavy skin, loss of bony support, failure to secure the tip complex to the end of the septum, etc. Be sure to discuss your concerns with the rhinoplasty surgeon, and make sure they are a specialist in revision rhinoplasty.

Hola Mex,

You can have your Botox treatment to relax the depressor septi nasalis muscle as soon as you can get in to see your physician.  Discuss this with your rhinoplasty surgeon. Good luck and be well.

Dr. P

You are correct in that BOTOX can prevent muscles from pulling the tip of your nose down.  Theoretically, it could be injected as early as a week before the surgery.  BOTOX is often used in other areas of the face during healing to relax muscles and allow surgery sites to heal without tension.  Relaxing the muscles around the nose could allow the tip to heal in an elevated position.  Hopefully you will not need the injections for life - just until good tip support can be established.  It is definitely something to discuss with your surgeon - who knows your nose.  Without seeing you before and after surgery, it is difficult to make firm recommendations.  It is also difficult to predict final results from rhinoplasty in the first few months of healing.  Your best course is always to communicate well with your surgeon and work together to achieve the results you want.