Can swelling post rhinoplasty be hard and feel like a defined mass?

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.

It is completely normal for the nose to be swollen and firm after your rhinoplasty.  As the swelling begins to resolve and the nose continues to heal, it will soften up over time. Unfortunately, this can take months to fully soften back to a normal state. Some of what you are feeling now is the pronounced swelling that occurs in the immediate postoperative phase so be patient as this will resolve. 

At 12 days after surgery, anything can feel swollen and hard, so please try not to worry about it at this time.  It will take a few weeks for 60-70% of the initial swelling to go away, and 3-6 months for resolution of swelling.  And there are further changes for the following year or longer as the skin contracts, so please try to be patient.  Good luck.