How Long After Rhinoplasty One Can Have Steroid Injection to Get the Best Result?

Question

Hi, I had my nose augmented using gortex and donated rib for my tip six months ago. The tip of my nose is bulbous and a bit hard still. I just wondering when is the best time to have steroid injection? How does steroid injection work? Does it work by preventing more scar tissue from forming? or just to shrink the existing scar tissues? I'm planning to have my nose reviewed 4 months later (which means 10months post-op), will it be too late to have steroid injection? Thanks.

Ali Sajjadian, MD, FACS · Answer

Dear J.C.

	 

	As a quick answer, corticosteroids are ideally used to prevent the formation of scar tissues. That said, they cannot be usually injected before the 1-1.5 month mark after the surgery and they become almost useless if used after the 6 months post-op mark.

	The swelling will subside with time as mother nature takes its course with certain changes of the bulbous nasal tip.

	I recommend to consult with your surgeon as he/she knows the full details of your surgery and will provide you with the solutions that best fit your current status.

	Please do keep in mind that final results take up to a year after the surgery to form.

	Thank you for your inquiry and the best of luck to you.

	Dr. Sajjadian

Howard Webster, MBBS (Hons), FRACS · Answer

Hi there:

	It sounds like you had a complex rhinoplasty, and may well have had previous nasal surgery.  It would be uncommon to have goretex and rib in a primary rhinoplasty.  Is this true in your case?

	After such surgery, your nose will be permanently firmer to feel than preoperatively.  And, I would think the swelling would take 1 - 2 years to resolve. So you are most likely, by the sound of it, to be on track for a good outcome.

	Without pictures its very hard to advise you, but in general I would think it is unlikely that a steroid injection will be indicated for you.  It is not without risk, and if your tip is mildly swollen and firm only, then I'd wait and not inject you.  If the tip is very swollen still, you need to talk with your surgeon about possible causes for that.

	Good luck.

Robert Shumway, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

After an involved rhinoplasty, four to six weeks will allow healing for "needed" steroid injections.  However, if you are planning a revision rhinoplasty, why the need for steroids?

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD (retired) · Answer

Kenalog (steroid) can be injected into the subcutaneous tissues of the nose beginning at 1 month post op and monthly thereafter if required to decrease the possibility of scar tissue formation following a Rhinoplasty.  This can be done for the period of time that scar tissue forms which is the first 6 months or so.  After that the scar tissue is mature and the kenalog will have no effect.  Typically, the injections are only required 1-3 times during that 6 month post Rhinoplasty phase on that occasional patient with thick, oily nasal skin that's predisposed to scar tissue formation.  I use a more dilute kenalog 10 and not 40 as it's less likely to cause depressions in the nose.Hope this helps.

How Long After Rhinoplasty One Can Have Steroid Injection to Get the Best Result?

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How Long After Rhinoplasty One Can Have Steroid Injection to Get the Best Result?

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Answer: How Long After Rhinoplasty One Can Have Steroid Injection to Get the Best Result?

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