Do Rhinoplasty scars stay pink and reddish forever?

Question

Hi I have seen a few pictures about alarflare reduction , scars were very thin but they were pink / reddish color so It make scars noticeable do these pink color ever go? Do these scars still need time to heal? Thanks.

Ira D. Papel, MD · Answer

In the first few weeks the incisions should be a bit red, but not anything very noticeable. Whether the incisions are on the sides of the ala, or in the middle from an open approach it is normal to see redness for weeks to months. This gradually fades and becomes the same color as the surrounding skin. If the incisions are well placed the scar should be minimal. If not well placed, there may be some shadows noticeable.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Plastic surgery scars require attention after surgery so that they remain cosmetically-appealing and barely noticeable. In our office, we use a protocol for scars that minimizes their activity in the 6-8 weeks after surgery. If you have late plastic surgery scars, you may also require laser and RF therapy to help reduce the longterm effects of the scarring. Keloids, hypertrophic scars, widened scars, red scars, and hyperpigmented scars all require scar modulation with topical creams followed by lasers and RF therapy. Topical skincare should be directed to a specific need, whether for pigmentation or hypertrophy and our office can guide you through the process to obtain the correct Plato’s Scar cream or Melarase cream for hypertrophy and discoloration. In terms of lasers, we would employ the vbeam laser for redness, Venus Viva RF, PRP microneedling, chemical peels, and Morpheus 8, fractional erbium, or fractional co2. All of these have their individual benefits. Most of all, we recommend you visit a solid plastic surgeon who understands surgical scar revision, laser therapy, and RF therapy for scars. 
 
Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Sirius K. Yoo, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.  Alar base reduction scars go through the full maturation process that other scars do, but the skin in this area can be a little finicky especially in thicker skin and oilier skin patients.  The pink/redness usually lasts 3-6 months and then fades out as the scar matures.  After about a year, a well executed alar base reduction scar should be difficult to see.

Jose M. Soler-Baillo, MD, MS · Answer

Thanks for your question. Overtime the appearance of the scar does improve and the pinkish/reddish appearance will lessen. A great surgeon can make open rhinoplasty scars minimal and hardly noticeable.All the best,Dr. ResultsMiami, Fl

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

It take time for scars to mature and fade. The same is with scars after alarflare reduction. They should be placed within creases and after 1-1.5 years should be barely visible. This, however, will also depend of your own scar healing potential; some people, in particular those with thick and porous nose skin have tendency to develop wider, more visible scars.You should discuss this issue with a board certified plastic or ENT surgeon with experience in rhinoplasty. Good luck.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Usually nasal scars go on to heal after rhinoplasty quite well. Redness can take a year or longer to subside for some patients.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Closed rhinoplasty involves making all  of the incisions on the inside of the nose, so there is no external incisions. In our practice, when patients have mildly wide nostrils, an incision can be performed on the inside of the nostrils to narrow them. Significantly wide nostrils require an incision placed at the nasal sill. Incisions will tend to stay pink 1-2 months before settling in to completely heal

Robert S. Schmidt, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question. Most of the time, rhinoplasty scars fade to the point where they are almost invisible. Scars predictably heal in a way that makes them turn from pinkish to white. Ideally, a scar becomes a thin line that blends with the surrounding skin. Alar reduction scars can be slightly more noticeable because of the thick skin in this area, but any traces of pink should fade over about a year. If a scar was still a little red after several months in a way that was a problem, laser treatments can be helpful.

Nabil Fakih, MD · Answer

Dear David

Depending of the skin type and ethnic
but the scars in this area go through a maturation process as others do and it
is limited by ethnic and skin type. The pink scar usually resolves in 6 months
and it improves till 1 year by fading. It is very important to protect the pink
scar from the sun for almost a year with sun protection cream.

Best Regards,

Dr. Nabil Fakih

Randolph Capone, MD, FACS (in memoriam) · Answer

At the time of suture removal on post-op day #5-6, rhinoplasty incisions under the nose commonly look puffy and pink. Within a few days, however, this swelling subsides and the pink color starts to fade. Because of their privileged location, incisions under the nose are not a bother since no one can really see them. Nostril reduction incisions, however, are in a less privileged location as they wrap around the nostril base. They are not as hidden and therefore more noticeable. Since they are more visible, patients must be counseled carefully regarding their typical healing time, which is usually brief, but can be as long as a full year to achieve complete scar maturity. The bottom line is that rhinoplasty scars do not stay "pink or reddish forever" and fade to skin color quite quickly: typically by 10-14 days they are essentially invisible to the casual onlooker. While this is something good to know and anticipate, nicely placed scars after rhinoplasty are so minimal it should never make anyone fearful of proceeding with surgery.

Do Rhinoplasty scars stay pink and reddish forever?

Answers (10)

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