Bigger tip after rhinoplasty? 6 days post op.

Question

I'm 6 days post op and got my cast removed today. My nose looks heaps straighter, although the tip looks huge. I know that swelling will go down in next few weeks, months and even after a year, but is it likely that the tip will reduce in swelling? Or does this just occur to the width of the nose etc.

Raymond Goh, MBBS (Hons), FRACS (Plast) · Answer

Hi Joey. Thanks for your questions.
It's nice to hear that you have already noticed a straighter nose.
Yes, your tip at one week will be very swollen. In fact, it can often look bigger than it was prior to surgery. I find that most of the swelling should come down by 6-8 weeks, but swelling will continue to resolve over the next 12 months. 
Give it more time, and follow your surgeon's instructions for after care.
All the very best.
Dr Ray Goh

Andrew T. Lyos, MD, FACS · Answer

The good news is that you can relax-swelling after rhinoplasty is normal and improves with time. You are only 6 days post-op which is very early in the healing process. Your nose will look more swollen in the morning after lying down all night. It will look the best at the end of the day after you have been in an upright position all day. This is because in the upright position, the nose is well above the level of the heart which facilitates the normal tissue fluid drainage of the nose. Sleeping with your head elevated with help to reduce the swelling. I frequently recommend taping of the nose at night for 4 to 6 weeks following a rhinoplasty to minimize this swelling. I would recommend discussing your concerns with your Plastic Surgeon. Best regards, Andrew Lyos, MD, FACS
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Christopher Kolstad, MD · Answer

Nasal tip swelling can take a long to to resolve after rhinoplasty.  I typically tell my patients not to spend too much time looking in the mirror for the first couple weeks after rhinoplasty because it is easy to become discouraged by temporary inflammatory changes.  If you have concerns with your nose I always recommend addressing them with your surgeon.

Jan Zemplenyi, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Six days post surgery is incredibly early on in the healing process to make a judgement on your final results. Residual swelling, especially in the tip of the nose, can take a year to resolve as the contour refines. Try and be patient while you are healing.

Bigger tip after rhinoplasty? 6 days post op.

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Bigger tip after rhinoplasty? 6 days post op.

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