I have an under-eye bruising 3 months after Rhinoplasty. Is this normal?

Question

I underwent an open rhinoplasty (to reshape the tip of my nose) and septoplasty approximately 3 months ago. After the surgery I had quite big and very dark (dark purple, almost black) ecchymoses under the eyes. They resolved in time, however on the right side (where the bruising was more pronounced) there is is still a yellowish, light brown pigmentation under the eye. Is it normal for this to perisist 3 months after the surgery? Will it completely resolve in time? Thank you in advance for the answer!

Ali Sajjadian, MD, FACS · Answer

Rachel.b,Under-eye bruising is very common after rhinoplasty and can persist for months after the surgery depending on the patient. Complete healing time for rhinoplasty patients is 1 year. I do believe your bruising will go down with time and to quicken the process I would avoid any blood thinners. Consult your doctor with more questions and concerns on the matter if it persists. Hope this helps,Dr. Ali Sajjadian

Garrett H. Bennett, MD · Answer

Most bruising should be gone within a couple of months at the most. Sometimes pigmentation can become more permanent. There are dermatologists that can lift this pigmentation using a laser procedure. You could also try arnica gel on the darkened areas. Also, try to keep sunblock on the area and out of the sun, as the sun can make the area darker and last longer.

Robert E. Zaworski, MD (retired) · Answer

In a normal healthy patient under eye bruising 3 months after Rhinoplasty is not common.  It can take weeks to months to completely heal from this surgery.  Follow up with your surgeon in regards to your healing and bruising.  If you are on blood thinners, such as aspirin products this could be part of the problem.  Best wishes!

I have an under-eye bruising 3 months after Rhinoplasty. Is this normal?

Answers (3)