Why is my nose getting bigger 2 months after a rhinoplasty?

Question

Hey, I had a closed rhinoplasty two months ago and am concerned about the appearance. I understand that it can take up to a year for the swelling to subside, but am concerned that my nose may be developing a polly beak? I took two photos (one two weeks post-op and another two months post-op). I'd appreciate your thoughts. Could this be swelling? Cheers, Tom

Roberto E. Garcia, MD, FACS · Answer

I see your concern.  First off, I tell my patients that they should never judge post rhinoplasty results for up to a year.  Having said that, I see my patients very frequently after surgery and watch for this very thing.  While there is a possibility that the cartilage of the "supratip" region was under-resected, the more logical reason would be the development of a soft tissue pollybeak.  This is most often caused by scar tissue.You need to see your surgeon and ask if they should inject the tip with kenalog injections to see if there is any improvement.  By feeling the tip, an experienced Rhinoplasty surgeon should be able to tell if the problem is residual cartilage or scar.I hope this helps.

Burr von Maur, MD · Answer

Thank you very much for posting photos. I understand your concern and it is not uncommon for swelling to take up to a year to totally subside following a rhinoplasty. As soft tissue heals on the nose, the nose tends to decrease in size over time. There is always a possiblity of a polly beak or "supratip" issue at a later date, but at this point it is too soon to be able to predict the exact outcome.

John Frodel, MD · Answer

It is possible that as swelling has gone down in the tip region, it has allowed an area of fullness, likely due to cartilage protrusion, to become more visible above the tip. Regardless, wait at least six months before even beginning to consider revision.  Hopefully, we are just seeing swelling that is taking its time going away.

Why is my nose getting bigger 2 months after a rhinoplasty?

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Why is my nose getting bigger 2 months after a rhinoplasty?

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Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.