Is it normal for my skin to be extremely oily following rhinoplasty?

Question

I received rhinoplasty about eleven weeks ago. Ever since my face has been over-producing oil. It seems that even ten minutes after washing my face, it is extremely oily. I had semi-oily skin before because I am a teenager, but it has never been this bad. It became bad immediately after the surgery. I have tried several products to help calm it down, but nothing has worked. At first I thought it was just because of swelling, but I do not appear to be very swollen anymore.

John Dean, MD · Answer

Yes, skin changes after rhinoplasty are common and temporary. The procedure will not lead to any problems with permanent oily skin.

Parker A. Velargo, MD, FACS · Answer

Often times the tape used as part of the nasal splinting process clogs up your oily glands. When the tape is removed, your oil glands go into overdrive as a compensatory mechanism. It's a temporary thing and should get better with time. Happy healing!

Robert S. Schmidt, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question. It is indeed normal for your skin to freak out a little bit after you have had a rhinoplasty. It's very common to see blackheads after the tape and cast come off and we usually offer a complimentary facial for rhinoplasty patients to help deal with this. The oiliness that you have now should eventually settle down, but it will take some time. Good skin care can be helpful between now and then. Your surgeon may have an aesthetician who can help. Good luck!

Is it normal for my skin to be extremely oily following rhinoplasty?

Answers (3)