Should I Tape my Nose at Night After Rhinoplasty?

Question

Hi! I underwent my second Rhinoplasty 2 weeks ago (because of falling tip and callosity on dorsum), and today my doc removed the tapes. He told me to be careful... That's all! And I was careful even after the first operation!

	As far as I know, here in Italy it is not common, but I have seen that many international doctors advise to apply tapes at night to raise the tip and to prevent the nose from swelling for many months. What do you suggest? Thank you very much :-)

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

I would strongly concur with Dr. Bogdan in his excellent summation.
Taping can be useful and was utilized more in the past but generally has fallen out of favor due to it's unpopularity.
Consult with your plastic surgeon and follow their recommendations.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Taping the nose will not get rid of any swelling, edema, or help with the healing process. Simply taping the nose will not keep the tip up. The surgical techniques employed during the surgery will determine the final balance of the nose, not taping. We never use taping in our practice.

Michael A. Bogdan, MD, MBA, FACS · Answer

Taping can help mold or position the nose as it is going through the healing / edema phase. It definitely can help achieve a supra-tip break, which is an area that I sometimes use taping to assist with edema resolution. I would not suggest that you take it onto yourself to start this treatment. Your surgeon knows what to expect at certain times after the operation, and is weighing the pros/cons of starting an intervention. (Yes, even tape has some risks...) You should bring up the issue with your surgeon, and seek their guidance.

Should I Tape my Nose at Night After Rhinoplasty?

Answers (3)