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Is It Normal to Have Lingering Black Circles (from Black Eyes) 8 Weeks Post Op? (photo)

I had open rhinoplasty 8 weeks ago with very severe bruising and swelling. Is it normal to have lingering black circles under my eyes where the black eyes were at 8 weeks? Is there anything I can do to help her rid of them ?

Doctor Answers 7

Lingering Black Circles After Rhinoplasty #nosejob

August 5th, 2013
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Yes. It is normal to have some of the blood byproducts that stay behind form a bruise to cause black circles. I would expect this to resolve in time. Be patient. Everything in the plastic surgery world takes time, lots of time. 

Richard J. Brown, MD


Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon
4.9 out of 5 stars 37 reviews

Dark circles after rhinoplasty

August 4th, 2013
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It appears that you have dark circles, not bruising. The dark circles are caused by relative hollowness (tear troughs) and shadow phenomenon. You may benefit from filler injections.  See an oculoplastic specialist for evaluation.

Web reference: http://www.tabanmd.com/fillers

Mehryar (Ray) Taban, MD, FACS

Mehryar (Ray) Taban, MD, FACS
Beverly Hills Oculoplastic Surgeon
4.8 out of 5 stars 55 reviews

Bruising after 8 weeks

February 8th, 2015
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In general, swelling after rhinoplasty takes months and months to fully resolve, and bruising can also take several weeks to go away.  You definitely had quite a lot of bruising and so you may find that it takes longer for it to go away.

Web reference: http://youtube.com/edelsteincosmetictv

Jerome Edelstein, MD

Darkness around the eyes following a rhinoplasty.

August 3rd, 2013
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You certainly got your share of bruising from your original rhinoplasty.  Any darkness from bruising will be temporary.  At this point your best bet is to use some form of camouflage makeup. This is available at most cosmetic stores. A yellow based make up foundation will help cover-up purple.

Jeffrey Zwiren, MD

Jeffrey Zwiren, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 15 reviews

Dark circles after bruising from rhinoplasty

August 2nd, 2013
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You can have lingering black circles this far out from previous bruising. This occasionally occurs as the blood cells from the bruising under the skin breaks up and the pigment gets deposited in the skin. This is called hemosiderin deposition and may take months to resolve. There is really no solution other than giving it time. At close inspection of your picture though it also looks like you have mild tear troughs. You may benefit from injecting hyaluronic acid fillers like Belotero or Restylane to see if you could get improvement from the dark circles and that may resolve the issue.

Kristina Tansavatdi, MD

Kristina Tansavatdi, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 30 reviews

Rhinoplasty and bruising

August 2nd, 2013
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At eight weeks, you likely have hyperpigmenation- a byproduct of the bruising. This too should disappear with time but you would benefit from some skin care. Most plastic surgeons have an esthetician on staff you can consult with.

Roy A. David, MD

Roy A. David, MD
San Diego Facial Plastic Surgeon
4.5 out of 5 stars 23 reviews

Is It Normal to Have Lingering Black Circles (from Black Eyes) 8 Weeks Post Op? (photo)

August 5th, 2013
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Residual hemosiderin deposits from severe swelling in lower lids take months to resolve. I might ry camille tea soaks. 

Darryl J. Blinski, MD

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.