Can I Narrow Nose Bones by Pinching Post-rhinoplasty?

Question

I had a rhinoplasty 3 weeks ago and I was wondering if pinching or squeezing the bony part of the nose makes it narrower? Or will doing so just make things worse? If yes in what way? I applied pressure with my fingers on both side of my nasal bones hoping to narrow it further. I was depressed & realized that it was a stupid thing to do. Will it affect my nasal bones? Possibly displacing it? Will doing that make my nasal bones wider? I do have pain and swelling from doing that.Help!

	My nose still looks wide after surgery. Oh my nasal bones should be healed already after 3 weeks so applying pressure from both sides should not really affect the bones except cause more swelling and bleeding?

Ali Sajjadian, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi Dima,

	Please consult your surgeon and only massage the nose if he recommends you to.

	Otherwise, There is a great deal of swelling and you won't see the final result for an additional 6-12 months.

	Compressing the bones can result in deformity.

	Hope this was helpful.

	Dr. Sajjadian

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

Ask your doctor about the swelling, but don't push on the nose. The swelling will take at least 6 months to go down.

Zain Kadri, MD · Answer

If osteotomies were performed in your rhinoplasty to narrow your nasal bridge digital massage, if performed correctly, will be benificial. In conventional rhnoplasty the surgeon makes osteotomies and infracture the bones to narrow the bridge, However there is no fixation of the fragments and the healing is by callus formation. It takes approximately six weeks for the callus to stabilize the bone fragments and by kneading the bones in the proper direction you may be able to maintain the correct postion. It is somewhat similar to what a "Bone setter" does for broken bones in native medicine .So you have some leeway to adjust the alignment. Your surgeon may instruct you the best way to apply the "kneeding massage" to the nose.

Richard W. Fleming, MD (retired) · Answer

Pinching your nasal bones after rhinoplasty may narrow the nose, but it is more likely this will do all the bad things you suggest. Don't continue and consult with your surgeon.

Can I Narrow Nose Bones by Pinching Post-rhinoplasty?

Answers (4)