Shaving Bump on Bridge with Needle - Is This a Good Idea?

I do not think it is a very good idea to shave or remove a bump or lesion on the nose with a needle. I do not feel you would have the control which is necessary to execute this appropriately. Also, it is not possible to remove the remnants of the lesion/bump when done in this fashion.  

Hi 4510anon in milltown nj,

As other plastic surgeons and rhinoplasty specialists stated, needle shaving of small nasal bumps and irregularities is appropriate for select patients. This nonsurgical procedure is performed in the office via local anesthesia. Only minor irregularities may be improved, and a revision rhinoplasty procedure may still be required for optimal results. However, a couple months is still very early after rhinoplasty, & the nose may still improve greatly without any other procedure.

Only after a comprehensive evaluation by a specialist can he/she help determine appropriate options for you. Best of luck.

Dr. C

While it is not commonly done, small irregularities in ear or conchal cartilage can be effectively shaved down or diminished with a beveled 18 gauge needle. I personally have done it several times with excellent results. That being said, it only works on cartilage and is best for mild irregularities to smooth down or taper a prominent edge. Other options include small amounts of filler to hide irregularities or placing morselized or crushed cartilage at a later date. I hope this information helps.

I have no personal experience using a needle to remove a cartilage nasal irregularity. Even though an office procedure like this may sound appealing, I doubt it would lead to your satisfaction.

If you have a small visible cartilage irregularity of your lower bridge after rhinoplasty and spreaded grafts, consider having your surgeon camouflage this with Silikon-1000, if your surgeon is experienced with the serial puncture, microdroplet technique of liquid silicone administration.

Feel free to email your photo, along with a description, and I'll be happy to share my thoughts with you.

I hope you find this helpful

There is very little downside to doing this technique. It usually works for small irregularities after surgery. If the bump is large,  then it probably won't take care of the problem. There's really no issue related to skin damage. It would be like developing a scar after giving blood. It just doesn't typically happen

Even after a very good surgical procedure to reshape the nose, some irregularity can persist. This may be due to very thin skin that reveals the normal underlying contours.  The final result of a rhinoplasty usually takes at least 6 months to see.  Using a shave technique with a needle is a good method to correct a very minor "bump".

As you see from the previous expert posters, revision ids the better choice. Set up a consult with your surgeon to discuss options in detail;. If not satisfied than seek other opinions. 

Regarding: " Shaving Bump on Bridge with Needle - Is This a Good Idea?
i had rhinoplasty four months ago. the doctor placed ear cartilage spreader grafts to help with breathing. I noticed I have a bump on bridge. The doctor recommended silicone fillers but I declined. He now said he can shave bump down with needle rather than a full revision. Is this safe and cosmetically a good choice? I am concerned about skin damage and making my situation worse. I would appreciate any advice you might provide"

As you may know SPREADER GRAFTS are thin strips of cartilage placed between the septum in the midline and the upper lateral cartilage on the side to increase the volume of the nasal valve and amount of breathing. Spreader grafts are very versatile in that they can be hidden or even push the tip forward lengthening the nose. Uncommonly, they may rise above the plane of the top of the nose, the dorsum, creating a bump or irregularity. This is something we watch for DURING surgery by repeatedly running our finger on the cartilage and the skin to make sure we do not leave a palpable bump. For some reason your graft was either not noticed, moved, warped or the skin cover thinned allowing it to be felt.

There is nothing wrong in attempting to shave a VERY small bump down. However, I would not advise doing so with a longer graft segment. In that case you would probably do better with a short revision procedure or a non-surgical rhinoplasty with Restylane or Juvederm to mask this minor deformity.

Dr. Peter Aldea

Hi,

Shaving a small bump with an 18g needle is a well known technique and it does work OK in certain situations. However, I question your surgeon's judgement since he recommended silicone injection to your nose which should never be done.  See a few other surgeons and see what they recommend.  Good luck

First of all, I would wait another 4-5 months before reducing the cartilage bump - this fullness may change as swelling resolves. If you're not satisfied after trying the needle, it would be a minor revision under local anesthesia to remove the excess cartilage.