Why Does My Rhinoplasty Scar Tissue Return After Massage?

Question

I am a little over a year and a half post op rhinoplasty. I am a thick skin male and I know you will say it is unlikely for me to have any swelling/scartissue. Anyways, on my sidewalls I have a line of scar tissue that gets minimized by me massaging it deeply with castor and makes a crunching sound. After it refines my sidewall even more by doing this, the scar tissue seems to return after a few days, why is this? What can I do

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Plastic surgery scars require attention after surgery so that they remain cosmetically-appealing and barely noticeable. In our office, we use a protocol for scars that minimizes their activity in the 6-8 weeks after surgery. If you have late plastic surgery scars, you may also require laser and RF therapy to help reduce the longterm effects of the scarring. Keloids, hypertrophic scars, widened scars, red scars, and hyperpigmented scars all require scar modulation with topical creams followed by lasers and RF therapy. Topical skincare should be directed to a specific need, whether for pigmentation or hypertrophy and our office can guide you through the process to obtain the correct Plato’s Scar cream or Melarase cream for hypertrophy and discoloration. In terms of lasers, we would employ the vbeam laser for redness, Venus Viva RF, PRP microneedling, chemical peels, and Morpheus 8, fractional erbium, or fractional co2. All of these have their individual benefits. Most of all, we recommend you visit a solid plastic surgeon who understands surgical scar revision, laser therapy, and RF therapy for scars. 
 
Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

At this point, you should pose this question to your surgeon, because he or she has been able to observe the evolution of your nose after rhinoplasty. In some thick-skinned individuals it is possible to still have swelling at 18 months, particularly given your description. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Jeffrey Zwiren, MD · Answer

I would imagine that most of your scar tissue should resolve after 2 years. Thick skin is always a problem for a rhinoplasty since it can not be removed. Would really need photos to give you a better idea of what can be accomplished with continued massage.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Swelling of the nose can persist in some individuals for up to two years although that is very rare.

Ashok Govila, FRCS, MCh, MS - Account Suspended · Answer

Thanks for the question. I think you should contact your PS since it could be collection in your naso-lacrimal sac that gets filled up and gets reduced after massage and fills up again.Since I don't know which part of your nose you are doing massage.It may or may not be the scar that is the cause. Please check with your PS.Wish you good luck.

Why Does My Rhinoplasty Scar Tissue Return After Massage?

Answers (5)