Could Tape Removal After Rhinoplasty Have Harmed Results?

Question

Originally, I went back to the doctor 4 or 5 days days after surgery and the he removed the cast and taped up my nose. He showed me how to tape it myself so that I could put fresh, strong tape on when needed. He didn't say anything further. So I waited about 5 days with the tape that he administered on my nose, until finally it got so nasty that I had to replace it.

	I re-taped my nose approximately 4 times over the next 4 or 5 days and removed the tape each time. The times that I removed the tape, it was very hard to peel it off my nose because the adhesive was so strong. I didn't just rip it off like a band aid or anything, but I did have to slowly pull it quite hard to get it to peel off. As I did, it lifted up the skin on my nose quite a bit and there was some pain and discomfort involved. Well, no one ever told me not to do that so I didn't know any better.

	Today, when I went back to my doctor 10 days after Rhinoplasty, I told the doctor I had been re-taping it. He got all concerned and said, "You haven't been ripping it off, have you!?" I said that maybe not ripping, but that I have been pulling real hard to get the tape off because it is so adhesive. I asked if I could have harmed the results in any way, and he kind of said no.

	After that, I was convinced that even if I had hurt my results, he probably wasn't going to say that to me. I think the concern about the tape removal process may have to do with scar tissue, but I am not sure. Is it really likely that I have destroyed some of my results through negligence? I am really obssessing about this.

Michael A. Persky, MD · Answer

Hi Tiger,
Your surgeon told you that you did not harm anything.  You have not destroyed your results and you should stop obsessing about it.   Speak to your surgeon regarding your concerns and follow her/his instructions..  There should be no need for continued taping at this time.  Good luck and enjoy your new nose.
Dr. P

Anil R. Shah, MD · Answer

The office should instruct the proper way to tape the nose and remove it. Care should be taken when removing the tape. Most concerns about the use of tape are local irritation which can occur with certain types of skin. The purpose of taping is to help reshape the skin to the new underlying shape of the cartilage.

Richard D. Gentile, MD · Answer

The healing process after rhinoplasty takes time so be patient. It is more likely that what you are seeing would have been there with or without the subsequent taping. Relax and let yourself heal.....Stress impairs the healing process so take a break with the mirror and imagine you are going to have a terrific result.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Taping the nose as you described will not affect the results of the rhinoplasty. The rhinoplasty surgery is a sculpting of both bone and cartilage in the entire nose to effect the change. Rhinoplasty is not skin surgery. Taping the nose has no effect on overall result of the rhinoplasty since this is not skin surgery

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

The tape on the nose may have irritated the skin and caused some superficial sloughing of the skin. If your doctor said that it looks ok, I would just take a deep breath and listen to him and relax a bit, It shouldn't ruin your rhinoplasty results. Just be patient.

Could Tape Removal After Rhinoplasty Have Harmed Results?

Answers (5)