How Long Does Swelling Last After Rhinoplasty Surgery?

Question

I had rhinoplasty about a 2 weeks ago, currently the tip is quite swollen and the skin almost feels stretched or thicker? All of the other swelling is gone but the tip looks almost bigger than it did before. Is this normal? Usually how long will the swelling last?

Andrew Miller, MD · Answer

Kendra,
It sounds like you are going through the normal course of healing that everyone experiences.  The swelling around the bony area of the nose always resolves quicker as the skin and soft tissue is thinner.  Around the tip, the skin is not only thicker, but it is the most dependent area of the nose so swelling always takes longer to resolve.  Just be patient and give it time.  If  you are not sure, take a picture of your nose at one month after surgery and at six months after surgery and compare them.  You will almost certainly see a difference that is hard to notice as you look at it daily.  Good Luck.
Dr. Miller

Jerome Edelstein, MD · Answer

In general, swelling after rhinoplasty takes months and months to fully resolve and the tip is affected the longest.

Sam Rizk, MD · Answer

Two weeks in is relatively early to start worrying about swelling after your rhinoplasty surgery. Swelling is one of the main components of the healing process, and the look of your nose is likely to continue changing as swelling continues to subside. I generally advise my patients to wait at least a month before they start to judge the looks of their new nose, as a great amount of the swelling should be down by then. Still, swelling can last up to a full year-or even two years- after your rhinoplasty.

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

It’s
not unusual for patients undergoing rhinoplasty to have prolonged swelling.
Several factors, including the use of open rhinoplasty, fracture of the nasal
bones, thickness of the nasal skin, and a previous rhinoplasty have been
associated with prolonged swelling.

Most
patients will note significant swelling for about two weeks following surgery.
After two weeks, most patients are comfortable resuming their normal lives and
going out in public.

Swelling
will persist in most patients for at least one year following surgery, with the
nasal tip being the last site to experience resolution. In the immediate
post-operative period, nasal splints, elevation of the head and ice can be used
to minimize swelling.

David Shafer, MD, FACS · Answer

After Rhinoplasty, it can take up to a year or longer for the tissues to completely settle and the swelling to resolve.  While the majority of the swelling resolves within the first few months, the tissues continue to change over the next year.

How Long Does Swelling Last After Rhinoplasty Surgery?

Answers (9)

Answer: Swelling Following Rhinoplasty: 2 Weeks

Answer: Swelling Following Rhinoplasty: 2 Weeks

Answer: Swelling after Rhinoplasty lasts about a year

Answer: Swelling after Rhinoplasty lasts about a year

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Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

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How Long Does Swelling Last After Rhinoplasty Surgery?

Answers (9)

Answer: Swelling Following Rhinoplasty: 2 Weeks

Answer: Swelling Following Rhinoplasty: 2 Weeks

Answer: Swelling after Rhinoplasty lasts about a year

Answer: Swelling after Rhinoplasty lasts about a year

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.