How to fix dent in nose after turbinate reduction 6 years ago? (photo)

There does seem to be a structural lack of support based on the photo. When you do a turbinate surgery, sometimes surgeons remove part of the bone which can lead to an indentation. In my opinion, to create a more symmetrical result, the procedure would require a cartilage graft or onlay graft to camouflage the dent.

To start with, I am not clear how addressing your inferior turbinate, nor reconstructing your inferior turbinate for empty nose syndrome would have lead to the collapse of the external nasal valve. With that said, an alar batten graft or lateral crural strut graft will be able to address this defect with a great deal of success. Fillers are not going to remedy this issue.

Hello and thank you for your question. Based on your photograph, you may benefit from a revision rhinoplasty. A surgeon can accomplish this by tensioning the tip and placement of an alar batten graft. With good surgical technique, you could have an outstanding result. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

You may want to try something as simple as fillers. This can be done to see if it corrects the contour irregularity that you dislike. If fillers are not effective then you may consider fat transfers for a more permanent solution.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

It is not clear to me why a nasal alar indentation occurred after turbinate reduction, however, asymmetrical nasal creases may be improved with microdroplet Silikon-1000 injections. Treatments are performed with topical anesthetic, results of permanent, and there is no downtime. I hope this helps. Sincerely, Dr Joseph

That indent or contractile depression necessarily has to have connection with the turbinate resection and the subsequent costal cartilage grafting for the empty nose syndrome; possible cause:
-the thermal tool reducing the turbinates did burn as well the layers between skin and nasal fossa, destroying the alar cartilage and shrinking the soft tissues
-the subsequent attempt to repair the empty nose syndrome aggravated this phenomenon by mere surgical stimulation of the shrinkage

My bets are on a thermal damage, full thickness but the skin; treatment is restoring the alar and nasal valve support that's missing (aesthtetically would be the dip) with ear's concha cartilage, this might suffice, however, great attention to the situation of the inner lining that has to cover the grafting at the nasal fossa side.

Not a difficult repair if I am on spot, nevertheless take with a grain of salt this comment, I might be biased due to insufficient data.