Will this small bump 3 weeks after rhinoplasty go away on its own? (Photos)

Question

Or do revision need to be done? I had a rhinoplasty 3 weeks ago. What bothers me is that I still have a small bump when looking at my nose from the left side, especially from the "half side" view. This wasn't that prominent right after the mask removal, but as the swelling went down it gets more noticeable every day. When I press on the bump it is hard and feels like the bony tissue, and I can't make it go away by pressing on it. Is it a callus, or is it more likely that bump wasn't rasped down properly? Will it go away?

Warren Schutte, MD · Answer

At three weeks post rhinoplasty, your nose is still in a heightened inflammatory state and still very fragile. I would not recommend pressing or manipulating the nose in any way at this time.  I would highly encourage contacting your surgeon with these concerns as they can guide you more appropriately as to what expect from the final healed appearance.

David Gilpin, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.  I'm sorry you're having these concerns after your rhinoplasty procedure.  At 3 weeks postoperative, you will still have swelling remaining in the nose after surgery.  This is enough to give some unevenness to the dorsum.  It is not uncommon to still see some swelling or bumps along the dorsum.  Over the course of the next 6 months to 1 year, the remaining swelling in the nose will resolve.  Typically this will go away with time; however, in rare instances you may need a small in-office procedure to reduce this bump. 
Be sure to consult with your surgeon about your concerns, and follow-up with him/her.  I'm hopeful that with time this should resolve on its own.
  
I hope that this helps!
  
–David Gilpin

John Michael Thomassen, MD · Answer

You may require a bit of rasping of the dorsum to correct this.  This can be done as an office procedure with local anesthesia.

Howard A. Tobin, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and sharing your photos.
     There is no way to know if the bump you are concerned about is caused from the trauma of surgery and will eventually smooth out or if it was there before your surgery.    Concerns such as this should definitely discussed with your surgeon.  If they know you are worried, they can address the situation and hopefully give you some reassurance.  Most importantly,  don't be discouraged.  After rhinoplasty surgery, it can take several months for all of the swelling to subside so that you can see the final result.    It is very likely that you will see a lot of changes in the coming months.  
Best Wishes,

Jeffrey C. Hamm, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hi and welcome to our forum!
The performance of rhinoplasty involves the dissection of the nasal
bones and cartilages from overlying and underlying structures, fracturing
the nasal bones, removing excess bone / cartilage, reshaping of the
remaining bone and cartilage. The significant intraoperative trauma
causes swelling (which may be asymmetric), which will make your nose look
large and wide and areas of localized swelling may resemble residual anatomic structures. This will improve markedly over the first 6 weeks, but will
take at least a year for your nose to assume its final shape and size. Only after healing can one discern if a secondary touch up is required. 
Continue followup with your surgeon.
Best wishes...

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Will this small bump 3 weeks after rhinoplasty go away on its own? (Photos)

Answers (5)

Answer: 3 weeks after Rhinoplasty

Answer: 3 weeks after Rhinoplasty

Answer: Healing after rhinoplasty

Answer: Healing after rhinoplasty

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