Is ear cartilage graft for rhinoplasty painful?

Pain following ear cartilage harvest is minimal and the area may be tender for a week or so. The area heals quickly. Your prospective surgeon will be able to answer any specific questions regarding the procedure. I hope this information helps, and I wish you the best of luck. 

 In our practice, we use nasal cartilage first as the primary source for  cartilage grafting in a rhinoplasty or a revision rhinoplasty. If there happens to be a cartilage depleted nose, then ear cartilages used. The incision behind the ear is usually approximately 1 inch long and heals very rapidly and is only minimally painful for a week or  two.

The ear usually hurts more than the nose when the graft is taken for rhinoplasty. There are a lot of nerve endings there and can be painful for up to a week. Then it will remain tender if you touch it for another week or so. It heals pretty fast, it just takes a while to feel normal again. Best of luck