I Have Very Thick Skin Around my Nose and It is Very Wide, Will I Get Good Results?

Thick skin on the tip of the nose definitely affects the result of a rhinoplasty. However, everything is relative. If the underlying cartilage is very wide, you can still get an acceptable result according to how thick the skin is. Your plastic surgeon will evaluate this for you. The problem is that the thicker skin does not contract as much as thinner skin and thus, you may not get the refined tip that you have in mind.  Also, truly thick skin may be from a condition called rhinophyma and the skin can be thinned.

E. Ronald Finger, MD

Savannah Plastic Surgeon

The rhinoplasty procedure is performed to thin nasal tip cartilage as well as narrowing the nasal bones.  Thick nasal tip skin will obscure the full result that can be obtained with a rhinoplasty.  Cortisone injections into the tip of the nose can help with this problem.  There is no skin that is removed during the rhinoplasty procedure.

The thick skin of a nose can be very challenging for a satisfactory rhinoplasty result. Patients have to temper their expectations to have realistic results, particularly when the main goal is to have an overall thinner nose. At the least, you should anticipate significant postoperative nose swelling and months before you may enter the benefits phase of having undergone the operation. Expect less than you think the result wll be and prepare to take much longer than you think for the shape of the nose to show what was done during the surgery.