Swollen and Big Nose Tip After 3 Months of Rhinoplasty? (photo)

3 months is still soon after your surgery, and you will still have swelling at this time. It can take 18-24 months to see the final result of your procedure. 70% of the swelling is resolved after the first three months, and the remainder goes down over time. Swelling can be influenced by the thickness of the patient's skin, whether tip work was performed, whether the procedure was a revision, and whether the surgery was open or closed. Having thick skin, it is not uncommon for your swelling to last a while. It is important to be patient during the healing process, and the best thing you can do is wait and see how you continue to heal. Keep in touch with your surgeon throughout the process, as they will be able to answer any questions you have. I hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck.

Hello and thank you for your question. That at three months postop, you are still very swollen, which is very expected. The final results take at least 1.5 years for the swelling to fully resolve. This can require lots of patience and waiting. Steroid injections performed by your surgeon can be extremely helpful. I usually start steroid injections around 1 to 2 months after surgery and continue as needed. Most patients are able to return to work and resume exercise one week after surgery. I recommend that you maintain close follow up with your qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

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

As a specialist in rhinoplasty surgery, my staff and I make a very strong point to explain to patients before surgery what to expect after surgery. It’s always easier to comprehend the role of swelling when it is described in advance. Depending on the surgical maneuvers used, it is likely perfectly normal to still have some swelling if your skin is thick and oily. You will not see the full results for as much as a year – particularly on the tip, which takes the longest time for the swelling to subside. You appear to have good early results, and I already see that the dorsal bump is gone. So it’s important to be patient and you will see your results will continue to improve. I recommend following up closely with your plastic surgeon to discuss your concerns in person.

Thank you for your question and photos, and I appreciate your concern. However, it is much too early to be questioning the results of your rhinoplasty, since you likely still have a significant amount of swelling at this point in your recovery. That is particularly true for the nasal tip and thicker skin. I recommend waiting a full 12 months after your procedure to decide whether you are happy with your results. If you are still dissatisfied at that point, you can schedule a consultation with an experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon to see if revision rhinoplasty is right for you. As I am already seeing some improvement in your nasal tip and your profile, I would be surprised if that was actually the case.

The result from the pictures is very nice. Nasal swelling can last up to 18 months after open rhinoplasty with tip cartilage reduction. It appears from the photos you are on a normal postoperative course and will probably  see further reduction of swelling over the next 6 months.It can also take time to see a post-operative difference with thick skin overlying the deeper nasal components  of cartilage and bone. Any immediate concerns would be best served by revisiting your plastic surgeon for evaluation.

Actually, it takes a whole year to see the results of a rhinoplasty.

Usually, there is a significant amount of edema that needs to go down. Furthermore, the skin must contract to fit the dimensions of the newly created underlying structure.

I advise my patients that it will take at least nine to twelve months to notice the complete impact at the tip of the nose. It can take 18 to 24 months for those with thicker skin and delicate tissues.

Hope this helps.
Best,
Dr Sajjadian