Topical steroids to reduce skin thickness after rhinoplasty - are there any adverse effects?

Hello, my name is Ranen and I am an aesthetic nurse at Aesthetic Skin in Chicago. It sounds like you're going through a frustrating experience with lingering swelling in the tip of your nose after rhinoplasty, and you're exploring potential ways to help reduce it. Let's break this down and look at whether topical steroids (like triamcinolone acetonide) could help in your situation, as well as any potential long-term effects. After a rhinoplasty, it's not uncommon for the swelling to persist in the nose tip for months (or even up to a year). The healing process varies from person to person, but the nasal tip tends to be more prone to prolonged swelling due to factors like: Thicker skin: The skin at the tip of the nose is often thicker, which can make it take longer to heal and for swelling to resolve. Cartilage and soft tissue healing: The internal structures of the nose may take more time to fully heal and settle, which can contribute to persistent swelling. Blood supply: The nose tip has a lot of vascular supply, which means that inflammation and swelling can linger longer as blood flow continues to promote healing.

Hello and thank you for your question. 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. With that being said, the final outcome will really depend on the surgical techniques that your surgeon used during your surgery. I recommend that you maintain close follow up with your surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

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

Yes, we frequently use injection of corticosteroid into nasal tip, usually supratip area where swelling is most intense and leaves permanent deformity if not treated. However, this should be done only by your surgeon since extended use of corticosteroids may have negative effect like skin thinning, dimpling, discoloration. Good luck.