3 Weeks Post Op and my Tip is Exactly the Same As Pre Op. It's Not Swelling, is It?

Hello,

Three weeks is still very soon after your procedure, and you are still experiencing swelling. Swelling is especially an issue when tip work was performed.  The nose will be 70% healed after the first three months, and the remainder will go down over time. The final result of a rhinoplasty is not evident for 18-24 months following surgery. I would recommend discussing any immediate post-operative concerns with your surgeon, as he/she knows the extent of your surgery and exactly what was performed. Thanks, and I hope this helps answer your question.

Dr. Nassif

The pictures reveal swelling in the tip at 3 weeks which is completely predictable.  It looks like you are on the way to good result with time.  Be patient.

Swelling and other soft tissue changes along the tip of the nose take time to evolve after rhinoplasty.  The skin is a little thicker in this area and months are required for it to shrink-wrap to the underlying framework.  The skin over the bridge of the nose is very thin and reveals changes much earlier. 

Hope this helps

 

It's way too soon to be assess your tip results from your rhinoplasty. The tip normally has swelling that persists the longest after surgery and it is quite normal to have at this stage.

Continue following up with your surgeon to make sure everything is healing normally. Steroids can help if there's a concern for excessive swelling or scar tissue formation. In the right situations it is safe to do.

The after photo looks immensely improved on the side view. The front view just looks like swelling of the tip as would be expected. Sleeping on 2 pillows and keeping you head elevated will do more to relieve swelling with less risk of side effects than any injections.

I hope you realize that this format of posting questions and receiving answers lacks the face to face direct communication required for you to make an informed decision regarding your surgery.

My response to your question/post does not represent formal medical advice or constitute a doctor patient relationship. You need to consult with i.e. personally see a board certified plastic surgeon in order to receive a formal evaluation and develop a doctor patient relationship.

This is precisely swelling and is exactly what you would predict your nose would look like in the tip just three weeks after surgery. Changes in the nasal tip can take the longest to see for many patients due to swelling, particularly in those with thicker nasal skin. The resolution of your tip swelling is an issue of months not weeks. Be prepared that it may take as long as six months after surgery to see the anticipated result of your surgical efforts.

At 3 weeks, it is expected that there is still swelling in the tip. The dorsum looks good and so does the radix. Give this a few months.

 Your tip is different 3 weeks post-op because it is swollen. I'm sure it is also smaller under that normal, temporary post-op swelling. If your surgeon recommends steroid injections, I would take his advice and trust the surgeon you chose to do your rhinoplasty.  You must be patient as your nose goes through the healing process.

This is a case of postoperative swelling. The nose is a location which takes months for swelling to completely resolve.  In addition, the fine detail of the nasal tip doesn't emerge for up to 6 mths or longer.  Good luck