Will My Big Swollen Tip After My Rhinoplasty Ever Get Better?

Q: Dr. Eppley I have a question. I did open rhinoplasty and now I’m 3 months post op. I have stopped taping my nose but now I feel like my tip is more bulbous than it used to be. When I was taping it was more rounded and big. Now it feels firm with slight pain if I try to move it. Is that swelling? Will this shape change with time? I’m so confuced and I don’t want to  undergo a revision.

A: Your questions are the most common concerns that most patients have after rhinoplasty. While I obviously don’t know anything about before surgery nose or what exact rhinoplasty maneuver were done, I can make some general comments. If you have read my four phases of rhinoplasty recovery blog, you will see that you are currently entering phase 3. Tip swelling is very common in this phase and often the tip may even appear bigger than before. The fact that it is firm and slightly painful indicates that you still have significant tip swelling. What you can know for sure is that the tip is going to get smaller. How much smaller and whether it will end up better than before surgery remains to be seen. You will know that all the tip swelling is gone when it feels soft again and can be freely moved without discomfort. The consideration of a potential rhinoplasty revision is a long way off and you must wait a year after surgery to be certain you are really looking at the final result.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana