Question:
The right side of my nose looks much more swollen than the left side eight weeks post op. I had some slight asymmetry of the tip prior to surgery but now it looks even worse. Is this normal? Will the swelling continue to fade so that my nose looks symmetrical? How long does this take?
Answer:
Following surgery, it is extremely common for the nose to be swollen. It is also very common for the nose to be asymmetric during its healing. I counsel all of my patients to expect asymmetric healing during the initial swelling phase. However, if I see some persistent swelling in one area after four weeks, I may inject small amounts of a low dose steroid called Kenalog into the swollen area. Approximately 70% to 75% of the swelling goes away in three months and approximately 90 to 95% of it goes away after a year. The nose will continue to change in the years to come similar to the concept of shrink wrap of the skin and also the three dimensional healing of the nose. I would suggest having your nose re-evaluated by the surgeon who performed your rhinoplasty to make sure that Kenalog injections are not needed.
