Are you worried about scar tissue forming during your rhinoplasty? There are many reasons why scar tissue may arise—some you can influence, while others are due to uncontrollable causes like genetics and your doctor’s surgical techniques.
Learn more about the causes of scar tissue during and after rhinoplasty, as well as tips on how to minimize its formation following your procedure.
Causes of Scar Tissue During Rhinoplasty
You May Have Thicker Skin
Thicker skin is often predisposed to excessive scar tissue due to the more prominent subcutaneous fatty layer beneath it. This layer is more likely to hold onto prolonged swelling, often leading to the need for steroid injections, which aid the body’s natural healing process.
If you have thicker skin, your rhinoplasty surgeon should adjust their techniques to account for skin thickness and deliver better, longer-lasting results. This is a consideration Dr. Nima accounts for during his thick skin rhinoplasty.
Going Between Different Levels of Dissection
When your facial plastic surgeon performs rhinoplasty, they have to be in the proper tissue plane, otherwise known as the level of dissection. There are four main dissection planes in rhinoplasty: subcutaneous, sub-SMAS, supra-perichondral, and sub-perichondral.
If your doctor is in a dissection plane that is not very clean or moves between different levels of dissection, this can lead to more inflammation and possibly more scar tissue—like lumps, bumps, and irregularities—during and after rhinoplasty.
Unlike thicker skin, which is tied to genetics, this particular cause of scar tissue is controllable, which is why it is important to choose an experienced facial plastic surgeon who understands how to navigate dissection planes in a way that delivers the best possible rhinoplasty outcome.
Nasal Sutures
In some cases, lumps under the skin may be caused by scar tissue forming around your nasal sutures. During rhinoplasty, your facial plastic surgeon will use either dissolvable or non-dissolvable sutures, both of which can result in what feels like little knots under the skin. This will break down over time as your body continues to heal and recover from rhinoplasty.
At Eos Rejuvenation, Dr. Nima generally uses dissolvable sutures, which may take up to six months to fully dissolve. However, once they are gone, you should see a reduction in scar tissue.
Result of Surgical Trauma
While an excessive amount of scar tissue is not normal, it is expected that you may have some following your rhinoplasty surgery. This is simply the result of surgical trauma, as the formation of scar tissue is part of your body’s natural healing process.
That said, if swelling and scar tissue do not resolve within one to two years following your surgery, it may be worth visiting an experienced facial plastic surgeon for a consultation and possibly a revision rhinoplasty.
How to Minimize Rhinoplasty Scar Tissue
While not all scar tissue is avoidable, you can take some steps to minimize its formation during your rhinoplasty recovery.
Taping Your Nose
Taping the skin to eliminate any dead space after surgery is a key part of Dr. Nima’s rhinoplasty process. It promotes proper fluid drainage, reduces excess fluids in your nasal tissues, and encourages the skin to “shrink wrap” onto the underlying bone and cartilage.
Lymphatic Drainage Massage
Gently massaging the tissue around your nose can help increase circulation, break down scar tissue, reduce swelling, and reduce fluid accumulation. Doing this daily after your rhinoplasty surgery can lead to better results over time.
Being Patient
Lastly, be patient. Dr. Nima knows how frustrating it can be to deal with swelling, inflammation, and scar tissue in the months following your rhinoplasty, but with the right care and treatment, you can reduce these side effects for beautiful, long-lasting results.
If you have any further questions about why scar tissue forms and how you can reduce it, get in touch with Dr. Nima and the Eos Rejuvenation team.
