How Nose Surgery is Performed - Ear Cartilage Harvest - Nose Job

[MonaeDestiny]

The tip of my nose seems to swell off and on after my rhinoplasty. It's been almost three years now. Is this common or is my mind just playing tricks on me?

[drpaulnassif]

@MonaeDestiny Thick skin fluctuating may be the case. You would really need to be seen in person to obtain the best advice. Thank you, and I hope this helps.

[scarred10]

@MonaeDestiny thats not common unless the swelling is after heavy exercise or heat.At 3 yrs its the final result.If you have to ask then it just be peception in different mirrors or lighting.

[DosBox8Bit]

wow just looking at this....

thank god im perfect :D

your doing an awsome job Doc props to you guys

[Az0ngl33]

omg this is why i envy doctors/surgeons a lot; they can REALLY handle watching all the blood, the cuttings, slicings of human body parts like what we see here..!!!

[Kyora87]

Do you know which is LESS likely to warp over time? Ear cartiledge or using Rib cartiledge. Also i heard using extracting rib cartiledge is less painful then extracting BOTH ear cartiledge. Is this true?

[drpaulnassif]

Ear and rib can both warp, it depends on how the cartilage is used and carved. As far as pain goes, every patient is different. Thanks for your message.

Dr. Nassif

EAR AND RIB CAN BOTH WARP, IT DEPENDS ON HOW THE CARTILAGE IS USED AND CARVED. RE: PAIN, EVERY PATIENT IS DIFFERENT.

[ilovereba93]

I have a few questions, for I am VERY interested in surgery...I am considering becoming a surgeon myself.

1. Does the word "dissection" mean the same as "-ectomy" at the end of a word?

2. Why is the cotton placed in the ear instead of behind, where the stitches are?

3. How does this get distributed in the nose?

4. Why do you use cartilage from another part of the body, not an artificial?

Please answer...thank you!

Also: Thank you so much for posting...this is very informative!

[scarred10]

@ilovereba93 1.use a dictionary,ectomy means remove tissue,dissection means to cut apart/seperate,not necessarily remove.Resection means removal.

2.cotton in front stitched to bandage behind compresses the ear to prevent bleeding under the skin that may result in cauliflower ear.

3.Its either stiched in or placed in a pocket of tissue depending on needs.

4.artificial grafts tend to move,extrude or cause infection as they are foreign materials,good surgeons avoid artificial grafts.

[ekigekig]

will that leave a scar in the ear even after it heals? D

[drpaulnassif]

Minimal scar. It looks fine.

[rypod28]

HEY HOW LONG DID UR nose job take to heal?? i just had mine fixed dec 15th 2008 and i reckon its still swollen,right in the middle,not happy

[drpaulnassif]

This was filmed 7 weeks following her surgery. Generally it takes a full year to heal and swelling could last for a good portion of that time. Dr. Nassif explains this in more detail in his youtube video "Safety & Risks of Rhinoplasty Surgery".

-Moderator for Dr. Nassif