LAM FACIAL PLASTICS

hi dr. lam, i had a silicone implant in my nose for 3 months, and removed it 4 months ago. my nose has not returned to its pre-op state, and i believe it is due to scar tissue. i can see the scar tissue on my nose, especially around the glabella. i think the scar tissue extends down to the tip(wherever the implant was). overall, my nose is bigger, wider, and more distorted than pre-op.

i have read on some websites of plastic surgeons in asia who can remove this scar tissue or "capsule" in a revision. i even saw a picture of the removed capsule and it looks like a red strand.

do you surgically remove scar tissue left behind from silicone encapsulation, and is this procedure safe? the doctors in asia who performs this procedure say it is safe but creates a lot of swelling. is this procedure similar to "defatting" which i have seen performed on african americans? i'd prefer to do this procedure in the US.

thank you for reading.

i have not removed a capsule. i cannot speak to its safety but anytime you cut out a lot of tissue in the nose you risk loss of blood supply and contour irregularities and skin color changes. i would see how things progress over the next few months. hopefully, things will work out as swelling continues to go down. can't estimate how long since i don't know your situation. another option is 5-FU injections to try to reduce scar tissue. can't promise if it is consistently reliable but in my opinion a safe and less invasive thing (just office injections) compared with a formal revision rhinoplasty.
best,
sml