Post-Rhinoplasty Acne, Frequency and Role Players

Acne is a common complain among post rhinoplasty patients. While rhinoplasty is done for aesthetic reasons and acne expressively affects the individual's appearance, we aimed to study its incidence and role players.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 152 (143 females and 9 males) patients admitted for rhinoplasty during January 2016 to March 2017. Patients were examined by a dermatologist prior to surgery and 7, 30 and 90 days after rhinoplasty using the Global Acne Grading System and responded to a list of questions on the probable risk factors of acne. Psychological status was examined by the perceived stress scale-14 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

The patients' mean age was 28.9±3.82 yrs. Mild and moderate acne were observed in 21.7% (n=33) of the cases in the preoperative visit. The incidence of mild and moderate acne was 36.1%, 42.8% and 23% after 7, 30 and 90 days of surgery, respectively. One week after rhinoplasty, acne manifested in 14.9% of cases with no history of acne. Mean age significantly differed between those with and without post-surgical acne at all post-surgical visits (P> 0.001 and P=0.001 and P=0.015, respectively). Hospital anxiety and depression and perceived stress levels were significantly higher in patients who presented with acne on the first post-surgical visit compared to those with no acne presentations (P=0.04 and P=0.02, respectively).

External psychological stress may be the main role player in post-rhinoplasty acne. Consultation or referral of patients to an experienced psychologist is highly recommended for a better outcome and fewer complications.