Hearing or feeling your nose click, crackle or crunch after rhinoplasty is unnerving, especially when you are trying not to touch it.

Key takeaways

  • No study has measured clicking or crunching after rhinoplasty, so any exact explanation or end date you read online is an educated guess.
  • The nose is swollen, stiff and partly numb for months after surgery, which is documented by the NHS, BAAPS and ASPS.
  • BAAPS and NHS leaflets advise protecting the nose from pressure and knocks; pressing or moving it to test a sound is something to clear with your surgeon first, and you can tell them when the sound happens.
  • Pain, a visible change in shape, a knock to the nose, infection signs or crackling under the skin of the face or neck need a call to your clinic.

Why does my nose click or crunch after rhinoplasty?

A PubMed search finds no study that measures clicking or crunching sounds after rhinoplasty. Explanations you will read, such as healing tissues moving against each other, dissolving internal stitches or small pockets of trapped air or fluid in swollen tissue, are reasonable guesses but are not shown by research. Your surgeon, who knows exactly what was done to your nose, is the person who can say which one fits.

What is documented is the setting these sounds appear in. After surgery the nose is rearranged: cartilage and sometimes bone are reshaped, and grafts or stitches may be added. The NHS says it is common to have a stiff and numb nose, with swelling and bruising for weeks. BAAPS says that once the swelling settles the nose feels stiff and numb, and that most patients notice some change in sensation. Crusts can also form inside the nostrils, and BAAPS advises leaving them alone until your post-operative review.

How long do the sounds last?

There is no reliable figure. The numbers you see online, such as “4 to 8 weeks” or “3 to 6 months”, have no study behind them. What does have data is swelling. A 3D study of 40 open rhinoplasty patients estimated that about two-thirds of swelling resolved in the first month, 95% by 6 months and 97.5% by one year. The NHS says up to 6 months for swelling to go completely, and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons says the contour may take up to a year to refine. If the sound changes as swelling falls, mention it at your review, since it helps your surgeon.

When should you call your surgeon?

Contact your clinic soon if the sound comes with any of these:

  • Severe pain or an unexpected symptom. The NHS says to contact the clinic as soon as possible in this case.
  • A visible change in shape, a new tilt or movement of the nose, especially after a knock. BAAPS says that once the splint is off you must be very careful to avoid knocking your nose, as this may affect the final result.
  • Signs of infection. BAAPS lists pain, redness, swelling and pus in the wound, and possibly a temperature.
  • A crackling feeling under the skin that spreads to the cheeks, neck or chest, or comes with a sore throat or trouble breathing. Air under the skin (subcutaneous emphysema) is a rare complication; a Cureus case report describes it after revision surgery that used rib cartilage, with a sore throat 36 hours later. Do not assume yours is harmless if it feels like that.

For urgent worries outside clinic hours, the NHS points UK residents to NHS 111. If you traveled for surgery, ask your clinic before you leave for an emergency contact in your own country.

What do leaflets say about touching your nose while you wait?

BAAPS and NHS leaflets advise protecting the nose from pressure and knocks, so ask your surgeon before pressing, wiggling or “testing” the sound with your fingers. The taping, splint and sleeping advice your surgeon gave you is the instruction that applies to you. Our guides on sleeping after rhinoplasty, wearing glasses and taping cover common routines, and why the tip can feel hard covers another frequent worry.

Questions to ask your surgeon

  • Which parts of my nose were reshaped or grafted, and could they make noise as they heal?
  • What do you want to hear about, such as when it happens, how loud it is and whether it hurts?
  • How should I protect my nose from pressure and knocks, and for how long?
  • Which symptoms mean I should call you the same day, and what number do I use?
  • When is my next check, and can it be moved earlier if the sound bothers me?

Sources

All pages were opened and checked on 10 October 2026.

  • NHS, Nose reshaping (rhinoplasty), last reviewed 22 September 2023.
  • British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, Rhinoplasty patient information.
  • American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Rhinoplasty recovery.
  • Pavri S, Zhu VZ, Steinbacher DM. Postoperative Edema Resolution following Rhinoplasty: A Three-Dimensional Morphometric Assessment. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2016;138:973e-979e. PubMed 27879585.
  • Kemal Ö, Demirel E, Çelebi M. Cervical Subcutaneous Emphysema and Pneumomediastinum Following Revision Septorhinoplasty With Autologous Costal Cartilage Graft: A Case Report. Cureus, 2024;16:e75709. PubMed 39811209.