Skin Cancer · Reconstruction by site

Nose Reconstruction

The nose is the most common site for facial skin cancer — and the hardest to repair well. Its shape is unforgiving, its skin varies over millimetres, and it has to work as well as look right.

The challenge

Why noses are different

Nasal skin changes character across the nose — thin and mobile at the top, thick and sebaceous at the tip. Surgeons think of the nose in aesthetic subunits: repairs that respect subunit borders hide scars where the eye expects shadows and transitions. Get this wrong and even a small repair announces itself; get it right and reconstruction can be remarkably invisible.

Techniques

Matched to the defect

Direct closure — for small defects in lax skin, placed along natural lines
Skin grafts — for shallow defects, chosen from donor sites that match nasal skin
Local flaps (bilobed, dorsal nasal, nasolabial) — the workhorses: neighbouring skin with its own blood supply, giving the best colour and texture match

Dr Kim selects the simplest technique that will achieve a natural result. Some more complex problems require more than one operation — these options will all be discussed with you on the day.

Recovery

What to expect

Nasal reconstruction is generally performed under general anaesthesia; sedation or, in selected cases, local anaesthetic alone may be appropriate — this is discussed with you during the consultation process. Some repairs involve a planned second stage. Swelling settles over weeks; scars mature over 6–12 months, and Dr Kim reviews them through that whole period.

Common questions

Nose reconstruction questions

Will my nose look normal again?

The goal of subunit-based reconstruction is a nose that looks natural at conversational distance. Outcomes depend on defect size, depth and your healing; Dr Kim shows you the realistic range before surgery.

How many operations will I need?

Small defects usually need one operation. Some more complex problems require more than one — these options are all discussed with you before surgery.

Will it affect my breathing?

Reconstruction aims to preserve or restore the airway — cartilage support is used where the nostril rim or sidewall needs strength. Tell Dr Kim about any existing breathing issues at consultation.

Can reconstruction happen straight after Mohs?

Yes — nasal defects after Mohs are typically repaired the same day or within a day or two, coordinated directly with your Mohs surgery specialist.

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Next step

Enquiries & referrals

Consultations in Sydney CBD and North Sydney. Referrals from GPs, dermatologists and Mohs surgery specialists welcome. Phone 1300 911 151.

Make an enquiry