Optimizing cosmesis with conservative surgical excision in a giant rhinophyma.

UNLABELLED: Rhinophyma is considered the end stage in the development of rosacea, with a clinical aspect characterized by sebaceous hyperplasia, fibrosis, follicular plugging, and telangiectasia. Although the treatment of rhinophyma typically has an aesthetic purpose, in some cases it also can help with nasal obstruction and eating difficulties caused by rhinophyma beyond the abnormal physical appearance that can cause social seclusion. Very few giant rhinophymas have been reported in the literature. In most cases full-thickness excision of the rhinophymatous tissue down to perichondrium and periosteum of the nasal osteocartilaginous framework followed by coverage of the residual defect with a full-thickness skin graft or local flap has been described in patients affected by giant rhinophyma. The poor results of this approach encouraged us to manage conservatively a very severe form of rhinophyma. We describe the case of a 62-year-old man who presented with a 12-year history of a progressively growing mass on the nose and with a history of nasal obstruction and eating difficulties. We advocate a careful tangential excision of the rhinophymatous tissue which allows the residual deep pilosebaceous appendages to reepithelialize as a safe method and provides a good cosmetic result with minimal scarring. To our knowledge this is the first case of a giant rhinophyma treated with conservative excision followed by secondary healing.

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