Dr Pimple Popper removes man’s dangerous ‘nose grapes’ – which dangled from nostrils
A MAN with two grape-sized growths hanging from his nose has undergone a staggering transformation. Tony, 55, from Clinton, Tennessee, went to see Dr Pimple Popper after the lumps became so heavy they were stopping him breathing properly. They also became pus-filled and would give off a bad odour that smelled like “rancid fish oil”. […]
A MAN with two grape-sized growths hanging from his nose has undergone a staggering transformation.
Tony, 55, from Clinton, Tennessee, went to see Dr Pimple Popper after the lumps became so heavy they were stopping him breathing properly.
They also became pus-filled and would give off a bad odour that smelled like “rancid fish oil”.
Tony said the growths started to develop around five years ago when he started taking heart medication.
At night, he wore a breathing mask with a strap that kept his nose growths out of the way to stop him suffocating in his sleep.
This is not the face I want to show in any way
Tony
He had seen doctors over the years but none had been able to give him any solutions, he said.
The retail worker had started hiding away at the thrift store where he worked, doing jobs in the stock room at the back so customer’s wouldn’t see his face.
Featuring on the latest episode of the TLC show Dr Pimple Popper, he said: “This is not the face I want to show in any way.
“I’m trapped by an awful skin condition.”
But after finding out he was up for promotion – which involved more customer-facing work – he decided it was time to get it sorted.
He went to see Dr Pimple Popper, aka Dr Sandra Lee, at her clinic in LA.
During the examination, the medic diagnosed him with a progressive skin condition known as rhinophyma.
The cause of the condition isn’t fully understood and is often seen in those with rosacea.
Thankfully, Dr Lee said that she would be able to help Tony – but warned it could leave him with some scarring.
He said: “I’m actually nervous about having things actually sliced off my face.
“It’s a little bit off-putting.”
What is rhinophyma?
Rhinophyma is a progressive skin condition that affects the nose.
The condition is mainly seen in those who have rosacea, a rash that can affect the cheeks, forehead and nose.
If rosacea progresses, the nose becomes redder, swollen at the end and gains a bumpy surface which changes in its shape.
This swelling is because there is formation of scar-like tissue and the sebaceous glands (which produce oil on the skin) get bigger.
Much more rarely, swelling can arise on other parts of their face such as the ears and chin.
Rhinophyma usually only develops in rosacea which has been active and untreated for many years.
However, although rosacea affects women more than men, rhinophyma mainly affects fair-skinned men aged 50 to 70 years.
The causes of rhinophyma are not fully understood. Rhinophyma can occur as a more severe stage of rosacea.
However, some people have rhinophyma without having rosacea.
Although commonly believed to be due to alcohol, there is no link between rhinophyma and excessive drinking.
Dr Lee started by numbing his nose with an injection before taking a looped wire tool attached to a machine to burn away the excess skin.
But she wanted to get a more precise result so started using a scalpel to cut off his nose “grapes”.
The dermatologist then went back in with the wire burning tool to shape his nostrils.
She said: “I feel like I’m unearthing the real nose.”
Within a few moments, his nose was already looking much more normal.
Speaking after it had healed, he said: “When I look in the mirror, I see a normal guy and not this freakish blob of a troll-like nose.”
Last month, we revealed a bumper compilation of some of the best clips from Dr Pimple Popper.
The pops that feature range from huge lipomas to pus explosions – and even a horn that looks like a pork scratching.
Dr Pimple Popper has almost six million subscribers on YouTube, so if you are in the ‘I love pimple popping’ camp, then you’re definitely not alone.
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The California-based dermatologist has previously spoken about why she thinks people are so fascinated by what she does.
She told Refinery29: “I think watching popping is similar to seeing a scary movie or riding a roller coaster for some.
“You get a rush of euphoria and excitement.”