Will my Smile Ever Go Back to Normal After Rip Graft Nose Revision? when Will I See my Final Results?

I had a revision rhinoplasty 6 weeks ago & my nose is very stiff because of the rip graft, but my smile and laugh are not back to normal, my upper lip doesnt lift like it used to and i think it looks a little weird when I smile. Will my smile ever go back to normal?? when will I see my final results, and will the rip graft get smaller in the next 6 months to a year? also can something be done if the graft is warping? my nose is not sraight and am worried it is not swelling

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smile stiffness 6 weeks post-op rib graft

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5 Doctor Answers | Asked by Rada88 in London, ON

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Healing from revision rhinoplasty

6 weeks is still very soon after your surgery, and you will be experiencing swelling at this time. Swelling can give the illusion of asymmetry. In general, the final result of rhinoplasty is not evident for 18-24 months following surgery. 70% of the swelling is resolved after the first 3 months, and the remainder goes down over time. Swelling can be influenced by the following: thickness of the patient's skin, whether the procedure was a revision, whether tip work was performed, and whether... more

Stiffness after revision rhinoplasty

This can happen with either primary or revision rhinoplasty, although more common with revision. You are right now in the phase of healing where there is intense collagen rebuilding. The tissues are vey stiff and this causes your smile to look strange. After the nose heals completely, your smile should normalize, or be close to normal.

Will my Smile Ever Go Back to Normal After Rip Graft Nose Revision? when Will I See my Final Results?

I have performed Rhinoplasty and Revision Rhinoplasty, for over 25 years, and don't use rib grafts for Rhinoplasty. The cartilage tends to dissolve unevenly, over the years, making the nose appear asymmetric. The healing typically lasts about 12 months when grafting material is required to the dorsum or tip areas. The smile should return to normal as long as the columellar area was not extensively dissected over the upper lip.

The Smile Issue After Rhinoplasty - especially Revision Rhinoplasty

The problem with revision rhinoplasty is there is a significant amount of scar tissue from the previous operation. This scar tissue swells and becomes tense and thickened in the acute post-operative period causing the muscles around the nose to also be stiff and sometimes, minimally mobile. It does take some time to return and ultimately the motion of the muscles gets better. However, it may be different from the preoperative function due to grafts that were placed. more

Jay Calvert, MD

20 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Smiling After Revision Rhinoplasty

Healing from revision nose reshaping takes months, usually about 12-18 to be more precise. Early in the post-operative period, it is absolutely the norm to have swelling of not just the nose, but the upper lip and mid face too. This causes temporary alterations in the way your face moves, or at least in the perception of how they are moving. Your smile, for instance, can feel weird since the lips and cheeks are a bit swollen. Typically, this is NOT something friends or family... more