Rhinoplasty and Septoplasty - Too Hasty About Judging Results?

Hi, I know this is probably hasty, but I had a sephtoplasty/rhinoplasty eleven days ago, and I am not satisfied with the tip. I feel it is too tippy and projected like tinkerbell, plus bulbous around the tip and sides of nostrils, the bridge looks great. I'm hoping the bulbous parts are from swelling and will go down...I didn't have a nose that people thought needed cosmetic surgery to begin with. I just wanted to focus more on my eyes and lips, so it was more of a finesse surgery. 12 days post-surgery I can see quite a bit of nostril flesh also in the inside of nostrils obstructing a lot of my breathing making an appearance of a pig. Is this all due to swelling?

The doctor told me to wait 6 weeks to see better results, but I have been reading on the net that for the most part after two weeks post you get a good look at what your nose is suppose to look like. I'm starting to get depressed, am I being way too hasty or is at this point, what you see- is what I get ?

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nose post-op

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11 Doctor Answers | Asked by whosarah in California

Doctor Answers (11)
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Rhinoplasty tip

Slow down!!! Since you are so early post-op, you have to give it some time for the swelling to settle down. Many patients after open tip rhinoplasty look like "Rudolph" for the first couple of weeks because of the swelling. I always warn patients about this. This is swelling in the skin that is elevated. It takes several weeks for the majority of the swelling to dissipate and then even more time for the residual swelling to go away.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

You are being too hasty.

RELAX - it is far too early to evaluate the result. Here is my usual timeline: When the splint comes off you usually see how the dorsum ( bridge) looks. At three weeks you have about 60% of the result. It takes a full year for all of the swelling in the tip to go down. Don't try to rush it, give nature a chance to heal.

The nose takes time to heal

Once the cast is removed, it takes a trained eye to interpret the results and distinguish swelling from irregularity. The healing process of a nose is dynamic so it will change over the course of months and years. Overtime, hopefully your nose change in a more positive direction.

Judging Rhinoplasty and Septoplasty Results

Based on the beginning of your note, you understand that you are early in the healing process. Your surgeon is advising you properly to wait at least 6 weeks before begin judging the results, and you will be healing for up to a year.

Rhinoplasty healing time can take 1 year to see final results

It really can take 1 year to see your final results so do not panic. If you trust your surgeon then let him reassure you. If things are not right he should be able to tell you that and give you a roadmap of what will be done to get you the results you are hoping for. Best of luck.

11 days after rhinoplasty

11 days after rhinoplasty is waaaaay too early to judge the final result, ecpecially the tip. The tip has a lot of soft tissue and therefore the swelling lasts the longest there. It can take up to a year until you see the final result so dont get depressed. You'll see continued improvement gradually. There wiil also be some relaxation of the tip so it wont stay elevated as much as it looks right now. Most of all work with your doctor and trust his judgement. That's why you picked him !... more

Andrew Pichler, MD

1 review

Sacramento Facial Plastic Surgeon

facedr.com

Too early after Rhinoplasty and Septoplasty to judge results

This is quite a bit too early to judge results. Rhinoplasty swelling can take a long time (weeks/months) to go down. Small (millimeter) changes in swelling can make a big difference, so be patient. Share you concerns with your surgeon and let him/her guide you through the healing process.

Sam Most, MD

23 reviews

Bay Area Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drmost.com

Nose surgery recovery time

You may still be bruised. Bruising if present takes two weeks to clear. your swelling will be around for six months before its all done. However a significant part of it will have resolved within the first several weeks. At that time you can usually tell how your nose is going to look when 'all the dust has settled'. Its frustrating. But there is little you can do to speed things up, although there are several things that will slow down the healing process.

Rhinoplasty final result may take 6-12 months

Unfortunately, without examining your nose, it is difficult to say. However, your nose after rhinoplasty will be swollen for at least 3 months. During this 3 month period, there will episodes of less and more swelling, so it will be really difficult to judge the final result. However, it really takes 6-12 months for the swelling to completely resolve and the nose to settle in. I know this may sound like a long time, but remember you have swelling in a really small area of your body, and... more

Rhinoplasty Recovery

During the first several weeks, following rhinoplasty, the nose undergoes significant changes as the swelling subsides. The swelling gradually dissipates over the first several months and thus the appearance of the nose changes gradually. The swelling can fluctuate on a daily basis,and different areas of the nose may retain swelling longer than others. This often gives the nose an uneven appearance. Be patient. As the swelling goes down, the appearance should improve. Visit with you surgeon... more