Shorter but Bigger Nose After Rhinoplasty

I sustained a nose injury and met with a surgeon to to have Rhinoplasty. I had photos of this famous model whose features were close to mine except her nose. Anyhow, I wanted her nose. I wanted a smaller, well-defined nose. During surgery, cartilage from my ear was put in my nose. Seven months later, my nose appears larger with no definition. It's shorter but bigger. Could it be due to too much cartilage, and it failed to shrink as predicted? Does cartilage in the nose shrink over time, and if yes, what is the percentage of shrinkage?

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3 Doctor Answers | Asked by sophie1 in PDX

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Take a step back...

Hi, First off I hope your surgeon told you that "you cannot have someone else's nose no matter how much they may resemble you." Your nose is your nose. Your skin and cartilage and bone is unique. To expect to have a famous model's nose or even your sister or cousin or mom or dad or best friend's nose is not realistic. That is why computer imaging is SO crucial so your surgeon can show you what YOUR nose will look like on your face. It may be even prettier than the famous... more

Many factors can be contributing to the nasal shape

It would be difficult to provide a helpful answer without photographs, but generally, it sounds like youare not happy with the width of you nose as well as the amount of tip projection. Cartilage does shrink a bit over time but I doubt it is the main reason for the mismatch here (between your expectations and the results).

Shorter, Bigger Nose

I would wait another 4-5 months before evaluating the nose. You will never duplicate the nose of another individual. The cartilage will not shrink over time, but the swelling will. If you are not ultimately satisfied, talk to your surgeon and get a second opinion from a revision rhinoplasty specialist.