Rhinoplasty Q&A
80%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not. See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings or Add Your Review
Rhinoplastybefore & after photos
View Before and Afters

Average Rhinoplasty Cost: $5,975

Learn about Rhinoplasty

5,055 people and 803 doctors are talking about Rhinoplasty

Get Free Email Updates

I'm Unable to Smile After Rhinoplasty

asked 1 year ago by NewNoseNYC in NYC, NY
Latest answer by Elliot M. Heller, MD
Question viewed 469 times
Tags: lips, smile, 1 week post-op, anxiety, numb

I'm one week out from Rhinoplasty and a chin implant. I have numbness in lower lip due to chin implant and my top lip won't move due to rhinoplasty. I was not told this would be an affect, and I look freakish when I try to smile and my smile used to be very pretty and wide. Now my teeth aren't visible when I smile and I just look so weird! I'm literally having major anxiety over this as I'm worried this might be permanent. I'm regretting doing these procedures.

8 answers to I'm Unable to Smile After Rhinoplasty

+1

Wait another week and then go back to see your surgeon

Wait another week, hopefully by then the swelling will have subsided. If not you should make an appointment to go back and see your surgeon. see video
+1

Smile

One week is still very early to fret about results. Numbness from the chin implant usually resolves within a few weeks. Upper lip swelling may be contributing to decreased mobility. the swelling is secondary to the rhinoplasty and usually subsides within 2-4 weeks.
+1

Unable to Smile 1 Week after Rhinoplasty

Swelling of the upper lip, which limit your smile, is not unusual 1 week after rhinoplasty. This will resolve. Numbness of the lower lip after placement of a chin implant is uncommon but can be present for a short time secondary to swelling or irritation of the sensory nerve to the lip during surgery.
+1

Rhinoplasty post-op

It is quite common to have some swelling after rhinoplasty and chin implant. This may make your uppter lip swollen and cause it to be a bit stiff. This ussually gets better with time. As for the chin numbness, quite commonly this improves also as the swelling goes down. If you are concerned, speak with your surgeon.
+1

Numbness after chin implant and stiff lip after rhinoplasty

Since it's only a week after your surgery, you may just be experiencing normal healing. When a chin implant is placed, the nerve that gives sensation to the lower lip can be stretched and may take a few weeks to be back to normal; permanent damage to that nerve is rare. Similarly, the upper lip can be stiff after rhinoplasty especially if a lot of work was done on the tip or columella or you could have had some oozing into the lip that needs to be re-absorbed. Follow up with your surgeon... more
+1

Recovery after Nose Surgery or Rhinoplasty in Los Angeles

It is absoultely normal to have swelling of the nose, and the surrounding areas after a nose job. Most people notice that after rhinoplasty they can't make a full face smile for several weeks or months. this is normal. Also, if your nose surgery has been combined with other facial surgeries such as chin agumentation, then the swelling is even more.
+1

Try to be patient

One week is very early. In a month you should notice definite improvement, but even then you may not be back to normal. Without knowing what your surgeon did, I cannot be sure, but for most rhinoplasty procedures the smile returns to normal in a few weeks to months. Try to be patient. Worrying will only slow down your healing. Good luck.
+1

Unable to Smile After Rhinoplasty

One week post surgery is a bit early to make judgement on the outcome of the procedure..You need to wait patiently for several weeks for the swelling to subside.

Ask a question