Possible Permanent Damage from Pinching Sides of Nose?

Question

I was blessed with my father's somewhat large nose, and my mother suggested I get in the habit of squeezing the sides to help narrow it; the length I'm okay with. For 2 days straight (2 weeks ago) I did just that, where I pinched the sides with my thumb and pointer finger for approx. 1/2 hour. Since then, have noticed that my nose appears larger (wider) and feels firmer. Is it possible I did some permanent damage? If so, will some sort of nose surgery fix it? Please help! All I see when I look in the mirror is my larger nose. Thank you!

Donald Groves, MD · Answer

Good evening. What you're describing has most likely resulted in just some temporary soft tissue swelling. This should resolve with time, but can take weeks to months. The pinching you're describing results in temporary compression of the skin of the nose immediately after pinching, but should NOT cause permanent deformation or alteration to your nose shape. The resulting wideness and firmness you're describing support that you're just experiencing soft tissue swelling. Unfortunately, no amount of pinching will permanently narrow the width of your nose- that can potentially be addressed surgically though if it is that concerning to you. Think of it similar to how you can get marks on the bridge of your nose after wearing glasses for the whole day, but your nose shape remains unchanged. Hope this helps! Best, Dr. Donald Groves Plastic Surgeon

Possible Permanent Damage from Pinching Sides of Nose?

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