Is What I Saw After Removing my Cast my Final Rhinoplasty Result?

Question

I'm 11 days post op and when I removed my cast I thought my nose looked really ugly and I looked like a pig, but now 3 days after removing my cast, my nose has gotten a little puffier and it looks way better than it did when I removed the cast. I heard when you remove the cast that's what it will look like. Is it because my tip was higher? I hope it ends up looking more like it does 3 days after removing it then before.

Babak Azizzadeh, MD · Answer

Right now you sitll have a lot of swelling, so no this is not the final result.  The final result is usually after 12 months.

Deepak Raj Dugar, MD · Answer

Hello,The nose changes after the cast is taken off.  It usually takes 1-3 years for the swelling to fully go down after a rhinoplasty. The tip takes the longest time to heal and mold to the new framework because it is the thickest skin of the nose. The skin over the profile is thinner than the skin over the tip. Your nose changes when it is healing, and you are in a very early stage of healing. You will see your permanent shape closer to a year after your rhinoplasty. Be patient!All the best, Deepak Dugar, MDScarless Rhinoplasty ExpertBeverly Hills, CA 90210

Jerome Edelstein, MD · Answer

The cast compresses the tissues of the nose to keep swelling down, and when it is removed the swelling can no longer be controlled and it can dramatically appear. This swelling can take months to subside, with the tip being affected for the longest. Please wait until swelling subsides before evaluating your results.

Jamil Ahmad, MD · Answer

Immediately after the splint or cast is removed, it is common for the nose to look more defined. After the compression has been removed, the skin and soft tissues can swell and the nose can take on a puffy appearance; this can take weeks to months to significantly improve. After rhinoplasty, tip shape is typically the last thing to settle before seeing the final result; this can take 12 months or longer. During this time you will notice that the size of your tip decreases as swelling resolves and subtle details and tip definition appear. Additionally, you may notice that your tip derotates and deprojects somewhat depending on what was technically performed during surgery. It is important to be patient after rhinoplasty and allow adequate time for recovery.

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

Hi,

	You are way too early to in the healing process! I always tell my patients to forget about their noses for a while and concentrate on other things (school,  job, hobbies, etc.). I realize you are excited to see the final results, but it takes almost an entire year to see this. So, in the meantime, relax and try to be patient. Your nose will go through many different stages of healing. The most persistent will be that of having a 'woody' nose. You'll know what I mean soon enough, but don't worry this is also normal. Take care, Dr. H

David Mattos, MD · Answer

Neither of these photos will be your final result. It takes months before the swelling goes away enough and your tissues have healed enough that you will finally have a good sense of what the final outcome will be. The difference you are describing is likely some temporary swelling after the compression of the splint was removed, but the swelling will go down again a lot in the coming weeks. Hopefully you like your final result even more!
-Dr. David Mattos, New York Plastic Surgical Group

Anil Banerjee, FRCS · Answer

The way the nose heals after a rhinoplasty can be a little scary. Once the cast has been removed it will swell as the tapes which were pressing the skin down to the underlying bone and cartilage is no longer there. You will probably find that it looks even more swollen when you wake in the mornings as the blood flows more easily into the nose when you are lying flat and so the tip in particular is likely to look larger than it does at the end of the day. This will gradually settle but can take several months. You should have appointments to see your surgeon in the post operative healing phase and he or she can reassure you regarding this.

Michel Siegel, MD · Answer

Final rhinoplasty results will take months if not years. While many sources state that final results take a year, I believe further changes happen even after 12 months. Swelling resolution is usually more dramatic in the early stages of recovery- first 3 months. Further changes will take place at a slower  rate after that, in general.

Jeffrey Zwiren, MD · Answer

You are very early in the healing process and the irregularities that you are noticing are more likely due to swelling than anything else. The asymmetry you see is also due to swelling. It will take you another 6 months before you can begin to judge your result.

Steven Turkeltaub, MD · Answer

Your nose will have a considerable amount of swelling the first few weeks following surgery. Most of this will subside by around 6 months but it can take around a year for it to maximally subside.

Is What I Saw After Removing my Cast my Final Rhinoplasty Result?

Answers (14)