Can swelling after rhinoplasty cause the nose to look shorter?

Hello and thank you for your question. It really depends on the specific techniques used by your surgeon during the surgery. With certain techniques, such as septal extension graft or tongue in groove technique the tip will not drop with time after surgery, and if it is over-rotated it will likely stay in that position. This is one of many reasons it is so critical to evaluate your surgeon’s long-term before and after pictures on their website. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon