My nose looks bigger from the front after rhinoplasty. 1 month post-op. (Photos)

Question

It's been about 1 month after my surgery day. From the side my nose looks better but swelling from the front hasn't gone down at all.. is that normal? I read that most major swelling subsides within the first few weeks but I do not notice any difference in the front of my nose. It actually looks larger. My doctor was supposed to make it thinner and it just looks wider (I do also feel a little hard bump on the right side.) Is this normal?

Deepak Raj Dugar, MD · Answer

Hello!Thank you for your pictures, I do see significant swelling which is normal 1 month post op. It truly takes 1 full year for the entire dorsum (profile) and sidewalls of the nose to fully heal and for all the swelling to dissipate. Rhinoplasty healing is a tedious process because it is one of the only surgeries where we are not removing excess skin. It takes 3 years for the tip to fully heal (only if significant tip work is performed). 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. Healing takes time, so be patient and continue icing. Icing is key to help with the swelling!

Daniel Butz, MD · Answer

Nasal swelling post rhinoplasty is expected and takes approximately a year until the healing is completely resolved. However, after 3-5 months the basic shape can be appreciated. 
So be patient. Sometimes steroids can be injected into the nose to help things along but this is up to the discretion of your surgeon.

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

It's still too soon to tell what your final results will be. You need to have patience with your body as it begins to heal. The skin, bone and cartilage are all traumatized during surgery. Inflammation (swelling) is the normal response and will help your nose to heal and look beautiful in the end. If, one year from now, you are unhappy with your nose, then that is the time to think about a revision procedure. Right now, concentrate on other things you like to do and let your nose take its time to heal. I hope this helps.

Mark Been, MD · Answer

Thanks for your post. I recommend remaining patient during this time, because you are still early in the healing process. Over the next several months, you should see gradual improvement with your swelling. Be sure to follow-up at all scheduled visits with your surgeon. Good luck!

Jeffrey Joseph, MD, FACS · Answer

At one month post op, the tip will be much wider than it will once your results are more defined.  Be patient and follow your surgeon’s recommendations.

Jon Kurkjian, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. 
With any nasal surgery, the name of the game is patience. At one week, we would expect you to have quite a bit of swelling and bruising still noticeable and may have trouble breathing out of one or both nostrils. By the end of two weeks, typically, you will still be swollen but look more like you have a bad cold, rather than post surgical. Swelling can take up to a year to be completely gone, however, by 9 weeks you will look very good and should see big difference from your pre-op pics.

Sahar Nadimi, MD · Answer

It is still too early in the healing phase to determine what the final result of your rhinoplasty will be. The swelling will likely resolve significantly in the upcoming months. Although the majority of swelling after rhinoplasty resolves by about 4 weeks, there is still some swelling even up to 12-18 months. Also it is not unusual to have asymmetric swelling. In general, swelling in the dorsum and tip seems to take the longest to resolve. For some patients with very thick skin, they may benefit from some steroid injections in the postoperative period. I would give it some more time and continue to follow all your doctor's postoperative instructions. Best of luck

My nose looks bigger from the front after rhinoplasty. 1 month post-op. (Photos)

Answers (7)

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