Side walls of nose looking bigger after rhinoplasty? (Photo)

Question

I had open rhinoplasty 16 days ago. My nose looks big and wide from front side. How do I know that the side walls are still swollen? My side walls feel soft when I touch them. Will this be the final appearance? It really looks big in the mirror. Will the side walls narrow down further?

Ritchie Younger, MD · Answer

Assuming you have had surgery performed by a board certified Facial Plastic Surgeon with a massive rhinoplasty practice-you have nothing to worry about.  Open approach rhinoplasty patients typically will have some degree of swelling for up to a year or longer-depending on precisely what was done, with variations on swelling dependent somewhat on the thickness of your nasal skin, and influenced by previous history of rhinoplasty or trauma.   I suggest to most patients that they can expect some degree of swelling of the nasal tip beyond a year, and lateral swelling along rhinoplasty bony fracture lines, which is what you may be concerned about-can take 6-12 months to settle.  Good luck to you as your new nose starts to present itself over the next year-as swelling subsides and your new image materializes !!

Waleed Ezzat, MD, FACS · Answer

At 16 days post-op, your body is still recovering, so seeing some swelling at this point is completely normal. As your nose continues to heal and change shape, you should notice that the swelling gradually diminishes and your final results will begin to reveal themselves. I would suggest giving yourself some more time to recover, and if you’re still dissatisfied with your results in a few weeks, consult your surgeon.

Ian MacArthur, MD, FRCSC · Answer

Thanks for your question. At 16 days after surgery there is still a great deal of swelling that needs to go down. You are definitely not at the point of your final appearance. It can take up to a full year for the last of the swelling to go down, but you should see gradual improvements over the next few weeks to months. Take care.

Arian Mowlavi, MD, FACS (license on probation) · Answer

Your really need to provide your preop photos in order to be advised regarding your results; every nose is different and so difficult to tell; also more postop photos would be helpful.

Side walls of nose looking bigger after rhinoplasty? (Photo)

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Side walls of nose looking bigger after rhinoplasty? (Photo)

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