Crooked Nose or Uneven Swelling? 5 Months Post Op (photo)

Question

I'm currently 5 months post op and my nose doesn't look straight. It looks worse than it does in photos than it does in person but I still see it. I had my deviated septum fixed and my nose narrowed and a hump removed. My question is- is it uneven swelling at this point (5 months post op)? Or did my septum move out of place? What's going on? My surgeon said I was developing a callus (or something like that..sorry!) on one side and injected me with half a dose of a steroid shot sometime in march.

Jaime Perez, MD · Answer

Hello. At five months you are still far from your final results and I would advise you to be patient. Rhinoplasty patients will not see the true outcome of their surgery until roughly one year after the initial operation. Any unsatisfactory results can be attributed to swelling at this point.
	 

	Jaime Perez, M.D.
	Rhinoplasty specialist
	Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa

Luis Villar, MD, FACS · Answer

Everyone is asymmetric.  The fetus is formed by two neural tubes, left and right, which develop minor or major asymmetries. Your nostrils, ears, eyes, hands, feet, etc. are not identical.  When you look in the mirror, your brain tends to make you symmetrical in your minds eye over time.  But if you get a mirror that reverses your image, you may freak.  If you photoshop your face, split it down the middle, duplicate each half and flip it over, you will see two different people.

	You seem to have a bump above the left upper lateral cartilage which may be slightly separated from the left nasal bone. A small amount of filler may soften the contrast, but do not expect perfect symmetry from any nasal surgery.  Best wishes. Knowledge is power.  Luis F. Villar MD FACS

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Over the internet vs in person examination offers a better chance of seeing what you are seeing. I do not see any issue. But obtain in person second opinions.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

No one is perfectly straight and symmetric. Your nose looks very nice and I would relax and enjoy the changes over the next several months.

Mohsen Tavoussi, MD, DO · Answer

The first thing I usually say to my rhinoplasty patient is,"we all have asymmetric faces".This causes the nose to be slightly deviated to one side or the other. It may be subtle and not noticed or obvious. After rhinoplasty, as the nose becomes more refined, the slight difference becomes more noticeable. You may be noticing this asymmetry. Allow completion of healing process which may take approximately 12 months.

Crooked Nose or Uneven Swelling? 5 Months Post Op (photo)

Answers (5)