Bumped nose 1 month ago - how can I fix my crooked nose? (photos)

Thank you for your question. Rhinoplasty can solve both cosmetic and functional issues. If you’ve experienced nasal trauma, I recommend an in-person consultation with a reputable board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Your surgeon should perform a comprehensive facial evaluation complete with digital photography. Imaging scans will help you and your surgeon get to the root of the problem and devise the appropriate surgical plan to address your cosmetic and medical concerns. Your surgeon may recommend waiting until swelling fully subsides, which could take many months, before attempting surgery. Rhinoplasty, whether for addressing aesthetic or functional issues, is also one of the most complex plastic surgery procedures. Look for highly experienced surgeons with a strong portfolio to achieve the best outcome possible.

If one's nose was previously straight and one suffers a trauma that causes a significant bump on the nose, it is possible to break the nasal bones which are at the top of the nose. It is much harder to crack the cartilage which is out towards the middle and tip of the nose as cartilage tends to bend pretty easily when bumped and then has memory to bounce back to where it was. However, not all changes seen at one month indicate that it was a fractured nose. It is possible that there is swelling of either the skin and fat of the nose or even the deepest layer that sits on top of the bone or cartilage or even the bone itself may have some swelling which distorts the nose temporarily. It may take a number of months to recover. It would be unwise to seek any change in your nose in the first 10 to 12 months unless it is totally out of whack. One possible thing at one month out is to gently massage the area that seems to be swollen. Do not expect immediate results, progress may not be seen for several months but it is still a good idea to massage.

Thank you for your question and sharing your photos.

In general, what you are describing is the result of a small fracture and slight displacement around the keystone area.

In some instances, it is possible to file down the nasal bone and shave some of the cartilage to produce a smoother contour. It would be possible to use computer imaging and simulation to try and identify how much change you seek to achieve.

Photographs from before the injury can also be helpful in situations like this as they may capture some of the angles that bother you in the current appearance and provide a base for comparison.

Depending on the degree of change that you wish to achieve, different levels of intervention can be considered.