Will nasal valve correction make my nose look fat?

Thank you for the question. It is unlikely that your nose would look fat after applying spreader grafts. It can widen the middle area of the nose but that is what is trying to be accomplished. It can improve the airway but done correctly your shape should improve. 

A good rhinoplasty is all about balance of the different parts of the nose. If the middle third of the nose is really thin, then when a bump is taken down, spreader grafts may need to be inserted to maintain some basic structure of this area. If done correctly, the spreader grafts will be designed to fit into the natural shape of the nose from top to bottom so it shouldn't look simply like a "fat" area within the nose. Be sure to see a rhinoplasty specialist.

If you're not having breathing difficulties, I'd be skeptical about the diagnosis of nasal valve collapse. Perhaps your surgeon is worried that the rhinoplasty he's planning will possibly compromise the valves and is simply preparing you for the possibility of grafts. Generally speaking, properly sized and placed spreader grafts should keep the nose looking normal while still preserving a good airway. Since you're concerned, though, your surgeon should be able to digitally simulate the frontal view of your nose with spreaders so that you can get a better idea of whether it would be too wide for your tastes.All the best,--David C. Pearson, M.D.Pearson Facial Plastic Surgery®

Feel free to re-ask your question with photos. Spreader grafts have their place in rhinoplasty surgery when dealing with nasal obstruction or a crooked appearance resulting from collapse of your upper lateral cartilage. Hope this helps you.Dr Joseph

Placement of a small cartilage graft to prop open the nasal valve will have Virtuallyno effect on the external appearance of the nose.

Both taking down a bump and placing internal grafts may make the nose look wider in the middle area of the nose. You can partially counteract this by bringing the nasal bones inward after the internal grafts are placed. Have the surgeon show imaging to approximate what you can expect the nose will look like. Surgeons can use internal grafts if there is an inverted-V at the lower edge of the nasal bones as well.

 Yes, spreader grafts are placed underneath a concave upper lateral cartilage to improve airflow when there is valve collapse present. They do tend to make the nose wider  after they are placed. There is no reason to place spreader grafts for functional reasons when there is not  airflow restriction present. Spreader grafts can be performed to improve air flow, or for cosmetic purposes.

If it is an internal nasal valve issue and you are getting spreader grafts, then it is possible that the spreader grafts may make the mid vault a bit wider.