I am 12 days post-op with a pig nose. Will swelling go down? (photos)

Question

DR shaved bridge, tip plasty, short nose correction, alar reduction. Took the cast off day 10 and didn't love it, then it got progressively worse (more swollen) over the past few days. I don't think my nostrils showed as much as it looks in the before picture; I was looking up slightly. I've attached a pic w/o major nostril show. My tip is swollen & looks VERY upturned. The silicone packing is still in; could that be contributing to the upturned look? I'm worried swelling won't go down enough.

Ali Riza Öreroglu, MD · Answer

12 days after a rhinoplasty is a quite early stage of healing. Swelling up more after cast removal is also not uncommon. As you continue to feel, your nose will feel more natural. The tip is not likely to radically drop but you should give yourself some time to heal and adjust. If you are still not satisfied with the appearance of your nose by the end of 1 year after your surgery, you may consider a revision.Hope this helps,Ali Rıza Öreroğlu, MD FEBOPRASEuropean and Turkish Board Certified Aesthetic, Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeonIstanbul, Turkey

Philip J. Miller, MD, FACS · Answer

You have to give yourself some more healing time.  Your nose and surrounding areas are going to be swollen for a while and you should be consulting the surgeon that performed the procedure. However, give yourself some time before going back in so some of it can subside. It can take up to a year for final results.
Sincerely,
Philip J. Miller, MD, FACS Double Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon

Pejman Aflaki, MD · Answer

Hello
and thank you for the question and sharing your photos. As you know, you
are still early in the recovery process. Rhinoplasty results evolve over
time and unfortunately, it would be hard to make a precise prediction of
how things will heal, especially not knowing what was exactly done. Your
surgeon is the best person to guide you through the healing process and answer
your specific questions. Best,
Pejman
Aflaki, M.D.
Johns
Hopkins-trained plastic surgeon

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

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. Right now, concentrate on other things you like to do and let your nose and under eyes take the time to heal. It can take up a year for your final results. I hope this helps.

Mark Been, MD · Answer

Thank you for your post. Because you are so recently removed from the procedure, it is possible that some of the upturned look can be attributed to swelling and the nasal packing. Before jumping to conclusions, I think it is best if you wait at least 3-6 months to allow the majority of the swelling to subside. Be sure to follow up regularly with your surgeon as well.

Amy T. Bandy, DO, FACS · Answer

Thank you for the photo and your questions. I know you would like a more definitive answer to your question, however, the only answer I have for you is that your nose is extremely swollen and you need to wait at least 6-8 weeks to assess further. A nose after a rhinoplasty will remain swollen longer than almost any other cosmetic procedure that we perform. If at 8 weeks post op, you still feel that you have a pig-nose, I would have a discussion with your surgeon on how to revise. He/she may recommend to wait a full 6 months for further reduction of swelling. Keep your chin up and best wishes!

Charles W. Guy II, DO, FAOCO · Answer

Thank you for your question.   You are still very early on in your healing and still have a significant amount of swelling.  Your nose is going to be going through bigger changes over the next 2 mos and will then undergo some more mild changes over the following 10-16 mos.   Looking at the first picture of the side-by-side frontal views, the post operative picture already had some decrease in rotation.   This may continue to improve with time.    I know it can be difficult waiting for swelling to go down, especially with rhinoplasty.   Hope this helps!
-Dr. Guy

I am 12 days post-op with a pig nose. Will swelling go down? (photos)

Answers (7)

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