I may have lowered my lateral cartilage when I was picking/cleaning my nose. Can this ever be fixed?

Pictures of the appearance would help determine if this is fixable. This sounds unusual in that it would take a much more significant trauma to dislocation your lower lateral from your upper lateral cartilage, but anything is possible.Ordinarily, asymmetries can be corrected with a standard approach to rhinoplasty. The need for grafts to fill in a deformity may require a more complicated procedure. This determination is made based on the diagnosis of the problem, the appearance of the nose, and other related structures. There are many ways to skin a cat, all with the same end result. Try to find the surgeon who has a full quiver of arrows and not just a one size fits all procedure.There are some surgeons who do all their rhinoplasties through an open approach which requires a visible incision across the columella (vertical tissue separating the nostrils). There are some who do them all through a closed approach with no visible incisions. Each approach has its virtues, but they need to be applied taking into account the necessity for more exposure and the compromise of accepting a visible incision ( which, by the way, is very difficult to see).

Picking will not affect the cartilages or the shape of your nose.   Some emotionally disturbed people pick areas until there is bleeding and tissue destruction.   I doubt you do this.    So don't worry.    My Best,  Dr Commons