I took a blow to the nose a few months ago. Is my Nose Broken? (photo)

Question

I took a blow to the nose a few months ago and talked to my doctor about it. He said that my condition wasn't that bad and that my nose would regain its normal structure with time. As you can see in the pictures the left side of my nose does not look that much crooked but it does feel like there is a dent there and it is noticeable in certain lighting conditions. I was hoping if anyone here could tell me whether or not my nose will regain its original shape prior to when it was injured.

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

Most likely your nose will not return to its normal shape. Nasal trauma that deforms the nose or causes breathing difficulties should be examined by a Plastic Surgeon or  ENT/ facial plastic surgeon to see what has been injured, that there is no septal hematoma that may have to be evacuated,  and to evaluate if  there is a nasal or septal fracture. It is far easier to repair any injured cartilage or bone displacement in the first few weeks following an injury.

Michael R. Macdonald, MD · Answer

Unfortunately, no, your nose will likely not return to its original shape without intervention. However, there is a silver lining - reducing or correcting this nasal fracture is a relatively straightforward procedure to perform either surgically or non-surgically for a facial plastic surgeon or head & neck surgeon (ENT) experienced in repairing trauma to the nose. It is also likely that insurance would cover a large portion of the cost.

	The bony portion of your nose does, in fact, appear to be broken. You can confirm this by feeling along the bony part of your nose - about half way up the nose, ending in the region between your eyes. Often, you can actually feel the fracture line. In your case, this fracture line appears to be in the right nasal bone. You will need a thorough in-person examination to determine the full extent of damage.

	Still, it appears that Nasal surgery is the best course to repair the fracture and assure any blockage in your nasal airway is restored.

	If you would prefer a non-surgical correction of your broken nose, the small dent that you are seeing could be corrected using an injectable tissue filler such as Restylane or Radiesse. My preference would be to use Radiesse since this tissue filler is derived from a bony substance known as calcium hydroxlyapatite, which becomes incorporated into your own bone. This non-surgical fix would not repair any internal nasal damage, meaning that you may experience compromised nasal function if you go this route.

	Good luck with whichever option you choose.

Nima Shemirani, MD · Answer

Dear brokennose1,

	
		If, at the time of your injury, you had a bloody nose, AND now it looks different, then you probably broke your nose at that time
	
		This is something that is generally covered by insurance, especially if you got it evaluated at the time and the decision for surgery was unsure
	
		When you are ready, please visit a rhinoplasty specialist who can go over your options.
	
		If surgery will not help, then they will tell you


	Best regards,

	Nima Shemirani

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Once the nasal bones have been broken and displaced they will heal that way.   To repair a nasal fracture, medial and lateral osteotomies will need to be performed, shave  the traumatic hump down, and probably place a spreader graft on the concave side in the mid vault area of the nose. Evaluation of the inside of the nose for deviated septum will need to be performed prior to the surgery

Chase Lay, MD · Answer

I'm sorry I can't be more helpful to you at the moment. Without x-rays and a physical exam it's hard to say. However what I can tell you is that often times if you have a very small nasal bone fracture it is very true that there's nothing much to do about it in that surgical intervention may not really make things any better. What you may have formed a something called a callous which is a combination of collagen and scar tissue mixed with calcium. This will smooth out and get smaller with time but may take several months. The other possibility in your case is that if the injury was significant enough but the bones were essentially unharmed your cartilage could have been damaged and resorbed or shrink and volume. Specifically, in your photograph the only thing I could speculate on is that your upper lateral cartilages and or septum may have been damaged. If the cartilage portion has been damaged that may not change with time and if you really wanted to change its appearance and may require rhinoplasty with cartilage grafting.

	I wish I could be more help to you but thank you for the question in the photos

	Chase Lay, MD
	double board certified facial plastic surgeon

I took a blow to the nose a few months ago. Is my Nose Broken? (photo)

Answers (5)

Answer: Broken nose evaluation and treatment

Answer: Broken nose evaluation and treatment

Answer: no way to tell

Answer: no way to tell

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Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

I took a blow to the nose a few months ago. Is my Nose Broken? (photo)

Answers (5)

Answer: Broken nose evaluation and treatment

Answer: Broken nose evaluation and treatment

Answer: no way to tell

Answer: no way to tell

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.