Can my nose be made to look exactly the same as it did before an injury, even if it was months ago?

Hello and thank you for your question.

Although photographs and an exam in person is ideal, most patients who have had a nasal injury can restore their nose to an appearance very close to the pre-injury appearance. It is unlikely that your nose will look 100% identical to before, but in experienced hands, it can look very close. If the bones are fracture and displaced, this can be fixed with a naso-septal reduction. If you have a deviated septum, this can be fixed with a septoplasty. If you have breathing difficulty from internal or external nasal valve collapse, this can also be fixed. All these mentioned "fixes" can be covered through insurance at minimal cost to you☝️

If you have any cosmetic concerns not addressed with the above mentioned procedures, the cost of a revision rhinoplasty may also be reduced if your insurance health plan will cover your breathing difficulty.

The next step for you is to pursue the right plastic surgeon for your nose surgery. In your consultation, be sure your surgeon addresses all your functional (and aesthetic) goals and concerns specifically, IN PERSON, and discusses the surgery details including the position and size of the incisions used (with actual photographs and not just digital animations), the risks and benefits of the procedure, recovery time, and post-operative course. I also think a key component of your consultation is to establish a good connection with your plastic surgeon. This is difficulty to do without seeing your surgeon in the office, in person. It’s the connection that allows you to clearly define your desired nose outcome goals, the first step of this whole process. If you don’t feel you have a good connection with your plastic surgeon after your consultation, he/she may not be the best surgeon for you.

For more information on nose surgery, please refer to my link below.

Good luck.

Hello and thank you for your question. No surgery can ever replica exact results. Improvements can likely be made. Look at your surgeon’s website for real examples of longterm results to set appropriate expectations. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Thank you for your question, and I'm sorry to hear you had a nasal injury. To give you the most accurate advice, could you upload clear photographs of your nose before and after your injury ?Additionally, were any images studies (such as an X-ray or CT scan) performed at the time of your injury?If there was a diagnosed fracture the nasal fracture procedure would of needed to be performed closer to the time of injury. Procedures performed later fall into a Rhinoplasty/ Septoplasty category. In some cases there may be no fracture and the aesthetic changes are related primarily to the soft tissues. In this case I may recommend operating 6 months after the swelling has significantly subsided.
Once your photos are reviewed a more specific treatment plan will be advised and of course discuss realistic outcome expectations. Please include the following angles: - Front on- Right and left profile - Head tilted downward (to show bridge) - Head tilted upward (to show underside of the nose)
Looking forward to assisting you further.

Bringing the nose back to the exact shape is not possible. However the nose can be significantly improved. Its not just fixing the fracture but there are other components as well.
African american rhinoplasty typically involves 4 different components. Some patients need them all, some only one or two. Here are the 4 components.
1. Improvement of the bridge height with an implant.
2. Narrowing of the wide upper nose (bony part) with osteotomies.
3. Narrowing of the tip (Tip-plasty)
4. Narrowing of the nostrils (Alarplasty)

Regards
Dr. J