I Had Rhinoplasty 11 Weeks Ago and I Still Don't Like my Side Profile. Will This Change?

11 weeks out and if your are not pleased with your dorsal profile then I would address this with your rhinoplasty surgeon. That being said it is still early in the healing process and it should continue to improve but I would discuss this with him/her in case there are things you can do to assist with the process such as taping or massage.

Thank you for your question!



It is understandable that you are
concerned. Changes after rhinoplasties vary with
every patient and what you are experiencing is normal especially that swelling
takes time to subside as it masks the results of your surgery.



It is important to keep in mind that it
is early to pass a judgment. Usually, a year is required before formulating how
your nose will be, but longer with a thick skin. Even then, your nose will keep
shaping itself to complement your face for better results in the years to come.



My best recommendation at the moment is
to be patient, allow nature to take its course and edema subsides for better
results. There is no doubt that once the swelling resolves, more definition and
shape will be achieved and you should be happier with the results.



Also, it is important that you keep
communicating with your surgeon and work as a team together to achieve the best
results possible.



Congratulations on your surgery and remain positive!



Ali Sajjadian, MD FACS

The more rhinoplasty surgery that I perform and the longer that I follow my patients, the more I am surprised as to how long it can take the nose to heal from rhinoplasty surgery.  11 weeks is not a long period of time.   You may have a profile that still appears large and this may be due to cartilage or bony issues which may not change a great deal.  However, I have seen soft tissue swelling of the dorsum continue to improve and decrease for up to a year.  I perform a great deal of revision rhinoplasty and one of the areas that my patients are most concerned about is the nasal bridge.  What appeared to be a very nice profile immediately after surgery had settled significantly after one year or more and now looks like a saddle nose or the inverted "V" deformity.  I have also had patients who I have operated on who are concerned with the swelling or fullness of the bridge following their surgery only to be completely satisfied 3 months after surgery. Photos of your current nose would be of help, but, time may be your best bet.

At almost 3 months post-op, you can still expect ongoing subtle changes in swelling resolution and softening of scar tissue, but any bone or cartilage that contribute to your profile will still remain unchanged no matter how long you wait. That being said, sometimes patients form significant scar tissue beneath the skin surface that can interfere with the "final" result, and judicious and skillful steroid injection to "break up" or reduce scar tissue can be helpful.

Surgical revision should be avoided until at least 6 months, and usually 12 months, has gone by. This allows sufficient time for scar tissue to mature, soften, and hopefully smooth out, so that any surgical revision is not trying to "hit a moving target."

Left untreated by steroid injection (now is appropriate) or more surgery (not yet), your profile is unlikely to change. See your surgeon for more advice. Good luck!

Your profile at 3 months after rhinoplasty can still change a bit due to residual swelling. Usually you have to wait a good 6 mons to 1 year before considering a revision. 

Profile views of the nose, or evaluating the dorsal line, is one of the most important ways that people assess their nose after rhinoplasty surgery. It can also be one of the main reasons someone had rhinoplasty in the first place. Because the profile view of the nose involves all three regions (bridge, middle vault and tip), it can take the longest to really know what the final results will be. At three months after surgery the dorsum of your nose remains in evolution towards its final appearance. Six months after surgery is the minimum amount of time before you should get too critical. What matters now is whether much changes between what you see now and the next six months. 

you can have more improvement of the rhinoplasty for up to a year . You before and after pictures help us to evaluate the results better.

Pictures would be helpful here but I tell my patients that 80% of swelling will resolve within 6-8 weeks. If you have thick skin it can take longer and may even require small amounts of steroid injections to completely settle. If the underlying cartilage framework has not been properly adjusted then this will remain. Complete settling of your nose can take up to one year. I would follow up with your surgeon as per their instructions and communicate your concerns and desires.

The honest answer after not seeing before and after photos or knowing what was doing during your Rhinoplasty is, perhaps.  It's certainly not uncommon to have residual swelling, in the nose, after a Rhinoplasty that can last for up to 9 months or longer.  There's no way for me to tell if the bump, on the nasal bridge, is due to this residual swelling or from remaining cartilage and or bone.