I still don't like my nose after Rhinoplasty. Any suggestions?

Question

I had rhinoplasty 1 month ago, and I had my nose made thinner, the hook shaved down and a septal graft. I know my nose is still swollen, however I can feel where the bone is and I still don't think my nose will be small enough for me to like it. Also, my nostrils look very wide and seem to stand out from my nose in a bad way- how long do I wait to think about getting a second rhinoplasty?

Guy Watts, MBBS (Hons), FRACS (Plast) · Answer

At 1 week post surgery it is far too early to gauge your final results. Stay calm, relax and you will likely be very surprised with the changes that come over the next few weeks and months. It really is too early to make any valid assessments and the best thing you can do is try an think about anything else other than your nose. Good luck.

Mark E. Mason, MD · Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question. I understand that you want your nose to be smaller, hence why you sought out rhinoplasty in the first place. I haven't seen your before and after photos, but I typically tell my patients to be very patient with swelling in the face, and especially so with the nose. After only one month, you are definitely still swollen. I would never do a revision on a rhinoplasty at only one month out, because you are not working on a nasal shape, you are working on nasal swelling, which will eventually go away, and then you'll have a nose disproportionately small for your face. It is normal for your nostrils to look wide because they are on the base of your nose, and swelling will travel downward with gravity and settle in the nostrils and septum. I would wait at least 6 months before considering a second rhinoplasty. There is no harm in reaching out to your plastic surgeon and scheduling a follow-up appointment to address and document your concerns. I always encourage my patients to stay in constant contact with me, so we can document their healing and progress along the way. I realize it is difficult to have delayed gratification, but with rhinoplasty, it is truly worth it to wait prior to re-operating so quickly in the post-op period.

Donald W. Buck II, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question abbkrs. Sorry to hear you are having concerns after your rhinoplasty. The best way to address your concerns is to have a thorough discussion with your surgeon. Swelling after rhinoplasty is extremely common, and can sometimes take up to one year to subside. In general, I prefer not to perform revision rhinoplasty until at least 1 year after your original procedure. It is important to wait a substantial time after the operation to see how the soft-tissues settle, and to avoid entering a surgical field with residual inflammation. Hang in there and best of luck!DWB

I still don't like my nose after Rhinoplasty. Any suggestions?

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I still don't like my nose after Rhinoplasty. Any suggestions?

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Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

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