After some rhinoplasties, there is too much fullness just above the tip (rather than in the tip itself), which makes the tip appear hooked or “beak-like” when viewed from the side. This is due to inadequate lowering of the septum during the procedure and can usually be repaired with a brief, second operation.
The nose is made almost entirely of cartilages rather than bone. As such, even though you won't notice significant changes after the rhinoplasty, you might see small and barely-perceptible changes over extended periods, like years and decades, due to cartilage changes.
When does your nose go back to normal after rhinoplasty? The short answer is that your nose will never return to its pre-surgical size or shape.
Four to six weeks after rhinoplasty, we observe occasional dropping of the nasal tip due to several causes [5]. Such causes may include scar contractures, weight of the nose, and the action of the depressor septi nasi muscle [5].
Your surgeon may have removed an excessive amount of tissue from your nose tip in an attempt to raise your entire nose. The resulting image is a “pig snout.” You may experience this temporarily as a result of post-surgery swelling. It usually disappears after a few weeks.
It is normal to have edema (swelling) of the nose after rhinoplasty. This can last for up to several months.
1. Swelling After Surgery. Generally, swelling is the most common reason why your nose looks bigger after rhinoplasty, which is completely normal. As a general rule, half of the swelling in the nasal tip will be gone after a month, but it will take at least a year for the tip to reach its final shape.
If your tip drops too much after your nose surgery, you may need a revision rhinoplasty. Surgical errors, outdated techniques, or recovery complications could be reasons your nose tip dropped too much. These revision nose jobs occur about one year after the initial surgery to ensure all post-surgical swelling is gone.
A dropped tip happens because the nose surgeon did not allow for the drop and set the tip to the nose's profile, including the bridge. But highly experienced nasal surgeons know the nose tip will undergo some downward contraction because their incisions tend to contract while healing.
It may take a few months for your nasal skin to completely return to normal after rhinoplasty.
Your surgeon may be able to explore a revision rhinoplasty with you. If you feel that you no longer trust your surgeon's abilities to help you reach your goals, you may want to explore a second opinion from a surgeon specializing in rhinoplasties.
Is it normal to not like your nose after rhinoplasty? If you've been watching your rhinoplasty heal over time and you're still thinking “I don't like my nose”, it's not unheard of. As many as 10-15% of cosmetic nose surgeries result in unhappy clients who will choose to undergo a second procedure to fix it.
Every patient is different, so recovery times vary, but generally speaking, most patients can expect to look “normal” after about three to four weeks, with a small amount of residual swelling and tenderness lasting about three months — though it is usually only noticeable to the patient themselves.
Swelling during rhinoplasty recovery
Many factors could cause uneven nostrils for a short period after rhinoplasty surgery. For example, swelling may affect the appearance of each nostril differently. You can rest assured that your nostrils will return to normal size once your nose is fully healed.
Treating the bulbous nasal tip with rhinoplasty involves refining and reconfiguring small cartilage edges, along with suturing techniques to create a sharper yet natural nasal tip. For thicker skinned patients, thinning of the nasal tip skin may be necessary.
To avoid this, you'll need to keep your head elevated at night for 6 weeks following surgery. One of the easiest ways to do this is to prop your head up on two or three pillows or use a foam wedge.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that columellar strut grafting in combination with muscle release can alleviate drooping of the tip better than muscle division alone after rhinoplasty. The columellar strut graft provides tip stability and can therefore be used to enhance dynamic outcomes after rhinoplasty.
After rhinoplasty surgery, your nose will be extra vulnerable as a result of the changes made to this structure. Your bones, cartilage, and surrounding tissues will be more fragile as they heal, sometimes for up to a year after surgery.
3-4 Months
Keep in mind that the tip, or bottom third of the nose often remains a little swollen. Although it is difficult, it is extremely important to be patient throughout this process, as the swelling that persists in the tip may cause your nose to appear asymmetrical or bulbous.
The reality is that many rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty patients can appear wider at 3 weeks out than they did before surgery. This can be especially noted if grafting was performed as part of your nasal reshaping process. Stay calm and allow the healing process to unfold.
What To Expect Two Weeks after Rhinoplasty. The second week is a period where there is a rapid progression in the reduction of swelling. If there has been some bruising, it is typically going to be gone – so by the end of that second week you are looking very good. You do not need much office treatment at that point.
Crookedness or asymmetry to the nose after primary rhinoplasty can be evidence of asymmetrical healing. Postoperative scarring is unpredictable, and scar tissue may form unevenly and cause your nose to appear crooked.
This is because during this time the nose is undergoing changes. The major change that is occurring is swelling or oedema is resolving. During surgery, the soft tissue covering of the nose is traumatised. Although this is controlled surgical trauma it is nevertheless trauma.
While it takes our patients 3 months on average to see full rhinoplasty results, there are some factors that can influence how long your final results may take to appear: Open vs. closed rhinoplasty.
One potential cause for bulbous appearance of the nose is the development of scar tissue at the nasal tip. This does not occur right away, but rather may develop over time. Sometimes injection of steroid may be of benefit. You may wish to consider consulting with your original surgeon.