The most common cause of uneven nostrils after rhinoplasty is swelling. When tissue is manipulated or removed, it can lead to asymmetry in the healing process. This swelling can last for weeks, or even months in some cases. In addition to swelling, scarring can also contribute to uneven nostrils after surgery.
Because you will not experience this swelling exactly the same on each side, asymmetry after rhinoplasty is normal. You may experience swelling or a change of shape in your nostrils as well as the sides and bridge of your nose following your procedure.
While you can see your initial results at three weeks, it generally takes a year for patients to see the most optimal rhinoplasty outcomes. It can take up to two years for your nose to fully recover. And when it heals completely, only then can you see your nostrils return to a more symmetrical look.
A deviated septum occurs when your nasal septum is significantly displaced to one side, making one nasal air passage smaller than the other. A deviated septum occurs when the thin wall (nasal septum) between your nasal passages is displaced to one side.
Problems with breathing after rhinoplasty are usually due to the nasal valve being pinched to a smaller angle.
Part of that process is waiting for swelling to go down to see your result. In the first 6-8 weeks the majority of swelling will go down. Over the next 6-9 months you'll experience a downward trending rollercoaster of swelling going up and down depending on your exposure to heat, sun, or salt.
Crooked nose tip after rhinoplasty
This is quite normal, particularly if different parts of your nose are healing at different rates. For example, swelling in the bridge of your nose may subside sooner than swelling in the tip of your nose, causing temporary crookedness.
Uneven nostrils are most often the result of a deviated septum, which is characterized by misalignment of the nasal septum (or the cartilage which separates the nostrils). Deviated septums can also cause frequent nosebleeds and congestion, as well as complications with airflow.
Uneven nostrils can be caused by a deviation of the end of the nasal septum or a difference in the shape of the alar cartilages. A problem with the septum can also cause a secondary bend in the alar cartilages (medial crura or lateral crura) so that both problems exist together.
Problems with Uneven/Asymmetrical Nostrils
It's possible for these matters to be corrected thanks to a carefully performed rhinoplasty. For minor asymmetry, non-surgical treatments such as dermal fillers may be suggested, depending on the needs of the patient.
2 Weeks After Rhinoplasty: At this point, you will probably experience a dramatic reduction in post-op swelling, and any bruising will likely have disappeared. As swelling recedes, the new shape of the nose becomes more apparent and distinguishable.
How Much Will My Tip Drop After Rhinoplasty? Your tip should drop between five and ten degrees after rhinoplasty. This drop is due to gravitational pull and your incisions tightening. Any drop that is greater than that means there may have been a surgical complication.
Flared Nostrils After Rhinoplasty
If the size of the nose changes, but the nostril size does not, they can have a flared appearance. It is also possible that the contoured nasal tip is not projecting as far, causing the base of the nose to settle, creating nostril flaring.
Patients who have splints placed inside their nose after septoplasty may notice that their nose seems slightly wider after surgery. This is not a permanent change in the appearance of the nose because the shape of the nose will return once the splints are removed.
Liquid nose jobs, he says, are performed “to correct a dorsal hump, to raise a drooping tip, to fill in contour irregularities (usually from a previous rhinoplasty)” and to correct minor nasal asymmetries or crookedness.
"Despite the ease with which selfies are taken, the short distance from the camera causes a distortion of the face owing to projection, most notably an increase in nasal dimensions," they wrote.
Most people don't notice these asymmetries in themselves, and certainly other people almost never notice them. You should take your concerns to a board-certified plastic surgeon and see if you are a candidate for surgery.
For example, did you know that your nostrils can be different sizes? Your nostrils and nasal cavity are divided into halves by your nasal septum. Ideally, that separation should be equal, but in as many as 80% of the population, it isn't. This asymmetrical quality is what's called a deviated septum.
Taping the nose after a rhinoplasty is done to help control edema (swelling) of the nose. Early on after a rhinoplasty, a nose may swell, particularly around the tip of the nose. Taping holds light pressure on the skin to prevent the skin and soft tissue of the nose from expanding.
Why is my nose crooked after my rhinoplasty? 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.
The simple answer is no, laughing or smiling is not likely to ruin your rhinoplasty if you do it in moderation. However, if you laugh or smile too hard, it can put unnecessary strain on your incisions and cause them to open up. It's important to be mindful of this and take it easy for the first few weeks after surgery.
Answer: Shape change after rhinoplasty
The nose tends to hold in to swelling longer than many other body parts. It swells asymmetrically and the swelling resolves asymmetrically. So the shape appears to change a lot during its post op period.
It is not unusual soon after a rhinoplasty for one side of the nose to look slightly different from the other side. In fact, uneven swelling is common after rhinoplasty. In noses that are crooked, the skin has been pushed out in this position for a long time and takes on a particular shape.
Months 6-12: Within a year, most people can see the final results of their rhinoplasty procedure. Any changes that take place during this time are usually quite subtle. Typically, the swelling has gone down, any repositioned cartilage has settled, and the reshaped skin has conformed to the new structure.
No matter what you do to the cartilage, the tip will be bigger after surgery, not smaller!