Yes, Rhinoplasty can make your nose smaller.
Over the years, after rhinoplasty, your nose may appear to get smaller and thinner because the thickness of your skin changes with time. As some of the underlying fatty tissue of your skin gets depleted with age and sun exposure, the skin gets thinner. This issue can be corrected non-surgically with injectable fillers.
There will be a minimal decrease in the size of the bony portion of your nose 6 months following rhinoplasty. However the lower 2/3rds of the nose, particularly the tip, will get smaller and better defined for 12-18 months after surgery.
For the first few weeks after surgery your nose may appear larger than it was before surgery because of the swelling, which will gradually subside. This process is typically complete 6-12 months after surgery though some patients have reported swelling continuing to go down up to 18 months after.
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.
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.
If a patient is not satisfied with his or her rhinoplasty results, it is important to consult with the nose job surgeon who performed the procedure. At this time, a patient and surgeon can explore revision rhinoplasty surgery.
After rhinoplasty, your tip should drop over the next six weeks as swelling reduces and your incisions contract. However, it can sometimes take up to a year to see the full effect of your nose surgery.
2 - 3 Months Post-Rhinoplasty
By this point, any swelling around the bridge of the nose should have subsided completely. You may still experience some numbness at the tip of the nose. This is normal and the feeling should gradually return. The scar from an open procedure will begin to fade.
Additional dos and don'ts after rhinoplasty include: Don't touch your nose: Patients should take great care to avoid putting any pressure on their nose, including even touching the nose, for at least 1 – 2 weeks after surgery, or until Dr. Khorsandi advises that it is okay to do so.
Your nose will be very swollen and puffy for the first two weeks after surgery. But after a month, you nose will look natural, but the tip will be swollen and firm. By the sixth month, the swelling will improve; the tip will soften a bit and will be less full, but you will still find it a bit swollen.
While by 3-6 months the rhinoplasty “healing” is considered complete, there is even further maturation and improvement up to the one-year mark. Typically the tip of the nose becomes even more refined until 12 months after surgery.
After about 6 weeks your nose will be roughly as strong as it was before the operation. The strength of the nose returns faster than the sensitivity subsides. So, even though the nose may be quite strong, it will still feel quite delicate and sensitive to the touch.
It may come as a surprise, but most will not notice the change in your nose after rhinoplasty. Friends and family will know that you look well, though for some reason many just don't pick up the fact that your nose is different.
Only tape your nose if directed by Dr. Sarikhani . Most patients who are instructed to tape their nose do so for 1-3 months after the procedure. Patients do however, tape their nose for longer after the procedure and this can depend on individual differences in the soft tissue envelope and healing.
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.
I recommend sleeping on your back after your rhinoplasty or revision rhinoplasty. During your recovery, your nose will be delicate and malleable, so it is important not to sleep on your stomach or side, which can put pressure on your nose. This will not only cause discomfort but may also compromise your results.
Swelling after rhinoplasty is the norm and your photos show what appears to be quite a bit of swelling. This will gradually dissipate over several months. You can expect the majority of the swelling to go down during the first 12 weeks and then gradual change over the first year to your final result.
It is generally not a good idea to manipulate to touch or squeeze your nose after rhinoplasty for at least several months. Touching and squeezing could disrupt the sutures and techniques used for shaping your nose. If you are noticing problems or asymmetries, I recommend you see your surgeon as soon as possible.
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.
A rhinoplasty can potentially affect your smile, but this side effect is often temporary and barely perceptible. In many cases at our Newport Beach office, a change in the smile is associated with modifications to the tip.
Swelling after a Rhinoplasty
However, the next week, people often see MORE swelling, particularly in the tip of the nose. Most people look very good by three to four weeks, but the swelling in the tip is almost always still present. I notice that most patients' swelling peaks at one to two months.
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.
Rhinoplasty failure occurs in only 5- to 10 percent of cases. Reasons that patients may consider revision rhinoplasty include: The outcome of the initial procedure does not suit the face. Healing did not occur as expected.