Uneven nose after rhinoplasty

by Aishka · Published May 31, 2022 · Updated October 10, 2022

Everyone who has rhinoplasty expects their face to become more beautiful after the operation and to be able to return to their friendly gatherings and workplace soon with a perfect symmetrical nose. Unfortunately, this is sometimes not the case, and for some reasons the patient's nose might be asymmetrical in the nostrils, fins or septum. Uneven nose after rhinoplasty sometimes happens. The amount of strength and weakness of the nasal cartilage, the skill of the surgeon, and the type of nasal skin are factors that can affect the symmetry or asymmetry of the nose after rhinoplasty.

In this article, we have tried to explain about this issue in detail.

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Definition of asymmetry in the nose

Suppose we draw a straight vertical line in the middle of the face, if the two sides of your nose are not symmetrical relative to this line, you have a crooked or so-called asymmetrical nose.

Sometimes the rate of deviation and tilt of the nose is so light that it is not easily recognizable, but sometimes this tilt is a lot and in addition to impressing the beauty of the face, it may also cause difficulty in breathing.

Types of nasal asymmetry

There are several factors that can cause nasal asymmetry:

The structure of bone and cartilage of the nose:

The shape of the bone and cartilage of the nose may change for a variety of reasons, such as birth defects, fractures, nasal surgery, severe infections, or even tumors, causing asymmetry in the nose. Treatment of this type of deviation is very difficult and complicated and requires special skills.

Deviation of the nasal septum:

The nasal septum is a division in the nose that separates the left and right nasal passages. If the nasal septum is deviated, it means that this division is inclined to one side and partially blocks one side of the nose. In this case, the right and left sides of the nose are not the same, and this causes the nose to tilt. Septal deviation may also be congenital or due to physical injury. In addition to affecting a person's beauty, this complication can cause nosebleeds, difficulty breathing and difficulty sleeping on one side.

Asymmetry of the nostrils:

In this case, the nostrils are different from each other and are not symmetrical. Most of the time, after the initial nose surgery, the person may have this problem due to swelling. But sometimes other factors - which we will explain in this article - cause asymmetry in the nostrils, which may require revision rhinoplasty.

Asymmetry of the nasal fins:

Asymmetry of the nasal fins is seen in two different forms; One is the up and down fins in the front view and the other is the difference in the thickness of the fin skin on both sides of the nose. This problem may also be congenital or due to a deviation of the septum.

Causes of nasal asymmetry after rhinoplasty

In general, even if your nose has a severe deviation before rhinoplasty, an experienced surgeon can correct it well, and hopefully you will have a perfectly symmetrical and beautiful nose. But you should know that in some cases this may not happen and you may feel asymmetry in your nose immediately after the operation. Here are some reasons why this happens:

Swelling due to postoperative complications:

Fortunately, in most cases, the main cause of nasal asymmetry after rhinoplasty is swelling, which will disappear on its own after a while. Swelling in different parts of the nose and around it is very normal after rhinoplasty. This swelling is caused by the accumulation of intercellular fluid that occurs in the affected areas. Sometimes there is more swelling on one side of the nose, which causes asymmetry in the patient's nose. For example, the asymmetry of the nostrils after rhinoplasty, which is very common, is usually due to swelling in the septum or nasal fins.

This swelling may remain for 6 to 12 months after surgery, making it difficult for you to see the results well. Therefore, patients are advised to wait at least a year if they experience nasal asymmetry, and if after this time their nose is still asymmetric, consult their doctor again about this problem.

Cartilage memory:

If the patient's nose is deviated before the operation, we have a problem called cartilage memory. Here, although all the steps of rhinoplasty surgery are performed well by the surgeon, but because the cartilage of the nose has already deviated, it still tends to deviate in the same direction as before, and as a result, the patient’s nose will be asymmetric after the nose operation. The rate of this asymmetry is much lower than its initial level, and it should be noted that if we have not made any mistake in choosing the surgeon, this condition occurs very rarely, and if the rate of asymmetry cannot be ignored, it can be treated with a revision rhinoplasty.

Weakening of the nasal cartilage:

Occasionally, nasal cartilage may weaken during surgery, and it may cause the nose to become asymmetrical. To prevent it, the surgeon must be careful that the amount of changes he makes and the pressure he puts on the cartilage during the surgery should not be so great as to cause serious damage to the cartilaginous tissue of the nose.

Asymmetry of the face:

It might be interesting for you to know that 97% of people have asymmetrical faces. In cases where the asymmetry of the face is high, it will be very difficult for the surgeon to create a perfectly straight nose on the face. But choosing a proficient surgeon can minimize this concern in patients.

Carelessness and incompetence of the surgeon:

Choosing a surgeon to perform rhinoplasty is very important. It is recommended that you obsessively research a skilled surgeon before surgery and carefully review each surgeon's previous cases to reduce the risk of having surgery.

Asymmetric nasal treatment

If the asymmetry of the nose is not due to swelling and does not improve after 6 to 12 months of the initial operation, and also the degree of tilt is so much that it bothers the patient, it should be treated. The treatment of crooked nose is done both surgically and non-surgically. "Asymmetric rhinoplasty" is usually the best treatment with better results, but people who do not want to have surgery for any reason can use non-surgical methods. In non-surgical methods, fillers are used and by injecting them into parts of the nose, its defects are eliminated. These fillers can be injected into parts of the nose that have soft tissue and eliminate its asymmetry.

But the problem with this method is the side effects that these fillers may cause. The use of fillers might be associated with risks such as severe inflammation, thinning of the skin and infection. Fillers usually work best on noses that have a slight deviation, and for noses that have a high rate of asymmetry, the best way is to have an asymmetric rhinoplasty that does not have the said risks and has a higher success rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to do if the nostrils are not symmetrical after rhinoplasty?

The first step in preventing potential problems is to choose a skilled surgeon. But with rhinoplasty, problems can be solved for people who are not satisfied with their previous surgery.

How long after initial surgery should I go for asymmetrical nose treatment?

After the initial rhinoplasty, you should wait at least a year for the swelling caused by the surgery to go away completely, and then, if your nose is still asymmetrical, have revision rhinoplasty.

Does the duration of nasal asymmetry disappear after surgery also depend on the skin type?

Yes, usually patients with thicker nasal skin have more swelling and it takes longer to heal. Therefore, it is recommended for patients with thin nasal skin to wait at least one year and for patients with thick skin to wait at least one and a half years after the operation, until the swelling disappears completely and the result is clear.