Q. Why Do the Nostrils Look Uneven After Revision Nose Surgery with Ear Cartilage?



The appearance of changes after nose surgery is often temporary during the recovery process, so it can feel even more unsettling.

In particular, when unexpected changes such as around the eyes or nostril asymmetry appear after revision nose surgery, it is natural to worry more.

Q.

It has been about 15 days since my nose surgery. The previous nose surgery used only ear cartilage, and the feeling that the area between the eyes looked open was almost no different from then. In this surgery, the deviated septum was corrected, silicone was used for the bridge, and ear cartilage was placed in the tip. But after the surgery, my eyes look different. One eye feels as if it is excessively pulled toward the space between the eyebrows, and the other side looks as if it has an epicanthic fold.

Also, my nostrils after rhinoplasty look so uneven that I feel stressed every time I look in the mirror. I had revision nose surgery with ear cartilage, and I’m so anxious because the result is like this. The clinic says it is all due to swelling and told me to come back in a month, but the nostril asymmetry after rhinoplasty and even the eye shape look different, so I’m really frustrated. The cost was not small, and I made a big decision to undergo revision nose surgery with ear cartilage, but because the result is like this, I’m mentally very exhausted.

I want to know whether it can really improve with time and whether these symptoms are common after revision nose surgery with ear cartilage. I’m also worried that the nostril asymmetry after rhinoplasty may remain permanently.

#RevisionNoseSurgeryEarCartilage #NostrilAsymmetryAfterRhinoplasty #KowonPlasticSurgery

A.

Hello. This is Kim Hyung-taek, a consulting physician at Hidoc-Naver Knowledge iN.

If the area between the eyebrows was not excessively raised after nose surgery, it is uncommon for the eyes to actually appear pulled closer together. The changes in the eye shape you are currently noticing are most likely temporary effects caused by swelling, so it would be best to give it some time and observe the progress for now.

Nostril asymmetry after rhinoplasty can also be commonly seen in the early stages after surgery due to swelling and differences in tissue tension. If you underwent surgery including revision nose surgery with ear cartilage, the left-right difference may feel even more noticeable. If the nostril asymmetry after rhinoplasty continues even after the swelling has sufficiently gone down, it would be advisable to consult the clinic that performed the surgery again at that time.

Since only about two weeks have passed since the surgery, there is still a possibility that it may naturally improve over time. Anxiety can increase during the early stage after revision nose surgery, but at this point, we recommend being a little more patient and watching the recovery process.

If the changes continue after a certain amount of time, please be sure to discuss the direction of treatment through a thorough consultation with the medical team that performed the surgery. Wishing you good results.

This image was used with the model's consent.

Hello. This is Nonhyeon Plastic Surgery Kowon, where we are carrying out a variety of approaches to nose surgery. Recently, inquiries about autologous rib cartilage rhinoplasty have been steadily increasing, and autologous rib cartilage is characterized by low burden and high stability because it uses rib cartilage directly harvested from the side without using artificial implants.

In particular, it is often applied in cases where structural reinforcement is needed, such as revision nose surgery or short nose surgery, and it is a highly useful method because it can also correct nostril asymmetry that may occur after previous surgery. Today, we will explain this process focusing on a female case in which improvement was achieved.

This image was used with the model's consent.

This is a case of a patient who underwent surgery 7 years ago using silicone, ear cartilage, and donated rib cartilage, and then had revision nose surgery again a year ago, but was not satisfied with the results and returned to Nonhyeon Plastic Surgery.

The bridge line was not smooth and left an uneven impression, and in particular the tip looked short, making it a typical candidate for short nose surgery, which caused significant aesthetic stress.

This image was used with the model's consent.

As a result of the detailed examination, bumps remained on the bridge, making the overall nose shape look unnatural, and mild nostril asymmetry, where the two nostrils were slightly misaligned, was also confirmed.

Since this was the third revision nose surgery, it was determined that a more stable method was needed. Therefore, the remaining hump was corrected through osteotomy, and the surgical plan was set as autologous rib cartilage rhinoplasty instead of donated rib cartilage.

This image was used with the model's consent.

If you look at the photos taken after surgery at Nonhyeon Plastic Surgery, you can see that the bridge line gathered toward the center from the front and the uneven line was refined.

The short-looking tip was lengthened through correction for short nose surgery, and the nasolabial angle also changed to a more stable angle, improving the overall impression to be clearer and brighter.

This image was used with the model's consent.

In the comparison from the lower angle, you can see that the round and flared nostrils have been refined more neatly, and as the nostril asymmetry was eased, the overall facial balance also improved. It was a case with high satisfaction because the lifted tip the patient had wanted since before surgery was achieved.

This image was used with the model's consent.

In the 45-degree side photo, the line from the area between the eyebrows to the tip stands out as smoothly connected.

Autologous rib cartilage rhinoplasty uses the patient's own tissue, and because approximately 20% absorption is expected, the design is made slightly higher than the desired height during surgery. As a result, over time it settles into a more stable and natural shape.

This image was used with the model's consent.

Finally, if you look at the side photo taken one month later, you can already see that the nose line is being maintained stably, and it is expected to be completed in a softer form as the absorption process continues over the following 6 months.

This case is meaningful because it simultaneously improved short nose surgery and corrected nostril asymmetry, even though it was the third revision nose surgery. Today, we introduced a case in which complex issues were improved through autologous rib cartilage rhinoplasty, and if you have similar concerns, we recommend receiving a consultation that considers not only aesthetic aspects but also structural stability.