Do you have a piggy nose after rhinoplasty?
You went in for a nose job with a great plastic surgeon. But when you get home after surgery, you’re in for a shock. What you thought would be your perfect nose reveals a red upturned piggy nose.
This is not what you wanted. You might not have even asked your plastic surgeon to touch the tip of your nose. Yet looking in the mirror, it seems like your nose is botched beyond repair.
Take a deep breath in. It’s normal for your nose to look like a piggy nose right after rhinoplasty. In fact, it’s a good sign in many cases. We’ll get into the details of why an upturned nose is not a concern after a nose job. If you are looking for Rhinoplasty in Miami you can contact us at this link.
Is it Normal after Rhinoplasty to Have a Pig Nose?
It’s extremely normal to have a pig or pixie-like nose after rhinoplasty. If you’re using a good plastic surgeon, they’ll talk to you about what you’ll look like immediately after surgery to prepare you.
The tip of your nose is a very sensitive area that will swell after the surgery. The swelling of the base of the nose and the upper lip will also add to the pig nose appearance. Your body is healing from major surgery. It’s not going to be pretty.
Most plastic surgeons will rotate the nose tip upward during surgery because they know that your nose will droop more during healing. If they don’t do this, your finished nose might heal with a droopy tip, which is both unflattering and aging.
Additionally, you’ll have a splint and tape that keeps your nose upright and healing correctly after your cosmetic procedure. The splint will raise your nostrils, giving you a seemingly short upturned nose.
When the splint comes off after about a week post-op, the pig-like appearance of your nose will be drastically reduced, although some aspects might still be apparent. Swelling will also go down a few days after the splint comes off.
Even after that, it can take up to a year for your nose to fully heal after a rhinoplasty.
Can I Have a Pig Nose after Rhinoplasty?
So, although it’s normal to have swelling and an upturned nose immediately after rhinoplasty, it’s not normal to have a pig nose once your nose has healed.
In the rare case that your nose heals in an upturned shape, go to a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options.
Generally, a healed pig nose is caused when the surgeon takes too much off the tip of the nose during rhinoplasty. If your nose doesn’t have much projection, it’s more likely that an inexperienced surgeon will take an excess of cartilage from the tip, leaving you with a pig nose.
This is rare. Your best defense against getting a pig nose after a nose job is to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon with proven experience in rhinoplasty and to follow all post-op directions.
Photo of Piggy Nose after Rhinoplasty
Coming home after rhinoplasty can be scary. Even after your plastic surgeon takes off the splint, you might be left with Michael Jackson’s appearance.
It’s completely normal to look bad after surgery and during the healing process. It’s also completely normal to feel regret when looking in the mirror, even after the splint is taken out.
Talk to your plastic surgeon if your upturned nose isn’t getting better or you’re really concerned.
How to Fix a Piggy Nose after Rhinoplasty
The best way to fix your piggy nose after rhinoplasty is to follow after-care recommendations.
Keep your head elevated to reduce swelling and avoid exercise, as well as follow any other recommendations your surgeon gave you.
If, after a year, your nose is still overly upturned, revision rhinoplasty might be necessary. Your plastic surgeon will try to release the existing scar tissue to give more movement to the tip of your nose. This will give your nose a less rotated position after healing.
Your plastic surgeon might need to graft cartilage from another part of the body to bring your nose down.
You also might be able to treat your upturned nose with targeted dermal fillers from your plastic surgeon.
Remember, the best defense against a piggy nose after rhinoplasty is using an excellent plastic surgeon.
