Two-Week Review After Male Rhinoplasty for a Short, Upturned Nose and Deviated Septum
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Before / 2w post-op
Before surgery, I had a short nose with a relatively short columella and an upturned appearance. From the front, my nostrils were quite visible, so I wanted a more masculine, straight nasal profile with less nostril show.
Once I began seriously considering rhinoplasty, I researched the procedure through various sources and visited several clinics for consultations. While watching rhinoplasty cases on YouTube, I noticed that the two results I liked the most had both been performed by Dr. Hyunju Kim. That was what initially led me to schedule a consultation at RU Plastic Surgery.
At most of the other clinics I visited, the consultation was mainly verbal, with drawings used to explain how my nose might change. During my consultation with Dr. Kim, however, he showed me photographs and visual references while explaining the surgical method and process in detail, which made the plan much easier for me to understand.
I was particularly interested in the plan to use autologous rib cartilage without harvesting cartilage from my nasal septum. At several other consultations, I had been told that part of the septal cartilage would be used for surgery. Personally, I had concerns about removing septal cartilage because I wondered whether doing so could affect the structural support of my nose. For that reason, I felt more comfortable with the surgical approach Dr. Kim explained to me.
The period immediately after surgery was quite difficult until the nasal packing was removed. Having to breathe with my nose blocked caused significant discomfort, including headaches and neck pain. Once the packing was removed, however, I experienced very little pain in the nose itself.
Unexpectedly, the autologous rib cartilage donor site was much more painful than I had anticipated. Now that I am about two weeks postoperative, the pain has improved considerably, although some discomfort still remains, and there have been times when it has woken me while I was sleeping.
While researching other patients’ experiences through blogs and videos, I came across discussions suggesting that discomfort at the rib cartilage donor site can vary depending on the individual. In my own case, the donor-site pain was definitely more noticeable than the discomfort in my nose.
Before rhinoplasty, one of my biggest concerns was that my columella appeared shorter than the alar area, which contributed to the upturned appearance of my nose.
Now, the columella extends lower than before, and I am very pleased with the change. I also like that the nasal bridge and profile form a straighter line, giving my nose the more masculine appearance I had wanted.
Since I am still only about two weeks into recovery, my nose currently looks quite large compared with the rest of my face because of the swelling.
I am looking forward to seeing how the shape changes as the swelling gradually subsides. I think I will be even more satisfied once the nose becomes slightly smaller and the currently elevated nasal tip settles further during the healing process.
