Pinched Nostrils After Rhinoplasty – Causes, Risks & Treatment Options

Rhinoplasty is a popular nose job done to offer you a defined and aesthetic nose by fixing its deformities, such as narrowness, an elevated nasal tip, or when it’s too big. However, some patients complain about having pinched nostrils after rhinoplasty.

Pinched nostrils post rhinoplasty isn’t normal, as it usually happens when there was any mistake during the suturing, or the excessive cartilage from the nasal tip was removed. So, how to fix a pinched nostril after rhinoplasty? 

There are multiple effective treatments available for pinched nostrils, such as cartilage grafting, alar batten grafts, lower lateral crural strut grafts, and soft tissue spacer grafts. Also, non-surgical treatments like dermal fillers are there to give you a quick fix.

Causes Of Pinched Nostrils After Rhinoplasty

These are usually the causes of pinched nostrils after the nose job:

Excessive Removal of Cartilage

Cartilage is the extra tissue in your nose that is removed to reshape it when it’s too big or has any aesthetic or functional issues. Due to excessive removal of the cartilage, especially from the nasal tip, the nasal structure becomes quite weak.

When the nasal bone doesn’t have enough cartilage to get full support, the nostrils fall inward and get narrower.

Incorrect Suturing 

Suturing refers to the process of stitching incisions after surgery. When the cartilage is divided and reshaped, the wrong suturing can cause the nostrils to pull inward. 

When the stitches are placed incorrectly or they’re too tight, they make the nostrils come too close to one another, creating a pinched look.

Weak or Thin Cartilage

Some patients already have weak cartilage on their nose. When it’s overtrimmed during rhinoplasty, it becomes too weak to hold its shape.

The nose can appear constricted or compressed when the cartilage weakens and bends or collapses inward. The patient sees this issue specifically when the nose has healed and the swelling has gone away.

Loss or Failure of Structural Support

The surgeons use grafts and other materials to give a new shape to your nose. If they place the grafts incorrectly or they’re too weak and get absorbed by the body, then they can disappear. 

When it happens, the support is lost and the nostrils come close to one another, giving your nose a squeezed-like feeling.

How To Fix Pinched Nostrils After Rhinoplasty Safely?

If you have pinched nostrils after rhinoplasty, you can fix them with the many different treatments available.

Cartilage Grafting

Some grafts from your ear or rib are taken and then inserted into your nose to reshape it, removing its sponginess. It’s a complex procedure and is only used when significant cartilage support is lost from your nose.

Alar Batten Grafts

Alar batten grafts are usually part of the revision rhinoplasty and are the same as grafting. In it, some grafts from the patient’s body are taken either from the ear or rib and then placed along the outside sidewalls of the nostrils to give them support and keep them in shape.

They help prevent the nostrils from coming inwards when you breathe, stopping the whistle sound, improving the breathing, and also reducing the narrowness of your nostrils. This procedure is only used when the nostrils appear overly narrow.

Lower Lateral Crural Strut Grafts

These are used when the sides of the nose have lost support, often after a previous surgery. They help firm things up and keep the nostrils from collapsing, without changing the outside too much.

Soft Tissue Spacer Grafts

Sometimes the nose just needs a little extra padding; that’s where the soft tissue spacer grafts come in. They’re great for softening sharp edges and restoring a bit of fullness where the skin’s tightened too much.

Non-Surgical Revision

Fillers can be a nice short-term fix if you’re noticing dents or narrow spots. This is the best treatment for patients who need a quick fix for the pinched nose with minimal downtime.

And also, they’re less expensive, so you can choose this option if you’re on a budget. However, the results of fillers are temporary, lasting only six to twelve months. They then fade, and your nose returns to its original shape.

Things To Consider

Keep these things in mind while getting treatment for a pinched nose after rhinoplasty:

• Healing right depends a lot on just doing what your surgeon tells you after surgery.
• Expect improvements, not perfection.
• Your nose is unique, so choose a surgeon who offers fixes  tailored to your exact issue
• Who you choose to operate matters more than anything; experience seriously counts here.

How To Prevent Pinched Nostrils After Rhinoplasty?

You can prevent the squeezed nostrils after rhinoplasty in the first place by following these tips:

Choose A Board-Certified Surgeon 

Rhinoplasty is a lengthy and quite complicated procedure that needs to be done skillfully. Only an experienced surgeon can perform it without any complications like a pinched nose. Therefore, make sure you choose a board-certified surgeon with good experience.

And also, they should be well aware of the anatomy of the nose and what the right surgical techniques are for each type of nose.

Discuss Expectations And Risks

Before you get into the surgery, sit with your surgeon, tell them about your expectations and desires. They’ll let you know about the potential risks of it.

Get More Surgical Approaches

Ask your surgeons if they have different surgical approaches, especially for your nose. The right surgical approach is the one that suits the anatomy of the nose. So, ask them to choose the one that is suitable for your nose.

Follow-Up Care Tips

You get post-operative tips from your surgeons to heal safely and quickly. So, make sure you follow all those to avoid complications and get the desired results.

Asli Tarcan Clinic: Confidence Starts Here

A pinched nose after rhinoplasty is the result of improper suturing or excessive cartilage removal from the nasal tip. It’s not normal, and you should address it immediately. So, how to fix the pinched nose after rhinoplasty? 

There are many ways to fix this issue, such as cartilage grafting to rebuild support, alar batten grafts to widen and strengthen nostrils, and lower lateral crural strut grafts to reinforce structure. 

Soft tissue spacer grafts add volume where needed, and temporary fillers can help mask minor contour issues. The right treatment varies case by case, so expert evaluation is key for the best possible outcome. 

If you want to get your pinched nose fixed at affordable rates with revision rhinoplasty, cartilage grafting, soft tissue spacers, Asli Tarcan Clinic can help you. With board-certified plastic surgeons, advanced equipment, and years of experience, we’re the best rhinoplasty clinic in Turkey. Contact us today.

How to fix pinched nostrils?

Cartilage grafting, which is usually a part of rhinoplasty surgery, is needed to fix your pinched nostrils. It rebuilds the support mechanism of your nose by inserting the cartilage, making it wider and removing its squishiness.

What does a pinched nose look like?

A pinched nose is squeezed in and makes it difficult for you to breathe due to having less space in the nostrils.

What causes pinched nostrils after rhinoplasty?

Improper suturing and excessive cartilage removal cause the pinched nostrils after rhinoplasty.