If the nose looks like a drooping arrow nose two months after tip·bridge surgery — why pre-op photos come first

2025. 1. 3.

If the columella droops and the tip looks wide two months after 2.5mm bridge + ear-cartilage tip surgery — why pre-op photos come first to identify the cause, the direction of raising and gathering the tip, and why revision is considered after 6 months — organized as an answer-note Q&A.

Key points

When the post-surgery nose shape bothers you, the first material needed isn't current photos but the pre-surgery look — knowing the original shape lets us pinpoint the cause of what's visible now.
If, as in this case, the pre-op nose wasn't a hump or arrow nose, correction can be reviewed toward slightly raising the tip and gathering it.
At two months post-op the tip is still firm — revision is best judged after at least 6 months.

"I had nose surgery two months ago, and the columella has dropped while the tip got bigger — it looks like an arrow nose."

When the operated nose looks different from expectation, you check the mirror several times a day. The tip especially looks different from the front, side, and below — making it hard to sort out where the problem is yourself.

This article organizes that question and answer posted on the answer note.

What situation is the question about?

Two months ago the questioner had surgery using 2.5mm for the bridge and ear cartilage for the tip. They then divided their concerns into five questions.

State the questioner described	What the concern is
Tip width feels wider than the bridge, and hard to touch	It looks bulbous — what method is needed to match width with the bridge
The whole nose dropped, tip pointing down, columella lowered too	How to lift a shape that looks like an arrow nose
The tip side protrudes more than the bridge	How to handle the protrusion making only the tip look big
Tip is round and blunt, no defined feel	Whether raising the tip is enough, or adding material/trimming ear cartilage is needed
Difference compared with desired-nose photos	Whether just tidying tip width and columella height is enough

The questioner wasn't even sure whether the current tip width was appropriate.

Why look at the pre-surgery look first to find the cause?

The first thing the answer pinpointed wasn't the current nose but the pre-surgery nose. The shape visible now looks long with the mid-dorsum protruding like a hump — but whether that shape arose from surgery or remains from an original feature can only be distinguished by knowing the pre-surgery look.

That's why revision consultation doesn't decide methods from current photos alone. The pre-op look, what surgery was performed and how, and how much time has passed must be seen together to identify the cause. What gets checked in revision is further organized in the revision rhinoplasty guide.

What direction can be reviewed in this case?

If there's no specific separate cause and the pre-op nose wasn't a hump or arrow-nose shape, the answer was that correction close to the desired look seems possible toward slightly raising the tip and gathering it from the current state.

To summarize, the checking order is:

Pre-surgery nose shape — check whether a hump or arrow-nose tendency originally existed.
Cause of the current shape — distinguish whether there's a specific cause or adjustment can be approached from the current shape.
Correction direction — look at tip direction (how much to raise) and width (how much to gather) together.

What gets examined in tip correction can be checked in the nasal tip surgery guide.

When can revision start being considered?

The answer on revision timing in this case was clear. Since only two months have passed and the tip is still firm, performing revision after at least 6 months is advisable.

And there's something to do in the meantime: first discuss revision together with the surgeon who operated, viewing the current state together — because that side knows the pre-op materials and surgical details most accurately.

Summary — the material needed before current photos

When the post-surgery nose bothers you, "where and how to fix" gets searched first. But as in this case, if the shape looks long with the middle protruding, you must first distinguish where that shape came from before deciding the method. If the pre-op nose wasn't a hump or arrow nose, raising and gathering the tip can be reviewed — and the timing is at least 6 months later.

If you'd like to check your current state with before-and-after photos side by side, you can ask in a 1:1 video consultation.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to common questions patients ask before a consultation.

If it looks like an arrow nose two months after surgery, should I get revision right away?

Two months is a period when the tip is still firm. In this case too, judging revision after at least 6 months was advised. Until then, it's a stage of discussing while checking the current state together with the operating surgeon.

If the tip looks wide, must it unconditionally be narrowed?

It's hard to decide by width alone. This case's answer also mentioned gathering the tip together with slightly raising it. Tip width can only be judged together with its relationship to the bridge and the direction the tip points.

Are pre-surgery photos really needed for revision consultation?

They're needed to know the cause accurately. Whether the shape visible now is an original nasal feature remaining or arose during surgery can only be distinguished by knowing the pre-surgery look.

Responses to treatment and recovery progress vary by individual. Outcomes and side effects vary from person to person. Bleeding, infection, swelling and asymmetry may occur. Please consult our medical team before making a decision.

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