Recovering from rhinoplasty

UsefulRhinoplastyInformation.com is intended as a helpful resource for people considering nose surgery, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

When it comes to recovering from rhinoplasty, the post-operative experience can vary widely between patients. But there is a generalised pattern you can expect your healing to follow. The majority of patients will feel fairly like their normal selves approximately a week after their operation but there will be lingering side effects which can last anything from a few weeks to a year. A good plastic surgeon will provide you with contact details for emergency situations, and you should not hesitate to make a phone call if you think you are experiencing a side effect which does not fit the norm.

As with all forms of cosmetic surgery, you will be in a lot of discomfort immediately after your nose job. There will be a lot of swelling, your face will be puffy and headaches are common. The majority of patients describe the pain as being more uncomfortable than unbearable, but this is dependent on personal pain thresholds and the technique and extent of the alterations carried out to the nose. Pain medication will be prescribed by the surgeon, which you should take for 5 to 10 days.

A rhinoplasty splint is usually applied after surgery to compress the area and restrict the swelling, and protect the nose from bumps and knocks while healing is taking place. The splint will normally be removed when the surgeon conducts a post operative check up, usually a week after the procedure was done. Some swelling will still remain after this time, particularly if the nasal bones had to be broken and reset. But after a couple of weeks it should have subsided to the extent that outside observers cannot perceive any puffiness and the bruising will be considerably reduced, although both patient and surgeon may be able to observe some swelling for several months after rhinoplasty surgery. It can take up to 9 to 12 months for the final shape of the nose to be fully visible.

While recovering from rhinoplasty, you may find your nose looks slightly asymmetrical or crooked. This should not cause too much alarm as the majority of patients will find this corrects itself once the nose has had time to heal. Only a minority of patients will require revision rhinoplasty to make a small correction to the alignment of the nose. Occasionally, the irregular appearance of the post operative nose is a result of a surgeon’s error, but mostly it is down to patients failing to keep their heads sufficiently elevated during the rhinoplasty recovery period or having a bias to sleep on one particular side causing the nose to develop a lean. Patients should keep their heads raised at all times and if possible sleep on their back at all times until the nose is properly healed.

It is normal to experience nose bleeds after undergoing rhinoplasty. Patients will also have several weeks of nasal congestion, which can feel like having a heavy cold. It is advisable to avoid blowing the nose for up to 4 weeks after a nose job, as this can slow the healing process and cause more bleeding.

The skin of the nose will feel a little more sensitive and tender for several weeks, (months in some instances), so sun block must be worn at all times if you are going to be outdoors. Some patients may also notice some numbness in the nasal tip. This is not cause for worry as the numbness should disappear after a few weeks.

Rhinoplasty patients typically return to work between 1 and 3 weeks after surgery. Even if you feel that your nose has healed well, vigorous activities and sport should be avoided for at least 6 weeks. Strenuous activities raise the risk of the nose being damaged before it has completely healed and thus increases the chance of revision rhinoplasty being required. If anything does cause irregularities to the shape of the newly formed nose, patients will often be advised to wait at least 12 months before having corrective surgery.

Surgeons will issue you with a list of instructions to be followed during the crucial healing period, and it is imperative that these are followed carefully. This will optimise the chances of recovering from your nose surgery quickly and protect the end result of the rhinoplasty procedure.