Rhinoplasty Recovery

Many people assume that after one undergoes a rhinoplasty in Beverly Hills, that the recovery is so quick that they really don’t need to prepare for it. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

Similar to many other cosmetic surgery procedures, you will feel some discomfort in the area that was just operated on. In the case of your recovery from rhinoplasty, you will obviously feel that discomfort in your nasal area. In addition to the discomfort, you will also have bruising and swelling.

For the first twenty four post operative hours, you should keep your head elevated to reduce some of the inevitable swelling and bruising (which will peak in the first two to three days). Additionally, to aid in reducing some of the swelling, some surgeons will put packing in your nose. While this packing may not provide the most soothing sensation, the pressure it provides will definitely reduce the amount of swelling in your nose. This packing is usually removed at your first post-operative appointment, which should be a few days after the surgery. In addition to the packing, some doctors will also recommend icing to minimize the amount of swelling.

Besides the swelling, you will also notice a lot of bruising. Unfortunately, this seems to get worse before it gets better. Similar to any other bruising, the coloring will change as it heals. Usually it takes around ten days to heal, unless you are a smoker. If you are a smoker, it will definitely slow down the healing process. On average, it takes between three to five weeks for a smoker’s bruising and swelling to subside. So, if you have been searching for motivation to quit smoking, you now have it.

While the bruising and swelling may not be aesthetically pleasing, many people really don’t like the black eyes that are part of the rhinoplasty surgery recovery. Yes, you read that right, most patients end up with two black eyes.

For the slight discomfort that you will feel, you should not hesitate to take the pain medications prescribed by your doctor. While many people (especially men) try to minimize the amount of pain medication they ingest, it is simply wiser to take the medicine to alleviate any potential suffering.

In addition to the pain medications, a rhinoplasty patient should also be sure to take their antibiotics. The purpose of these medicines is to prevent or minimize the possibility of infection.

Speaking of infection, your surgeon will schedule you for several follow-up appointments. The purpose of these appointments is to monitor your healing and look for signs of infection. Failure to attend these appointments could lead to a minor issue turning into a major issue.

Additionally, you should be able to return back to work about a week after your nose job surgery recovery begins. Also, if you wear glasses, you will need to find a way to prop them up without placing them on your nose, as this could damage the newly aligned tissue. For those of you who wear glasses, the best substitute may be contacts.

Furthermore, you should avoid any strenuous activity for at least two to three weeks.
The nose cast is usually removed around a week after the procedure at the first post-operative appointment. In addition, if sutures were used, these will also be removed. Luckily, most rhinoplasty sutures are self dissolving. Be aware though, when the cast does come off, your nose will not look like it eventually will, mostly due to the bruising and swelling. In all reality, your swelling should disappear within two to four months after the surgery, although it isn’t uncommon for it to take longer. As for the final outcome, it can take up to a year before your nose takes its final form.

One last thing, once the nose cast is off, you must be very careful to not bang your nose. If you do so, you run the very real possibility of knocking your nose out of alignment.

If for some reason, your rhinoplasty and recovery did not produce the results you desired (as an example, your bumped your nose out of alignment), you can have revision rhinoplasty to correct it.

In conclusion, it is very important that you take the rhinoplasty recovery serious. If you don’t, you may not end up with the nose you desire. Additionally, as with any cosmetic surgery procedure, it is important for you to contact a certified and licensed Rhinoplasty surgeon to gain further insight, as they are best situated to advise you.