Rhinoplasty recovery
After surgery, you will go home with a small cast on your nose and paper tapes covering your nose to help reduce swelling and the chance of injury to your new, beautiful nose. Inside your nose, there will be small soft plastic splints that will help to reduce swelling in the first week. If you have incisions on your nose, they will be well hidden.
Your biggest responsibilities will be to take it easy and relax, keep your head elevated to reduce swelling and pressure in your nose, avoid blowing your nose, avoid extreme facial expressions, and keep the nose and nostrils clean with gentle salt water rinses.
It’s also important to take the medications you are prescribed. Be sure to mention any medications you currently take prior to your visit.
You may have some bruising around your eyes depending on whether the bone was adjusted as part of your surgery. This should resolve within a week if it occurs at all.
Although nose surgery can appear dramatic, it is actually very well tolerated and people go home the very same day and experience little pain. They may have some discomfort from the swelling, but most patients are pleasantly surprised that they are quite comfortable.
At one week, I will see you in the office to remove the cast, the tape, the internal splints, and any stitches that may require it. This is a very exciting day because you will see your new nose for the first time. However, you will need to know that this will not be the final size of the nose. You will almost certainly see an improved appearance that matches your goals, but the swelling that occurs can last about a year for first time rhinoplasty surgeries and a year and a half or even more for a revision case.
The main swelling will decrease in about two weeks but you will see subtle changes during the healing period. Patience is key.