You may want to see the results of a rhinoplasty procedure (nose remodeling) right away, but the recovery process will take some time. During this time, a number of steps can be taken to speed up the process and ensure proper healing.
Recovery time after rhinoplasty
The average recovery time from rhinoplasty is one year. This may seem like a long time, but it becomes much more manageable when broken down into a time frame. The following steps in recovery from nasal surgery can vary from patient to patient, but usually something like this happens:
1 week after rhinoplasty:The splint applied during rhinoplasty surgery can be removed and you can go outside without showing obvious signs of nose surgery, as long as there is no bruising around the eyes. This may take up to 2 weeks. Safely safe to resume daily life.
2 weeks after rhinoplasty:Most of the swelling on the face after rhinoplasty surgery has been reduced and most of the bruises have been removed.
3-4 weeks after rhinoplasty:You can safely return to normal physical activities such as running, swimming and cycling.
6 weeks after rhinoplasty:The bones are stable, you can resume resistance training (lifting weights), wear glasses and touch your nose. Minimal injuries are no longer scary.
3-6 months after rhinoplasty:Numbness and unusual sensations in the nasal region should disappear.
1 year after rhinoplasty:The healing process is complete - the swelling should disappear completely.
Is there a way to speed up this timeline after nose surgery? In fact, there are many things you can do to make your recovery from nose surgery easier. We recommend the following:
1. Listen to your doctor
First of all, follow your doctor's instructions. You can read 100 of these articles online about rhinoplasty recovery, but nothing surpasses the information you get from your plastic surgeon. You will receive specific instructions on what medication to take, when to take it, how to care for the site of surgery to prevent infection, and when to return for another checkup.
2. Listen to your body
Your plastic surgeon will be able to see how your recovery from rhinoplasty goes out, but only you will know how you are feeling. Listen to your body - if something goes wrong right after nose surgery, talk to your doctor right away.
3. Keep your head up for days or weeks after rhinoplasty
Sleeping on your side after rhinoplasty is not only uncomfortable - it can shorten the healing time by preventing additional bruising and swelling. To avoid surprises after rhinoplasty surgery, you should keep your head up for 6 weeks after surgery. One of the easiest ways to do this is to raise your head on two or three pillows. You can also sleep in a reclining chair. If you tend to move when you sleep, you can keep your head in place with a travel pillow or by wrapping yourself in a towel.
4. Use cold compresses after rhinoplasty
In the first 72 hours after nose surgery, using a cold compress can help reduce swelling. Be careful not to press the compress directly into the nose. Instead, place on the cheek to avoid accidental movement of the bones or cartilage.
5. Rest a lot after rhinoplasty
The overload you feel after nose surgery can make it difficult to fall asleep, but rest is a vital part of the recovery process. Your body uses energy to heal itself and getting a sound of seven to eight hours of sleep each night gives your body time to regain that energy.6. Maintain a healthy diet after rhinoplasty
What does eating vegetables have to do with healing from nose surgery? Very significant, in fact. A balanced diet after rhinoplasty surgery will help speed up the healing process by giving the body the nutrients it needs to heal itself.
Protein is an essential building block for skin, muscle, cartilage and blood. A diet of nuts, meat, eggs, yogurt, fish and other protein-rich foods will help your body repair damaged tissues in and around the nose.
You will also want to make sure that you are getting plenty of vitamins in your diet, namely vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A, which is commonly found in dark, green leaves like spinach and kale, is a great immune booster thatcan help you fight infections after rhinoplasty surgery. Vitamin C plays an important role in the regeneration of collagen, a protein that binds to your skin tissues. Citrus fruits, Brussels sprouts and broccoli are good sources of vitamin C.
7. Stay Calm After Rhinoplasty Surgery
Saunas, hot showers and sunshine can be a fun pastime, but they are not so good for your swollen nose. The heat will cause the nasal tissues to swell even more, so it is best to stick to a cold and abundant diet, take a warm shower, and stay out of the heat for a few weeks after the rhinoplasty procedure.
8. Do not blow your nose suddenly and profusely after rhinoplasty.
After a nose job, you may have difficulty breathing for a few weeks, maybe even a few months. This sensation is caused by swollen nasal tissues. Resist the urge to swell your nose and talk to your doctor about using nasal salt to gently moisten your nasal passages until the swelling subsides. You can resume actively blowing your nose 6 weeks after surgery.
What about sneezing? You can not sneeze alone. Instead, try to sneeze through your mouth, not your nose. It seems disgusting, but it is better than damaging the fragile nasal passages and slowing down the recovery time of rhinoplasty.
9. Avoid strenuous exercise after rhinoplasty
In most patients, it takes about 6 weeks for the nasal bones to heal after surgery. During this time you should avoid strenuous exercise. Even harmless movements such as stretching, lifting or bending can increase the swelling of the nose. Wait for the doctor to give you the green light to return to your normal post-rhinoplasty activities before you start to facilitate your workout.
10. Do not wear glasses after rhinoplasty
Sunglasses, reading glasses, prescription glasses - anything that puts pressure on the nose as it heals can cause bruising, swelling or even cracks that will require a second rhinoplasty.
Your plastic surgeon will advise you when to start wearing glasses again. In the meantime, switch to contact lenses if you can. If you can not, wear the lightest possible frames and wear them only when absolutely necessary. If necessary, you can place a splint under the glasses, the one that was on the nose after the rhinoplasty. Can be used with any glass.
11. Stay out of the sun after rhinoplasty
Alway is always helpful to protect the skin from excessive sun exposure, but this is especially important after nose surgery. Too much sun not only makes the nose more prone to sunburn for weeks and months after the procedure, but can also cause scars to darken and swelling to be more severe.
12. Do not smoke before and after rhinoplasty
Both before and after nose surgery, it is important not to smoke and, if possible, to avoid secondhand smoke. The nicotine contained in tobacco products restricts blood flow, making it difficult for the body to heal itself and interfering with healing from plastic surgery and especially nose surgery.
13. After rhinoplasty, be especially patient!
First of all, be patient. You will recover and get the results of the rhinoplasty you want - it just takes time. The above steps will not turn a one-year healing process into a week, but will help speed up the processes and improve the postoperative outcome of rhinoplasty.
The recovery process after rhinoplasty is different for each patient. But from the moment you schedule your first rhinoplasty consultation, your doctor will accompany you every step of the way. If you have any questions about the cure or the procedure itself, do not hesitate to call your doctor by phone or fill out the online contact form.
When it comes to rhinoplasty review
When your nose surgery does not give the desired results, it can be a big disappointment. Once you have spent a considerable amount of money and dealt with a long and inconvenient recovery, you may face this terrible problem.
Either way: you are not alone. About a third of patients are consulted about the possibility of any correction or reoperation of the nose plastic.
The good news is that in some cases it is possible to achieve the desired appearance through non-surgical methods. But when it comes to revised rhinoplasty, follow these five steps to get ready for revised rhinoplasty.
1. Make sure your nose is completely healed after the first rhinoplasty surgery
First of all, your nose needs to be completely cured from the first rhinoplasty in order to withstand another procedure. It usually takes a whole year to wait for a revised rhinoplasty. Premature review surgery may not be justified as it may not solve all postoperative problems. For this reason, it is recommended to discuss the procedure for nasal revision only 12 months after the initial rhinoplasty.
2. Choose a new facial plastic surgeon carefully.
Review rhinoplasty is more difficult than initial rhinoplasty as there can be many complex issues that need to be addressed with already operated nasal tissues. This requires an experienced and knowledgeable plastic surgeon to adequately address potential unforeseen problems.
Certification as a specialist is very important, but a qualified reviewed rhinoplasty surgeon should also actively pursue his or her education.
Dr. Farrior writes about himself this way: . . . . I use myself as an example, so you know which doctor to look for: I have learned rhinoplasty and review rhinoplasty nationally and internationally and have published numerous articles and book chapters on the subject. In 2013, I was elected President of the American Academy of Plastic and Reconstructive Facial Surgery and am a former President of the FPS Society of Florida.
3. How to decide to schedule a review rhinoplasty
Review rhinoplasty can be relatively simple - or extremely complex. It all depends on the following:
- What is the degree of abnormalities caused by the first rhinoplasty procedure?
- How much of the nasal septum cartilage is removed during the first rhinoplasty procedure?
- What are the characteristics of your skin.
- What is the passage of the nasal airways after rhinoplasty.
The only way to know for sure all of the above is to schedule a consultation. During a physical examination, your surgeon will be able to determine if there has been a significant loss of structural support during the primary rhinoplasty. If it has occurred, then often with recurrent rhinoplasty, cartilage grafting should be done. Such grafts can be obtained from the septum, which, according to rhinoplast surgeons, is the best source of correction material.
If the septal cartilage has been removed or damaged before, it may be necessary to harvest the cartilage from the ear or ribs. Each of these types of transplants has its pros and cons that will be discussed during the consultation.
4. Get complete information from your previous rhinoplast surgeon
A plastic surgeon can say a lot just by looking at your nose. But to provide you with the maximum amount of information during the consultation, it is best to get and provide your pre-rhinoplasty photos and surgical summary from a previous surgeon.
I understand that this may be an inappropriate requirement for some patients, but there is nothing shameful and forbidden in this. A medical record is your property that you share with your doctor, not the other way around.
5. Plan to review the cost of rhinoplasty
Review rhinoplasty usually lasts 2 to 5 hours and is performed under general anesthesia. Requires limited physical activity for six weeks after surgery. Splints stay in place for eight days after surgery, and a degree of nasal congestion and swelling will occur during the same time. More detailed information on postoperative limitations will be discussed during the consultation.
Since the complexity and time spent on rhinoplasty is more than for the first rhinoplasty, the costs are higher. Typically, revised rhinoplasty costs 50-100% more than primary rhinoplasty.
If your new nose is not what you expected, it's time to take the next step - seek professional advice.