You may want to see the results of the rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) procedure right away, but the recovery process will take time. During this time, a series of steps can be taken that will speed up the process and ensure proper healing.
Recovery time after rhinoplasty
The average recovery time from rhinoplasty is one year. This may seem long, but it becomes much easier to manage if it is divided into a time frame. The following steps in recovery from nose surgery may vary from patient to patient, but usually something like this happens:
1 week after rhinoplasty:The splint placed during rhinoplasty surgery can be removed and you can go out without visible signs of nose surgery, as long as there are no bruises around the eyes. This may take 2 weeks. It is a sure continuation of everyday life.
2 weeks after rhinoplasty:Most of the swelling on the face after the rhinoplasty surgery was reduced, and most of the bruises disappeared.
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 continue with resistance training (lifting weights), wear glasses and touch your nose. Minimal injuries are no longer daunting.
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 time frame after nose surgery? In fact, there are many things you can do to recover from nose surgery as easily as possible. We recommend the following:
1. Listen to your doctor
First of all, follow your doctor’s instructions. You can read 100 of these articles on rhinoplasty recovery online, but nothing can beat the information you get from your plastic surgeon. You will be given special instructions on what medications to take, when to take them, how to take care of the surgery site to prevent infection, and when to return for a re-examination.
2. Listen to your body
Your plastic surgeon will be able to see your recovery from rhinoplasty come out, but only you will know how you feel. Listen to your body - if something is wrong right after your nose surgery, talk to your doctor right away.
3. Keep your head raised for days or weeks after rhinoplasty
Sleeping on your side after rhinoplasty is not only uncomfortable - it can shorten recovery time by preventing additional bruising and swelling. To avoid surprises after rhinoplasty surgery, you need to keep your head raised 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 an armchair. If you tend to move around while you sleep, you can keep your head in place using a travel pillow or surrounding yourself with rolled up towels.
4. After rhinoplasty, use cold compresses
In the first 72 hours after nose surgery, a cold compress can help reduce swelling. Be careful not to press the compression directly on the nose. Instead, place it on your cheeks to avoid accidentally moving your bones or cartilage.
5. Rest after rhinoplasty
The blockage 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, and getting sound seven to eight hours of sleep each night gives your body time to recover that energy.6. Maintain a healthy diet after rhinoplasty
What has eating vegetables got to do with recovering from nose surgery? Really very significant. A balanced diet after rhinoplasty surgery will help speed up the healing process by giving the body the nutrients it needs to heal itself.
Proteins are essential building blocks for skin, muscles, cartilage and blood. Eating nuts, meat, eggs, yogurt, fish and other protein-rich foods will help your body repair damaged tissues in and around your nose.
You should also make sure you get plenty of vitamins into your diet, namely vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A, which is usually found in dark, green leaves like spinach and kale, is a great immune booster that can help fight infections after surgery. rhinoplasty. Vitamin C plays an important role in the regeneration of collagen, the protein that connects the tissues of your skin. Citrus fruits, broccoli and broccoli are good sources of vitamin C.
7. Stay calm after rhinoplasty surgery
Sauna, hot showers and the warmth of the sun can be enjoyable fun, but they are not so good for your swollen nose. The heat will cause even more swelling of the nasal tissue, so it is best to adhere to a cold, spacious diet, take a warm shower and keep away from the heat for a few weeks after the rhinoplasty.
8. Do not blow your nose suddenly and profusely after rhinoplasty.
After nose surgery, you may have difficulty breathing for weeks, maybe even months. This feeling is caused by swollen nasal tissues. Resist the urge to blow your nose and talk to your doctor about using saline to gently moisten your nasal passages until the swelling subsides. You can continue to actively blow your nose for 6 weeks after surgery.
How about sneezing? You can't just sneeze. Instead, try to sneeze through your mouth, not through your nose. It sounds disgusting, but it is better than damaging the fragile nasal passages and slowing down the recovery time of rhinoplasty.
9. Avoid vigorous exercise after rhinoplasty
In most patients, it takes about 6 weeks for the nasal bones to heal after surgery. Strenuous exercise should be avoided at this time. Even harmless movements such as stretching, lifting or bending can increase the swelling of the nose. Wait for your doctor to give you the green light to return to normal activities after rhinoplasty before you start making exercise easier.
10. Do not wear glasses after rhinoplasty
Sunglasses, reading glasses, prescription glasses - anything that puts pressure on the nose while healing can cause additional bruising, swelling or even dents 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’t, wear as bright frames as possible and wear them only when absolutely necessary. If necessary, you can put a splint under the glasses, the one that was on the nose after the rhinoplasty. Can be used with any glasses.
11. Stay out of the sun after rhinoplasty
It is always helpful to protect the skin from too much sun exposure, but this is especially important after nose surgery. Too much sun not only makes the nose more prone to burns for weeks and months after the procedure, but can cause the scars to become darker and the swelling 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 passive smoking. The nicotine contained in tobacco products restricts blood flow, making it difficult for the body to heal and hindering recovery from plastic surgery, especially nasal surgery.
13. After rhinoplasty, be especially patient!
First of all, have patience. You will recover and achieve the desired results of rhinoplasty - it only takes time. The above steps will not turn a one-year recovery process into a week, but will speed up the processes and improve the postoperative result of rhinoplasty.
The recovery process after rhinoplasty is different for each patient. But from the moment you schedule your first consultation on rhinoplasty, your doctor will follow you every step of the way. If you have any questions about recovery or the procedure itself, do not hesitate to call your doctor by phone or fill out an online contact form.
As for revision rhinoplasty
When nose surgery does not give the desired results, it can be a big disappointment. After spending a significant amount of money and dealing with a long and awkward recovery, you may face this terrible problem.
Anyway: you are not alone. About a third of patients were consulted about the possibility of any correction or reoperation of nasal plastic surgery.
The good news is that in some cases it is possible to achieve the desired appearance by non-surgical methods. But when it comes to revision rhinoplasty, follow these five steps to prepare for revision rhinoplasty.
1. Make sure your nose is completely healed after the first rhinoplasty surgery
First of all, your nose must fully recover from the first rhinoplasty to withstand another procedure. It usually takes a whole year to wait for a revision rhinoplasty. Premature revision surgery may not be justified because it cannot solve all postoperative problems. For this reason, it is recommended to discuss the procedure of revision of the nose only 12 months after the initial rhinoplasty.
2. Carefully choose a new facial plastic surgeon.
Revision rhinoplasty is more difficult than initial rhinoplasty because there can be many complex problems that need to be addressed with already operated nasal tissue. This requires a plastic surgeon with experience and knowledge to adequately address possible unforeseen problems.
A specialist certificate is very important, but a qualified rhinoplasty audit surgeon should also actively pursue their education.
Dr. Farrior writes of himself as follows: . . . . I use it as an example to know which doctor to look for: I have taught rhinoplasty and rhinoplasty revision nationally and internationally and I have published numerous articles and chapters in books on the subject. In 2013, I was elected president of the American Academy of Plastic and Reconstructive Facial Surgery and a former president of the FPS Society in Florida.
3. How to decide to schedule a revision rhinoplasty
Revision rhinoplasty can be relatively simple - or extremely complex. It all depends on the following:
- What degree of abnormality is caused by the first rhinoplasty procedure?
- How much cartilage of the nasal septum was 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 the physical examination, your surgeon will be able to determine if there has been a significant loss of structural support during the primary rhinoplasty. If this has happened, cartilage transplants often have to be done with repeated rhinoplasty. Such transplants can be obtained from the septum, which, according to rhinoplasty surgeons, is the best source of correction material.
If the septate cartilage has been previously removed or damaged, it may be necessary to collect the cartilage from the ear or rib. Each of these types of transplants has advantages and disadvantages that will be discussed during the consultation.
4. Get complete information from your previous rhinoplasty surgeon
A plastic surgeon can say a lot just by looking at your nose. But in order to provide you with the maximum amount of information during the consultation, it is best to obtain and submit your photos before the rhinoplasty and a summary of the surgeries from the previous surgeon.
I understand that this may be an awkward request for some patients, but there is nothing shameful or forbidden about it. The medical record is your property that you share with your doctor, not the other way around.
5. Plan a revision of rhinoplasty costs
Revision rhinoplasty usually lasts 2 to 5 hours and is performed under general anesthesia. Requires limited physical activity for six weeks after surgery. The splints remain in place for eight days after surgery, and a certain degree of nasal congestion and swelling will appear at the same time. More detailed information on postoperative constraints will be considered during the consultation.
Because the complexity and time spent on rhinoplasty is higher than for the first rhinoplasty, the costs are higher. Usually revision rhinoplasty costs 50-100% more than primary rhinoplasty.
If your new nose is not what you hoped for, it’s time for the next step - seek expert advice.