Nose Job Recovery – The Best Rhinoplasty Recovery Tips & Tricks

For many of our clients, rhinoplasty is an effective way to harmonize facial features and make the nose more proportional to the rest of the face; it can make a real difference in your look and your self-confidence while still offering plausible deniability. How can we have a better rhinoplasty recovery though?

As with any surgical procedure, there is some downtime that you can expect from rhinoplasty. It’s good to be aware of what a nose job recovery entails before you have your procedure done, ensuring that you know all the right steps to take for a smooth, efficient recovery and for optimal healing.

When you meet with your surgeon for a consultation, you’ll be given some specific instructions for your nose job recovery. In the meantime, here are a few general recommendations we’d offer for anyone who has a rhinoplasty or nose job on the horizon.

Tips for a Smooth Rhinoplasty Recovery

Have the Right Expectations

One of the most helpful things you can do is simply make sure you have the proper expectations.

For example, a lot of patients assume that rhinoplasty recovery will be rather painful. Actually, most of our patients end up telling us that the pain is minimal, and there are plenty of pain management solutions available for those who need them.

The pain usually isn’t a problem, but congestion can be. Following a nose job, you’ll feel very “plugged up,” for a few days. It will be difficult to breathe and to smell, and you’ll probably feel pressure in your ears, too. Be prepared for this, but also realize that it will get better soon.

In the early days of recovery, you’ll be advised to sleep with your head elevated. This may help with your breathing, but it can also minimize swelling. You can plan for this to last about a week.

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Take Some Time

Speaking of which, we’d highly recommend planning to take at least a week off from work following your rhinoplasty procedure.

There are a few reasons for this. One is that, if you’re able to stay home, rest, and relax, you’ll ultimately recover more quickly. Taking that week off can help you feel more like yourself again.

Additionally, you’ll have some bruising and swelling around your nose, and the bulk of it should subside within a week. After that, any residual bruising can usually be concealed with makeup fairly easily.

Address Swelling

We mentioned swelling, and that’s definitely something you’ll need to address during your nose job recovery.

The reality is that some minor swelling can persist for up to a year, though the worst of it will go away within a week or so. This is especially true if you take care of the swollen area, using cold compresses and ice packs to keep the swelling at bay.

Ask your surgeon for any additional recommendations to minimize swelling.

Keep Your Nose Protected

While your nose is healing from surgery, it will be especially vulnerable to injury.

If you fall on your face or get hit by a baseball, it could do real damage that sets your recovery back by weeks. In some cases, it may even require you to have an additional procedure to repair the damage.

As such, we would recommend avoiding exercise and strenuous activity for the initial days of your recovery. As you ease back into your regular routine, take whatever precautions you can to safeguard your nose.

Make Sure You Keep Follow Up Appointments

Your surgeon will let you know when you need to come back for another visit; this may be just a day or two after the procedure.

It’s important that you show up for any and all follow-up appointments, and for a few different reasons. One, your surgeon may need to remove packing materials or stitching from your nose. (This depends on the type of rhinoplasty that’s performed, and it may be different from one patient to the next.) Additionally, your surgeon will be able to keep an eye out for possible signs of swelling, and also to ensure that you’re healing just the way you’re supposed to.

Take Care of Yourself

Some basic steps for self-care can make your recovery much quicker, and much more comfortable.

For example, don’t underestimate the importance of hydration. Drink plenty of water to help your body through the healing process.

Get the rest your body requires, especially in that first week.

And, keep your spirits up. Nobody likes recovering from surgery, but make the most of it with some relaxing, non-taxing activities, whether that’s favorite books, TV shows, movies, or music. Stock up before you have your rhinoplasty surgery and take a look at this patient’s guide for the rhinoplasty surgery for more helpful tips!

Manage Your Dry Throat

Speaking of things to stock up on… note that, because you’ll be breathing through your mouth for the first few days, you’ll probably have a dry throat. There are some simple solutions that can help you manage this. Make sure you have:

• A humidifier that you can run by your bed while you rest.
• Plenty of soothing teas, especially teas with honey.
• Throat lozenges to provide temporary relief.

Note that hydration and some relaxing hot showers can also help you deal with a sore or dry throat.

Remember What Not To Do

To wrap up, please make special note of a few major errors that can set you back in your nose job recovery. These are the things you should avoid doing:

• Injuring your nose in any way.
• Missing any follow up appointments.
• Messing with stitches/packing without the doctor’s approval.
• Drinking alcohol.
• Using tobacco products.
• Ignoring signs of a potential infection or other complication.

Ask Us Your Questions About Rhinoplasty Recovery

We can’t stress enough how important it is to have a consultation with a rhinoplasty plastic surgeon before the procedure. We’ll answer your questions, set the right expectations, and talk with you in-depth about how to make sure you’re healing properly.

If you’re interested in a nose job and are ready to find out what the process is like from start to finish, we encourage you to contact Charlotte Plastic Surgery today.