Nose Surgery– Rhinoplasty
If you have nasal packing, it will be removed after a few days and you'll feel much more comfortable. By the end of one or,
occasionally, two weeks, all dressings, splints, and stitches should be removed.
Getting back to normal
Most rhinoplasty patients are up and about within two days, and able to return to school or sedentary work a week or so following
surgery. It will be several weeks, however, before you're entirely up to speed.
Your surgeon will give you more specific guidelines for gradually resuming your normal activities. They're likely to include
these suggestions: Avoid strenuous activity (jogging, swimming, bending, sexual relations-any activity that increases your blood
pressure) for two to three weeks. Avoid hitting or rubbing your nose, or getting it sunburned, for eight weeks. Be gentle when
washing your face and hair or using cosmetics.
You can wear contact lenses as soon as you feel like it, but glasses are another story. Once the splint is off, they'll have to
be taped to your forehead or propped on your cheeks for another six to seven weeks, until your nose is completely healed.
Your surgeon will schedule frequent follow-up visits in the months after surgery, to check on the progress of your healing. If
you have any unusual symptoms between visits, or any questions about what you can and can't do, don't hesitate to call your
doctor.
Your new look
In the days following surgery, when your face is bruised and swollen, it's easy to forget that you will be looking better. In fact,
many patients feel depressed for a while after plastic surgery-it's quite normal and understandable.
Rest assured that this stage will pass. Day by day, your nose will begin to look better and your spirits will improve. Within a
week or two, you'll no longer look as if you've just had surgery.
Still, healing is a slow and gradual process. Some subtle swelling may be present for months, especially in the tip. The final
results of rhinoplasty may not be apparent for a year or more.
In the meantime, you might experience some unexpected reactions from family and friends. They may say they don't see a major
difference in your nose. Or they may act resentful, especially if you've changed something they view as a family or ethnic trait.
If that happens, try to keep in mind why you decided to have this surgery in the first place. If you've met your goals, then your
surgery is a success.
Content provided by The American Society of Plastic Surgeons
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