There are many reasons people choose to undergo Rhinoplasty surgery, such as an accident, or purely for cosmetic reasons. Regardless of the motive, patients want the quickest recovery without complications. Here are some great tips I like to give my patients when recovering from Rhinoplasty:
- Don’t blow your nose for two weeks: Blowing the nose can cause pressure and lead to nose bleeds. It can also push bacteria through the internal nasal incision causing infection.
- Do not exercise for two weeks: Vigorous movements or heavy weight lifting can raise blood pressure and increase pressure in the face and nose area causing nose bleeds. Playing contact sports should also be avoided as it takes about 3 weeks for nasal bones to heal enough to withstand mild trauma.
- Try to avoid pulling clothes over your head: Temporarily avoid t-shirts, sweatshirts and sweaters in favor of button-down shirts while your nose heals will help you avoid unintended pain or nose movement.
- Keep your nose out of the sun: Using sunscreen daily is always a good idea. However, following a Rhinoplasty, limiting damaging sun exposure is very important since too much sun can cause permanent discoloration on your nose.
- Avoid wearing glasses up to four weeks: The less weight you place on your nose, the better it will heal. Use contact lenses if you have them, or if you must wear glasses, use tape over the nasal splint and rest the glasses on the splint. You can also hold your glasses in your hand to avoid unnecessarily pushing on the nasal bones.
- No smoking: I always advise that patient’s who smoke stop two weeks before surgery. Not smoking after surgery is equally important as it may have a negative effect on recovering from anesthesia, cause excess coughing (pressure and bleeding), and airway obstruction.
- Avoid swimming or direct contact with water: Swimming should be avoided for at least three while you’re recovering as diving can cause nasal trauma, and chlorine can sting the incisions. When showering, be sure to avoid direct contact with water and the nose until the splint is removed.
- Avoid unnecessary facial movements: This includes laughing, smiling, sneezing, and forceful teeth bushing. It may sound harsh, but the less stretching and moving of the nose, the faster the recovery.
