Rhinoplasty Aftercare: All Recovery Tips You Need to Know

A nose job is one of the most favorable plastic surgeries in the world, through which the shape of the nose is changed in a better way. During this surgery, the plastic surgeon corrects the structure of the nose in order to eliminate its deficiencies. The surgeon's skills and the type of nose (bony or fleshy) significantly impact the result of the nose job. In addition, how you take care of your nose during and after the recovery period can highly affect the result of this operation. In this article, we mention rhinoplasty post-op instructions one by one.

Read more: Rhinoplasty Surgery Procedure: Step by Step

Rhinoplasty Aftercare: General Tips

Usually, the nose job recovery takes 7 to 15 days, depending on whether the nose is fleshy or bony. Usually, due to the thicker nasal skin and weaker cartilage, the duration of the recovery period for patients with fleshy noses is longer. Of course, to see the final result of your nose job, you have to wait for 6 to 12 months, i.e., until the swelling of the nose is completely subsided. 

In the following, some tips related to the rhinoplasty recovery period are mentioned:

• Avoid laughing and talking a lot for the first few weeks;
• Avoid going to crowded places where you may be hit on the nose;
• If you want to sneeze, keep your mouth open;
• Avoid doing heavy activities such as lifting heavy objects for at least six weeks;
• Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol;
• Do not get your splints and tapes wet;
• Do not wash your face for a couple of days after the surgery and only use a wet wipe to clean your face;
• If you have to wear prescription glasses, use frame-less ones for the first two weeks;
• Do not wear heavy sunglasses for up to four months;
• Rinse your nose with nasal spray and saline serum;
• Do not blow your nose. You can use a cotton swab to clean your nose when the swelling is subsided;
• Avoid sun exposure; and
• Adopt a healthy diet rich in fiber and vitamins.

Right After Rhinoplasty

The time required to perform rhinoplasty depends on various factors such as the type of the surgery (open or closed), type of nose, the experience of the surgeon, the patient's general health, and whether it is a primary or revision rhinoplasty. On average, this surgery takes two to three hours. 

Right after the surgery, you will be transferred to the recovery room until you awaken from general anesthesia. In the post-anesthesia care unit, your nurse will wrap your nose with bandages and check your vital signs, such as blood pressure, heartbeat, and repeatedly breathing, to ensure that your surgery has been performed successfully. 

When you awaken, you will be transferred to the general ward. You may be nauseous, hazy, and shivering at this point, so you can ask for anti-nausea medicine to help with your sickness and an extra blanket to get warm. In some cases, the patient has to receive supplemental oxygen therapy to prevent postoperative respiratory complications such as hypoxemia or to remove the anesthetic gas from the body.

The First Week After Nose Job

During the first week after a nose job, you must take your nose to the furthest extent. In the following, we mention what you should expect in the first week after rhinoplasty.

• Changing gauze

You must tape gauze under your nose in the first two days after the surgery to absorb discharges and excess blood. It would help if you changed the gauze pads every six hours.

• Removing nose splints 

Right after rhinoplasty, the surgeon will place a splint in and on your nose to keep it straight and stabilize the cartilage. The internal splint will be removed five to seven days after the surgery, but the external ones may remain on your nose for two weeks.

• Using a cold compress to reduce swelling

For two or three days after the surgery, swelling around the nasal area will peak, especially in the morning. You can put a cold compress around your eyes and nose daily to reduce swelling and bruising.

• Taking medication to reduce pain 

Although a nose job is a painless procedure, you may have mild pain in your nasal area during the first week. You can take over-the-counter painkillers such as Gelofen compound and Naproxen to reduce the pain. Remember that blood thinners such as aspirin and ibuprofen, Advil, or Nuprin should be avoided in the first week after rhinoplasty as they can cause bleeding.

• Nasal congestion

After rhinoplasty, all the blood vessels inside your nose will swell; that's why you may feel congestion in your nose for the first week after the surgery. Unfortunately, there is no medication to reduce nasal stuffiness. You should wait 7 to 10 days and use a gentle saline spray to minimize the discomfort. 

• Having soft foods

Eating soft foods in the first few days after a nose job is recommended, and avoiding eating raw fruits and foods that require biting and chewing, such as apples and carrots. 

• Elevating the head to reduce swelling

In order to protect your nose and minimize its swelling, you should sleep on your back and put two pillows under your head for a week after the rhinoplasty. 

Weeks After Nose Job 

In the second to fourth weeks after the nose job, most of the swelling and bruising will be subsided, and you can breathe through your nose easily. Also, the internal and external stitches have been absorbed or removed, so you can resume your cardiovascular activities such as jogging, running, and cycling.

From the fourth month onwards, the bony structure of the nose is almost stabilized, and you can do heavy sports such as weight-lifting and mountain climbing and wear sunglasses. However, you should avoid sports such as basketball, volleyball, or martial arts for a year because there is a high chance of hitting the nose.

Showering After Nose job

Showering shortly after a nose job may increase the risk of infection and cause the incisions to open; so:

• Avoid showering for at least 72 hours after the surgery;
• Wrap your nose with plastic in order not to get your splints and tapes wet;
• Reduce your shower time;
• Avoid hot water and steam as they can exceed the swelling and delay the wound healing process;
• Use bathing sponges to clean your body during the first several days after the surgery;
• Use an adequate amount of shampoo to wash your hair so that you can control the produced foam while rinsing the hair; 
• Be sure to use lukewarm water when washing your body;
• Do not pull your hair too much when washing your hair as it can hurt the incision site;
• Use alcohol and paraben-free soaps to wash your body and neck;
• Dry your body and hair completely; and
• Use hypoallergenic and fragrance-free moisturizers after showering. 

What to Eat After Rhinoplasty?

Adopting a healthy, balanced, and nutritious diet can affect your healing process. Usually, you are asked not to eat for two or three hours after rhinoplasty. After this period, you can have easy-to-digest dishes that do not make you nauseous, such as mashed potato or mixed soup. It is also recommended to avoid too cold or too hot foods, salty dishes, hard-to-chew foods, and spicy dishes for a couple of days after the operation.

Adding protein to your diet is suggested, which can help your body repair damaged tissue in and around the nose. Moreover, vitamins A, C, and E can boost your immune system and prevent bleeding and scarring after a nose job.

Read more: Best Foods After Rhinoplasty

Cleaning Nose After Rhinoplasty

On the first days after rhinoplasty, there are two tampons inside your nose and a splint on it. So you can't clean either inside or outside of it. When the splints and tampons are removed, you can gently clean your nose in this way:

• Dip a cotton ball in a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. Then, gently insert it into the nostrils and wipe off the dried blood. It will help if you wash your nose with hydrogen peroxide twice daily when you wake up and before sleep.
• After rinsing with hydrogen peroxide, apply an OTC antibiotic ointment inside the nose with a clean finger or cotton swab. Polysporin, Neosporin, and bacitracin are topical antibiotic creams used to remove dried blood and prevent infection.
• If there are blood clots in your nose and you can't breathe properly seven days after the surgery, use a saline spray to remove the clots and moisturize the nasal cavities. Most rhinoplasty surgeons recommend using saline spray four times daily and two puffs in each nostril.
• You can wash your nose with normal saline serum and a 10-cc syringe almost four weeks after the surgery. In this method, you must bend your head over, enter the saline liquid into one of your nostrils by the syringe (without its needle), and blow the other simultaneously. By doing so, the dried blood clots and remaining sutures will get out of your nose quickly. 

Read more: How to Properly Clean the Nose After Rhinoplasty?

Exercising After Nose Job

Generally, you should refrain from any heavy physical activity for four to six weeks (depending on the type of surgery) after rhinoplasty. Lifting heavy weights is also not recommended during recovery as it can cause extra swelling and bruising. You can go swimming, walking, road-biking, or jogging two weeks after the surgery, but you should avoid ball games such as basketball, volleyball, or even martial arts for a year as you may get hit on the nose.

First Doctor Visit After Nose job

Five to seven days after the nose job, you have to visit your doctor so that they can check the appearance and structure of your nose. In this session, the dressings, external splints, and external non-absorbent sutures are removed. Then, the nurse will wash your nostrils and teach you how to tape and clean your nose for the rest of the recovery period. You should record the instructions accurately so that you won't have trouble taking care of your nose in the subsequent weeks. 

Returning to Work After Rhinoplasty

Most people can return to work almost a week after rhinoplasty. i.e., when their splints are removed. However, if you have a physically demanding job or you may get hit on the face at work, you have to stay at home a bit longer. Moreover, if you have to work under the sunlight or you should bend over repeatedly throughout the day, ask your surgeon when you can return to work. 

Sum Up

To sum up, nose job recovery is an essential phase in this surgery and can affect the results of the surgery to a great extent. Following rhinoplasty post-op instructions such as having a balanced diet, doing moderate exercises, cleaning the nose delicately, taking medications on time, etc., can speed up the healing process and reduce the complications of a nose job.

Why Is Rhinoplasty Popular in Iran?

Rhinoplasty is a cosmetic surgery that has become very popular in recent years in Iran and European countries. The reasonable price of this surgery in Iran compared to other countries has made Iran a favorable destination for those seeking to perform rhinoplasty in Iran. In addition to having a fair price, nose job in Iran is practiced by skilled plastic and ENT surgeons with brilliant track records in the field of nose surgery. 

Nose job in Iran

If you want a convenient and satisfactory nose job, Iran is a desirable destination. Contact us to get more information about the cost of rhinoplasty in Iran, how to apply for a medical visa, the best rhinoplasty surgeons in Iran, etc., and benefit from our economy nose job packages.