Is rhinoplasty painful? Not for most people. One day after surgery, most people rate their pain between 0 and 4 out of 10.
But what about pain? Actually, most of our patients tell us that the pain is fairly mild. It's more accurate to discuss rhinoplasty recovery in terms of discomfort, specifically the discomfort caused by congestion.
With rhinoplasty, the most unpleasant part tends to be during the initial aftermath. Patients are bruised and swollen and their noses are packed with gauze, but it looks much worse than it feels. Once the initial post-op edema subsides (relatively quickly), some swelling may persist for many months.
Is rhinoplasty recovery painful? Most patients report discomfort rather than pain. You may feel a dull ache around the nose the first night after surgery but the discomfort will reduce significantly after that. In fact, most patients are more bothered by postoperative nasal congestion than pain.
There's usually only mild pain following rhinoplasty, especially with no nasal packing. You may experience a bruised sensation as a result of the post-operative swelling that occurs. (This usually seems to be worse the first night.)
Is rhinoplasty painful? Not for most people. One day after surgery, most people rate their pain between 0 and 4 out of 10.
Hard Foods
Hard to chew, sticky, and crunchy foods are on top of the list of foods to avoid after Rhinoplasty. It can contribute to your swelling, cause discomfort or even pain, and add to Rhinoplasty recovery time.
You Can Sneeze
Worried about sneezing after surgery? Don't. As long as you sneeze with your mouth open, to keep pressure off your nose, you'll be just fine.
Your nose will be bruised and swollen, and you may get dark bruises around your eyes. The swelling may get worse before it gets better. Most of the swelling should go away in 3 to 4 weeks. You will have some pain in your nose, and you may have a headache.
You Will Get Your Original Smile Back After Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty surgery can temporarily affect your smile. Surgery aiming to modify the tip or shape of your nose may leave your upper lip feeling stiff due to swelling, thus changing your smile.
Tissue injury, whether accidental or intentional (e.g. surgery), is followed by localized swelling. After surgery, swelling increases progressively, reaching its peak by the third day. It is generally worse when you first arise in the morning and decreases throughout the day.
Most nose jobs take about 1.5 to 3 hours, although they can last longer than this if more extensive work is needed. After your nose job is complete, you'll rest in a recovery room before being sent home to continue the healing process.
Disproportionate Appearance
Everybody will know that you just had a nose job if they see that your nose does not appear to belong to your face. Your nose may be smaller or larger than it was originally. Ask an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon to return the proportionate size of your nose.
If you've been watching your rhinoplasty heal over time and you're still thinking “I don't like my nose”, it's not unheard of. As many as 10-15% of cosmetic nose surgeries result in unhappy clients who will choose to undergo a second procedure to fix it.
A Major Surgical Procedure
Since a nose is a small body part, many people mistakenly believe that rhinoplasty is a minor surgery. In reality, since your nose is an integral part of the respiratory system, a nose job is a major surgical procedure.
With local anesthesia, the nose and the area around it are numbed. You will probably be lightly sedated, but awake during the surgery (relaxed and not feeling pain). General anesthesia allows you to sleep through the operation. The surgery is usually done through a cut (incision) made inside the nostrils.
In general, the majority of swelling should begin to subside within three days. Most patients can return to work after 1-2 weeks, depending on the type of work. Resume normal activity slowly, being careful not to push too hard too soon. Strenuous or contact activities should be put off for at least 3-6 weeks.
Your initial recovery phase after this procedure will usually be about seven to 10 days, although your total recovery time could be as long as two to three months.
Reach out to the surgeon who performed your rhinoplasty, clearly explaining what you are unhappy with, and ask them what could have caused the issue. If you are confident that your original surgeon can correct where they went wrong, discuss a revision rhinoplasty with them.
The swelling of the internal lining inside the nose caused due to crying can also damage or in severe cases burst the stitches. This is why it is advised to avoid crying for a few weeks after getting a rhinoplasty till the stitches heal to avoid any serious damage or irritation to the surgical site.
For the first two weeks following surgery, avoid pursing the lips as in whistling, applying lipstick, kissing, or sucking on a straw. Allowing the nose to heal with as little movement as possible will improve both your cosmetic and functional results.
Your nose may swell as it heals, restricting the nasal passages. This may make it uncomfortable to breathe normally. You need to remember that the blockage is because of swollen tissues and not mucus or congestion. Patients should refrain from blowing their nose for a minimum of 2 – 3 weeks following the surgery.
Aggressive teeth brushing can cause the upper lip to move and cause pain in a patient's nose. Therefore, it is advised to brush teeth carefully and softly while in recovery.
While many people do feel happy and excited after a procedure such as breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, or tummy tuck, it's not unheard of to feel a bit blue or even regretful. This is called postoperative depression, and Dr.
Sleep with your head elevated.
To reduce swelling, you should keep your head elevated as you sleep. This will minimize fluid buildup and promote good circulation. Many of my patients ask how long to sleep in an elevated position after their rhinoplasty procedure.