Your body must work extra hard after surgery, so it is normal to feel fatigued during the first few days post-op. Resting during this time is important, so you don't overwork your body. Additionally, when you sleep, your body is able to dedicate more blood flow to the injured muscles and tissues.
24 Hours Post-Op
During the first 24 house after your procedure, you may feel drowsy and doze in and out of sleep. You may feel this way if you receive sedation or general anesthesia.
It generally takes 2 – 4 weeks for these effects to dissipate. In the meantime, we recommend resting and avoiding strenuous activity as much as possible to minimize swelling after rhinoplasty. Sleeping after rhinoplasty surgery is essential for a healthy immune system and speedy recovery.
The average recovery period is typically 7 to 10 days, but it always depends on the individual. Some rhinoplasties are accompanied by correction of a deviated septum to improve breathing or reduce the turbinates to also improve breathing and improve symptoms of allergy.
While you may be anxious to return to your preferred sleeping position, it is critical that you continue sleeping on your back with your head elevated for about 7 – 10 days after rhinoplasty, or until cleared by Dr. Khorsandi.
Swelling can persist for a year, and sometimes longer. This is especially true of the tip of the nose. Fortunately, most swelling will subside within two months, and you should be ready to present your new facial profile to the world in about two weeks.
Things not to do after Rhinoplasty:
Take part in any strenuous activity for at least two weeks after surgery. Any activity such as sport that could cause an injury put your nose at risk of injury must be avoided at all costs for a minimum of a few months. Ignore any signs of post-operative complications or infection.
3 to 6 Months: Numbness and abnormal skin sensations around your nose should be completely gone by this point. One year: By this point, the healing process should be complete, give or take a few weeks or months. You shouldn't experience any swelling, bruising, discomfort, redness, or pain at this point.
Physicians encourage mild walking daily after your surgical procedure because it does not interfere with your healing process. Intense Cardio or High Intensity Interval Training after rhinoplasty should be avoided since heightened blood pressure at this period can cause bleeding.
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.
The first week
Patients are seen at 1 week to remove the sutures and ensure everything is healing normally. Some bruising under the eyes and cheek is normal at this stage but resolves within 10-14 days.
Answer: Rhinoplasty
It is normal to feel weak and tired after surgery. Anesthesia and the surgery itself can often make patients feel drained. In addition, patients can experience emotional and psychological stress with their recovery and even depression.
Taping can be effective to subside the swelling and shrink the skin down. It doesn't, however, affect the shape and form of the nose.
After rhinoplasty surgery, your nose will be extra vulnerable as a result of the changes made to this structure. Your bones, cartilage, and surrounding tissues will be more fragile as they heal, sometimes for up to a year after surgery.
It may come as a surprise, but most will not notice the change in your nose after rhinoplasty. Friends and family will know that you look well, though for some reason many just don't pick up the fact that your nose is different.
It usually takes about 3 months for the majority of swelling to resolve after a rhinoplasty, but even after that it may take upwards of one year. If a reduction in the size of the nose was performed, the skin has memory and will assume its previous shape through swelling under the skin. This will get better.
Answer: Swelling After Rhinoplasty
You can relax and talk on the phone. There are no medical studies that show talking on the phone causes swelling after Rhinoplasty.
Limit facial muscle movements — This sounds obvious, but during your recovery you need to limit things such as laughing and smiling (only ask boring friends to stop by! No comedians on Netflix.). Be careful not to open your mouth too wide (yawning is a no-no).
The result of rhinoplasty is usually satisfactory at the end of the operation, but four to six weeks later we unfortunately observe that the tip occasionally droops.
While every patient and every procedure is different, most of the swelling will go down within the first month following surgery, and about 90% of all swelling should subside within the first three months. However, the full result is in the last 10% — where the tip and bridge definition is maximized.
Three weeks post-rhinoplasty, about 70 percent of swelling is gone. This is the time when a patient starts to recognize the changes and begins to appreciate the new shape of his or her nose. It's ok, actually quite normal, to feel a little self conscious at this time.
Some people have concerns about how the reshaping of their nose will affect their breathing after nasal surgery. After surgery for up to one year, there will be swelling that will occur inside the nose. This often results in some minor trouble breathing early on but quickly resolves within 1-3 months.
Do not brush your teeth for two weeks following rhinoplasty. If your nose is running, gently dab it with a tissue. Brush your teeth carefully. Because your upper lip is connected to your nose, you'll move your nose if you brush too aggressively.