What to do immediately after your rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty surgery takes 4-5 hours which is followed by an hour in recovery so tell friends and relatives to allow plenty of time before expecting to see you awake. With modern rhinoplasty anaesthetic techniques bruising is minimal but it may increase and move down over the cheeks over the first few post op rhinoplasty days. Most people stay one night in hospital following rhinoplasty though some people are discharged that day. For the first night only you will need to sleep up on 3 pillows. Nurses or your relatives change the small rhinoplasty bandage under the nose. The nasal dressing in only required for the first night. This is not difficult for your family but it does mean getting up in the middle of the night. Before discharge after rhinoplasty your doctor and nurses will show you how to douche the nose with saline. This will need to be done 6 times a day for 6 weeks to prevent crusting and infection in therhinoplasty wound. Antibiotics will also be given to you, for one week. After 5 to 7 days you will see your rhinoplasty surgeon for removal of the rhinoplasty splits both inside and outside the nose. Many people fear this visit but it is usually a great relief to have the plaster off and to breathe freely (and probably better than ever). Having sutures out is fiddly but not a huge discomfort. After 5 days you will no longer be so tired in the afternoons so we encourage you to take up gentle exercise such as walking. By now your rhinoplasty plaster is off and you can wear makeup. By 10 to 14 days post rhinoplasty, you will feel well enough to go to work. Most rhinoplasty patients comment at this stage that there is very little pain following rhinoplasty surgery. They mainly notice post op fatigue and 5 days of nasal blockage. Contact sports or wearing swimming goggles are avoided for 6 weeks following rhinoplasty. Sun or reading glasses also weigh down on the rhinoplasty wound and are best avoided for 3 weeks, more if they are particularly heavy. Your post op rhinoplasty appointments will be made for 1 week, 2 week, 6 week, 3, 12 then 18 months. There will be more definition in your postop rhinoplasty nose over a 2 year period. Remember as well the older we are, the longer it takes to heal.