Whether you’re just starting your research or if you’ve made a solid decision to invest in your body, post-surgery can be a nerve-wracking time.
A rhinoplasty, also commonly known as a nose job, has one of the highest revision rates of all surgeries. However, by following these tips and the advice of your medical team can help to reduce the risk of revision surgery. It’s also very important to look around for a reputable surgeon who can help you to achieve the look you want.
Your final results will not be visible for weeks after your surgery. You will have swelling and bruising that will take a while to go down. It may even take several months until your nose is fully settled. Your nose is one part of body that holds onto swelling for a long time, meaning you shouldn’t panic immediately after surgery if it doesn’t look like you think it should.
The first rule of recovery is to not wear any form of eyewear. No reading glasses and no sunglasses, nothing that needs to rest on your nose. It can distort the healing tissue and create bumps that you do not want.
The second rule it to keep it clean, both inside and out. The day after your surgery you should start to irrigate the nose with a saline solution three to six times a day. Although this can feel uncomfortable it will help to keep your nose clear and can also help to relieve the drying effects that surgery can have on your nose.
It’s also important to sleep slightly elevated, with a pillow behind your back. Not necessarily upright but certainly not flat on your back or your side. Your nose is very delicate after your surgery and by sleeping in a certain way you can avoid putting any pressure on it, it will also help to minimize fluid build-up and promote good circulation.
Key things that you should avoid immediately after your surgery include vigorous and strenuous exercise. This is in part due to protecting your nose physically from anything that might come into contact with it but also because a rhinoplasty leaves the blood vessels inside your nose very sensitive and exercising too soon can cause nose bleeds and affect your final result.
Avoiding drinking alcohol and smoking will also affect your healing. You need to ensure your diet is better than ever, lots of fresh fruit and veggies to help get good nutrients into your body so you can heal quickly. Lots of water is also important to aid your healing.
