Surgical Procedures: What to Expect From Rhinoplasty Recovery

Roughly 220,000 rhinoplasties are completed in the United States every year. This makes them one of the most common cosmetic procedures performed in America.

Nose jobs are carried out by plastic surgeons to correct the symmetry of a face and help people breathe better. They can also fix physical deformities that affect sleep, breathing, or self-confidence.

There is rarely a simple reason for getting a rhinoplasty, and you don’t need one. However, if you are planning on having nose surgery, you should know what to expect from the recovery process.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about healing from surgical procedures like rhinoplasties.

Caring for Yourself at Home

From the second you check out for your rhinoplasty in the hospital, your healing process begins. You should have had time to prepare for surgery and to prepare your living space for the coming weeks and months.

Some light medical care at home will need doing such as caring for your incisions, taking your medications, and following the correct diet. Your doctor should give you all the information you need to do this yourself.

The First Month After Surgery

Surgery recovery from a rhinoplasty comes in several stages. It will likely take up to a year for you to finally see the results of your nose job. Surgical procedures like this take a toll on our bodies and need time to recover fully.

In your first month after surgery, expect to feel sore, puffy, and tired. You must take this time to rest often, eat healthy foods, drink lots of water, and never overexert yourself.

At this time, you likely won’t be able to see any major differences in the shape of your nose as it will be swollen and bruised for the first four to six weeks. Your new nose should be more recognizable after two months.

Four to Six Months After Surgery

When you’ve passed the four-to-six-month mark after nose surgery, you should be feeling much better. You’ll have mostly gone back to your normal life, and the swelling and bruising will have gone way down.

You’ll likely feel comfortable going in public, yet your nose will not have reached its final form. After about four months you can begin to exercise lightly by going on walks or participating in yoga.

After six months, you’ll need to have your final appointment with your cosmetic surgeon to make sure things are looking correct. Here, you should also express any concerns about your nose to your surgeon.

One Year After Surgery

On the anniversary of your nose job, your nose should have very minimal swelling and look almost exactly how you want it to. When you reach one-year post-opt your nose should be functionally photo-ready.

It’s common with rhinoplasty surgical procedures that after one year, you should be able to breathe out of your nose completely. At this time, you’re sure to notice that you are breathing better and sleeping better.

Learn What to Expect From Surgical Procedures

Surgical procedures such as rhinoplasties take a lot of time to heal from. Probably more than you would expect. That is why it is so important to educate yourself on the preparation you need to do before your surgery.

If you would like to know more about cosmetic procedures such as rhinoplasties, check out the rest of our health page. There, you’ll find other articles similar to the one you just read.