Rhinoplasty Before and After - Surgery and Recovery
Now that you have made the decision to undergo rhinoplasty and
have prepared for your surgery, the next step is the rhinoplasty
surgery itself and the after affects.
Rhinoplasty can be performed in the surgeon's office-based
facility, an outpatient surgery center, or a hospital. Usually
the surgery is performed on an outpatient basis but if it is a
complicated rhinoplasty then you may be required to stay in the
hospital.
You will either be under local or general anesthesia. Local
anesthesia is when you are lightly sedated and your nose and the
surrounding area is numb. You know what is going on but cannot
feel what is happening to your nose. General anesthesia is when
you sleep through the surgery and do not know what is happening.
Rhinoplasty surgery normally takes one to two hours unless it is
a complex rhinoplasty. The rhinoplasty itself consists of the
skin being separated from the bone and cartilage. The bone and
cartilage are sculpted into the desired shape and the skin is
then draped over the new nose framework. Most surgeons make the
rhinoplasty incision inside the nose in the nostrils, but some
surgeons prefer the "open" procedure where the incision is made
in the middle part of the nose nearest the upper lip. There is a
scar left but the scar is hardly noticeable in that area of your
nose.
When your rhinoplasty is complete, the surgeon will place a
splint on your nose to help it maintain its shape. Sometimes
nasal packs or splint may be place in the nostrils as well.
After the rhinoplasty your face may be puffy, you may be
experiencing pain, or you may have a dull headache. Take the
medication prescribed by your Doctor as needed. Stay in bed with
your head elevated for the first day after your rhinoplasty.
There will be some swelling and bruising around your eyes and
this swelling will reach its highest peak at 2-3 days after
surgery. Cold compresses will reduce the swelling and make your
eyes and face feel better. In a few days you will feel much
better than you look as most swelling and bruising takes at
least two weeks to disappear. A little bleeding is common after
a rhinoplasty and you may have a "stuffy" feeling nose for a few
weeks. Any nasal packing or stitches will be removed after a few
days.
You will be up and feeling somewhat better within two days after
your rhinoplasty. You should be able to return to school or
sedentary work after a week or so. The Doctor will give you
specific guidelines as to what you can return to and when during
your follow-up visits. Follow the Doctor's instructions and keep
your follow-up visits to ensure that your surgery is successful!