Nose Surgery (Rhinoplasty) Bay Area & San Francisco

What is the recovery process for Rhinoplasty?

You may feel some discomfort for a few days after surgery but this is well controlled with the medication prescribed by your surgeon. You may have bruising under the eyes which resolves in about a week. For the first few days after surgery you may have some bloody drainage from your nose and feel stuffy; this is normal. You should feel pretty good in 1-2 days but it is important to refrain from any strenuous activity for at least the first week after surgery. Patients are encouraged to begin showering 1-2 days after surgery. You should keep your head elevated at all times for the first week. All sutures (if the open technique is used) and dressings will be removed a week after surgery. Initially, your nose will appear significantly swollen but most of the swelling will be gone in 3-4 weeks.

The majority of people are able to return to work after 1 week but this depends on your job. You will have to refrain from any exercise for 3 weeks but then you may steadily increase your activity. Also glasses should not be worn or taped up to the forehead for 3-4 weeks. You should avoid hitting or aggressively rubbing your nose for two months.

Although you will look close to your final result at 1-2 months, the swelling from this operation can take a full year or even longer to fully resolve. This means that your nose will continue to change slightly during this time but it won’t be noticeable to others. Nevertheless this slow healing process can be frustrating at times. You must keep in mind that things will improve and you must be patient. No revision procedure should be attempted until this process is complete.

It is important to follow up with your surgeon as directed so that any potential complications can be detected and treated early. For the most part these are rare and you will spend most of your time enjoying your new look!