Nose surgery recovery and aftercare

Pain and discomfort

Immediately after your nose surgery (rhinoplasty), in order to avoid bleeding and minimise swelling, you will need to lie with your head high for a few hours.

During the first hours after surgery the effect of the local anaesthesia will subside and you may experience a dull pain in the area of surgery combined with a general headache. This is coped with pain killers. You face will feel very swollen, especially during the first 24 hours.

Swelling and wounds

If a so called full rhinoplasty is performed in which the bone structure also is altered, bruises will always appear under the eyes but disappear within approximately two weeks. Irrespective of the method you will experience increased swelling and bruising, reaching its peak after two to three days.

You will however feel better than you look. Most swelling and bruising will disappear within two weeks. More discreet swelling often inside the nose will remain for several months, perhaps up to a year. But this is nothing your surroundings notice.

Bleeding and blocked nose

Some bleeding from the nose is normal during the first days and you will probably also feel blocked for a few weeks. Generally you will receive information about not to blow your nose during the first week while the sores are healing.

If your nose has been tamponaded after surgery (dressings inserted into the nostrils) these are removed after a day or 7-14 days depending on the type of nose surgery you have undergone. You will immediately feel a lot better once they are removed.

Glasses and contact lenses

If you use contact lenses you can put them on as soon as you feel like it. For glasses it is worse as soon as the plaster is removed the nose cannot be burdened with glasses. This means that the glasses need to be attached with tape to the forehead or some other way so that they do not rest on the nose until it has had time to heal for 2-4 weeks after surgery.

Returning to work and normal activities

Most patients that undergo nose surgery are up and moving within two days and can return to school or less physically trying work within about a week. It will however take several weeks before you feel completely “up to speed” again.

You will receive instructions about your plastic surgery and how you gradually and slowly should return to your ordinary physical activities. These instructions will most likely include avoiding physically strenuous activity (swimming, running, sex, bending forward etc – all types of activities that higher your blood pressure) for two to three weeks.

You should also avoid bumping/scratching the nose to hard and or getting it sunburnt for the first 2 months. You should also be careful when washing your face and hair and when applying make up.

Check-ups after your nose job

You surgeon will summon you to regular check-ups throughout the first two months after your nose surgery. If you were to experience any unusual symptoms of have any questions then you should contact your surgeon.

In conjunction with the plaster being removed the patient can see 70-80% of the final result before a natural swelling occurs in the area. This swelling subsides then gradually for four week.

The final result can be assessed after one year. However, the nose will look normal during this time.

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