Aftercare Rhinoplasty Surgery

When the surgery is complete, a splint will be applied to help your nose maintain its new shape. Dr. Bermant uses special techniques to minimize the need for nasal packing. Occasionally soft rubber internal splints are placed inside the nose to stabilize the septum, the dividing wall between the air passages.

A splint made of tape and an overlay of thermoplastic plastic is applied to help the bone and cartilage of the nose maintain their new shape. View graphic photographs of a thermoplastic splint application.

After your surgery
After surgery-particularly during the first twenty-four hours-your face will feel puffy, your nose may ache, and you may have a dull headache. You can control any discomfort with the pain medication prescribed by Dr. Bermant. Plan on staying in bed with your head elevated (except for going to the bathroom) for the first day.

You'll notice that the swelling and bruising around your eyes will increase at first, reaching a peak after two or three days. Applying cold compresses will reduce this swelling and make you feel a bit better. We use a cool gel mask to gently cool the tissues. In any case, you'll feel a lot better than you look. Most of the swelling and bruising should disappear within two weeks or so. (Some subtle swelling-unnoticeable to anyone but you and Dr. Bermant -will remain for several months.) You can view photographs of this Swiss Therapy here. For those who are not patients of Dr. Bermant, the Swiss Therapy gel cooling mask can be purchesed at The Surgery Store.

A little drainage is common during the first few days following surgery, and you may continue to feel some stuffiness for several weeks. Dr. Bermant will probably ask you not to blow your nose for a week or so, while the tissues heal.

Dr. Bermant uses techniques to minimize packing and most of his patients do not need nasal packing. If you have nasal packing, it will be removed after a few days and you'll feel much more comfortable. By the end of one or, occasionally, two weeks, all dressings, splints, and stitches should be removed.

Getting back to normal
Most rhinoplasty patients are up and about within two days, and able to return to school or sedentary work a few days to a week or so following surgery. It will be several weeks, however, before you're entirely up to speed.

Dr. Bermant will give you more specific guidelines for gradually resuming your normal activities. They're likely to include these suggestions: Avoid strenuous activity (jogging, swimming, bending, sexual relations-any activity that increases your blood pressure) for two to three weeks. Avoid hitting or rubbing your nose, or getting it sunburned, for eight weeks. Be gentle when washing your face and hair or using cosmetics.

You can wear contact lenses as soon as you feel like it, but glasses are another story. Once the splint is off, they'll have to be taped to your forehead or propped on your cheeks for another six to seven weeks, until your nose is completely healed.

Dr. Bermant will schedule frequent follow-up visits in the months after surgery, to check on the progress of your healing. If you have any unusual symptoms between visits, or any questions about what you can and can't do, don't hesitate to call Dr. Bermant.

Your new look
In the days following surgery, when your face is bruised and swollen, it's easy to forget that you will be looking better. In fact, many patients feel depressed for a while after plastic surgery-it's quite normal and understandable.

Rest assured that this stage will pass. Day by day, your nose will begin to look better and your spirits will improve. Within a week or two, you'll no longer look as if you've just had surgery.

Still, healing is a slow and gradual process. Some subtle swelling may be present for months, especially in the tip. The final results of rhinoplasty may not be apparent for a year or more.

In the meantime, you might experience some unexpected reactions from family and friends. They may say they don't see a major difference in your nose. Or they may act resentful, especially if you've changed something they view as a family or ethnic trait. If that happens, try to keep in mind why you decided to have this surgery in the first place. If you've met your goals, then your surgery is a success.

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This page last updated on: April 27, 2008

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