Additional dos and don'ts after rhinoplasty include: Don't touch your nose: Patients should take great care to avoid putting any pressure on their nose, including even touching the nose, for at least 1 – 2 weeks after surgery, or until Dr. Khorsandi advises that it is okay to do so.
Smiling or laughing two weeks after rhinoplasty should not be a problem other than causing some discomfort from the stretching effect.
Assuming the nose is healing nicely, rhinoplasty patients may begin brisk walking & light exercise two weeks after surgery. One month after surgery patients may resume vigorous exercise and heavy lifting.
The first week is the most critical period for rhinoplasty healing. After 7-10 days, patients can begin to use other sleeping positions. Be careful to avoid putting pressure on the nose, and if you can sleep comfortably on your back while elevated, continue to do so.
Answer: Washing your face after rhinoplasty
In my practice, once the tape and cast are removed after 1 week you can wash your face gently with any cleanser you prefer. Usually, when I tell patients it is time to wash their face I get a jubuliant smile and a hug patients are so happy!
Try to avoid yawning widely for two weeks if at all possible. Crying after nose surgery is even more heavily discouraged than other facial movements, because when you cry strenuously, your nasal muscles shrink, and the result can be inflammation, which you want to avoid at all costs!
Three weeks post-rhinoplasty, about 70 percent of swelling is gone. This is the time when a patient starts to recognize the changes and begins to appreciate the new shape of his or her nose. It's ok, actually quite normal, to feel a little self conscious at this time.
Sleeping on your side after rhinoplasty isn't just uncomfortable – it can prolong your recovery time by causing additional bruising and swelling. More frighteningly, it can displace your nose. To avoid this, you'll need to keep your head elevated at night for 6 weeks following surgery.
After rhinoplasty surgery, your nose will be extra vulnerable as a result of the changes made to this structure. Your bones, cartilage, and surrounding tissues will be more fragile as they heal, sometimes for up to a year after surgery.
For the first two weeks following surgery, avoid pursing the lips as in whistling, applying lipstick, kissing, or sucking on a straw. Allowing the nose to heal with as little movement as possible will improve both your cosmetic and functional results.
Using Makeup After a Rhinoplasty
If your procedure was an open rhinoplasty, you should wait at least two months before applying makeup, although you could start once the stitches are removed. However, be mindful of the amount of makeup and where you put it, since you should still avoid the incisions.
Taping can be effective to subside the swelling and shrink the skin down. It doesn't, however, affect the shape and form of the nose.
Rhinoplasty Recovery Rule #4: No Kissing!
And this goes for kissing babies, children, or even pets for six weeks after surgery.
Use Q-Tip & Hydrogen Peroxide
Using a Q-Tip and hydrogen peroxide is a safe, effective way to clean and disinfect your nose and rhinoplasty incisions, but should only be done after any packing has been removed from your nose and face.
When you undergo a Rhinoplasty procedure, post-operative swelling is to be expected and may last for up to a year following your surgery. This isn't to say your nose will look appear swollen, but your tissue and cartilage are still going through the healing process and necessary changes.
The tip takes the longest time to heal and mold to the new framework because it's the thickest skin of the nose. If the tip of your nose is still very firm, it may mean that there is still some swelling.
3 to 6 Months: Numbness and abnormal skin sensations around your nose should be completely gone by this point. One year: By this point, the healing process should be complete, give or take a few weeks or months. You shouldn't experience any swelling, bruising, discomfort, redness, or pain at this point.
Walking after rhinoplasty is great for a few reasons. It helps you avoid boredom, for one thing. It can also help keep you regular and can help reduce muscle soreness or weakness, which can result if you sit still for too long. Walking also gets your blood flowing, which helps reduce swelling.
Moderate exercise like walking can help blood flow and circulate oxygen to help lessen swelling, but avoid any strenuous activity as you heal. Keep your body hydrated by drinking lots of water the week before your surgery, and continue hydration post-operation.
Swelling after a Rhinoplasty
However, the next week, people often see MORE swelling, particularly in the tip of the nose. Most people look very good by three to four weeks, but the swelling in the tip is almost always still present. I notice that most patients' swelling peaks at one to two months.
On average, patients can expect breathing through the nose after rhinoplasty to feel more comfortable after 1 – 3 weeks, though some patients may have a feeling of nasal congestion for several months.
Sneezing and coughing forcefully after rhinoplasty can cause a buildup of pressure in the nose, which could lead to bleeding. It's best not to sneeze or cough for 14 days following surgery.