What To Expect After A Rhinoplasty

WRITTEN BY ALICE | CONTENT APPROVED FOR MEDICAL ACCURACY BY DR YANNIS | UPDATED 2024/06/11

While you’ll be in the best of hands at 111 Harley St., a Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that changes the bone, cartilage and skin – often all three – so it is quite an intensive surgery that will require effort on both the patient and our Surgical Team to ensure your healing goes as seamlessly as possible and we give you the best results possible following your procedure. Often our Surgical Nurse Zuzana says how the surgery is the easy part of your Rhinoplasty journey, and it is the aftercare that can be harder but this is why we have extensive aftercare programmes to ensure you can enjoy Rhinoplasty results as soon as possible.

What to expect after surgery

After any Rhinoplasty surgery, you can expect to see bruising and swelling around the eyes and nose area during the healing process. It is normal that this may be apparent for 2-3 weeks after surgery but if you are concerned in any way then please do not hesitate to contact us.

In addition to bruising and swelling, it is also common to experience moderate pain & discomfort (whilst normal for up to 72 hours post-surgery, painkillers will be prescribed but for any further pain and discomfort, please contact us). A lot of our patients only take painkillers for around three days following their Rhinoplasty. We sometimes also offer our patients antibiotics too.

Expect Bruising & Swelling

The visible signs of surgery, such as bruising and swelling, may develop a few days following your surgery, but this is perfectly normal and will improve. Depending on each individual, swelling may be apparent around the eyes also. It is also important to note that because of the swelling, the nose will often be broader, the nasal tip turned up, and less refined than desired. However, the swelling will disappear in the following weeks and months, slowly revealing the new structure and definition of your nose.

This image shows our patient just six days following her Rhinoplasty and she has some mild bruising beneath the eyes, overall however, she is looking great considering the extensive nose reduction she underwent.

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Expect Nasal Stuffiness

This is another symptom that can occur after a Rhinoplasty and is something that can drive our patients crazy. As we advise after Rhinoplasty not to blow your nose for a few days afterwards because this can disturb the internal sutures.

It will improve incredibly once the internal nasal splints have been removed after 5-7 days post-surgery, and then you’ll also be able to use a nasal spray to help clear any congestion too.

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Expect Mucus in the Throat

Due to the splints in the nose, it encourages more mucus to develop in the nose and throat but expect this to improve 5-7 days post-surgery.

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Expect Numbness or Loss of Feeling

Often some patients may experience a loss of sensation around the tip of the nose, upper lip, and roof of the mouth, this is due to the nerves being disrupted during the surgery but you can expect this to return in weeks after the surgery

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If you are concerned with any side effects post-surgery, please seek advice from our clinic immediately.

Treatments To Enhance Your Aftercare

POST-SURGERY HEALING

We cannot strongly advise the importance of allowing your nose and skin to heal and recover, so we advise our patients to be extremely gentle with themselves after their surgery, and generally advise them taking a week off work. We also recommend avoiding intense exercise for up to six weeks, however, in the days following you Rhinoplasty we do advise our patients to go on small walks to help circulation which can be beneficial to the healing process. Once signed off by the surgeon, you’ll be able to continue your normal activities.

Another way to enhance your post-Rhinoplasty healing, you can book in for the following treatments to promote further healing:

LED Light Therapy

We use a Celluma ‘halo’ which delivers a mix of lightwaves to rejuvenate and heal the skin following surgery. It is a pain-free, non-invasive light treatment engineered in the most efficacious way to help heal the skin and cells post-surgical treatment, it emits both red and blue lights which are able to penetrate the skin’s dermal layers so effectively that the energy triggers your body’s natural cell process to stimulate and accelerate collagen production, which harmoniously rejuvenates, replenishes and repairs skin, speeding up recovery. All the activity is done beneath the skin, and works to stimulate the skin’s surface, promoting it to heal, rejuvenate and enhance your skin’s radiance. Speeding up tissue repair, strengthening skin cells, bolstering the epidermal layer and advancing fibroblast activity, you’ll be blown away by this non-invasive advancement is pain-free yet incredibly transformative at helping to heal the nose after Rhinoplasty.

LPG Endermologie

This is another one type of facial treatment that essentially is a mechanical massage machine that helps to reduce swelling and water retention and encourages lymphatic drainage. Watch the video below to see Surgical Nurse Zuzana explain it’s benefits:

REQUEST A CONSULTATION

To request a non-surgical consultation with our injectable nurse prescriber please complete this form. Please note these consultations carry a deposit fee of £50 to secure the appointment.

Alternatively, Call Us On 0344 692 1111

Our Patient Advisors are contactable via phone Monday to Friday from the hours of 10:00 – 18:00