Recovery after Rhinoplasty

As with any surgical procedure, your recovery after a Rhinoplasty treatment should something you consider a long time before you decide to go ahead. Downtime isn’t as bad as some patients might think, but nose surgery is still a serious operation and should always be treated as such.
The first thing to remember is that you are an individual, your procedure is completely individual and therefore your recovery will be completely individual too. While it is undoubtedly useful to speak to others about how they found their recovery, never judge yourself entirely on them. First of all, your body will have a completely different healing process and secondly, they might have had a completely different form of nose surgery to you. Internet forums are an amazing way to understand a treatment, but your first source should always be the clinic and doctor who understand your medical background.

There are several different types of Rhinoplasty, ranging from treatments to correct the the bridge, nose top and alar bases (Standard Rhinoplasty) to a full nose correction for a deviated septum (Septo-Rhinoplasty­), and Rhino-Tip treatment to address just the tip and alar bases. 
Rhinoplasty and Septo-Rhinoplasty are normally performed under general anaesthetic, meaning most patients will be required to stay in hospital overnight. Rhino-Tip treatments, meanwhile, are generally performed under local anaesthetic meaning you can return home (accompanied by a friend or relative) a few hours later. Likewise the treatments performed under general anesthetic are normally more invasive, meaning you will likely see more swelling and bruising for a longer period than you would with the less invasive Rhino-tip treatment.
Regardless of which Rhinoplasty procedure you have, we always advise for someone to stay with you for the first 24-48 hours after your treatment. Likewise, you’ll be told to sleep at 45 degrees with a 3-4 pillows for the first week to support your neck and reduce swelling. For most treatments we will normally advise taking around 10-14 days before you return to work; after about the seventh day you’ll have your protective splints and tape removed making the treatment harder to detect, though you will likely still have some swelling and bruising – the worst of which will have subsided after 2-3 weeks.
Sun exposure, smoking and alcohol are all things to avoid for a long as possible during your healing process. Your facial skin will be highly susceptible to sunburn and pigmentation, meaning any damage or changes could be permanent. Plenty of fluids and good nutrition are also compulsory to aid healing, though step-by-step advice and information will be given to you according to your medical background and the severity of your procedure.
You’ll normally be able to see the general shape and result after about seven days when your splint first comes off, but healing will continue for a lot longer after this. Some patients won’t see the final result until about 12 months after the procedure, though you should always have close contact with your clinic to fully understand this and alleviate any concerns.
At The Private Clinic we’re there to help you at every stage of your treatment; from making sure you get the advice you need beforehand, to our dedicated care for as long as you need it afterwards. If we don’t think a treatment is right for you to begin with we won’t let you go ahead and, if you have any concerns at all during your recovery, we’ll be there to answer them and make sure everything’s alright. From choosing the UK’s top plastic surgeons, to finding the most caring patient advisors – our aim is to make every aspect of your journey what you expect, and everything you deserve.