Rhinoplasty post op care

Post-op care is just as important as the surgery itself. Whether it’d be a major change or just a small refinement, it’s the same post-op care! Your nose needs time for it to heal, not just the outside, but internally as well, and this takes at least a month! So, give your nose some serious TLC especially for the first month!

1. Swelling and bruising
Silicone would be inserted to the bridge of the nose and cartilages such as septum and ear cartilage would also be placed on the tip of the nose. Swelling and bruising on the nose, cheeks and ears are to be expected after a rhinoplasty procedure. Don’t panic. This is normal and you could minimize swelling by doing ice compress and don’t stay in bed and be active! Still got some bruising? No problem! Warm compress after day 4 post-op would help with that!

2. Keep your personal hygiene clean
Your incision site on the columella and back of the ear should be kept clean, and don’t forget the inside of your nose as well. We want a clean environment for your wound to heal, so if you see any boogers make sure you take them out! Saline solution and cotton bud will be your best friend after your rhinoplasty, so stock up on those, and don’t forget to apply the ointment as prescribed!

Still on the topic of personal hygiene, with you have a fresh wound on the back of your ear, you may be unsure on when to wash your hair. You can start washing your hair after day 3 post-op (or as instructed), make sure you don’t irritate the area and have the incision site dry!

3. Do not remove the cast or taping on your own
You will need to have that cast and tape on your nose until we remove it for you. We know it can get itchy and you may also be curious on how your nose would look like underneath that cast and tape, but they are there to optimize recovery! The cast protects your nose from external trauma and taping minimizes swelling as well! **Be careful not to bump your nose after you remove your cast though!

4. Food & beverage
Popular questions we get from our rhinoplasty patients, are there any food restrictions?
Please avoid salty and spicy food! We don’t want you to swell up or have runny nose 😂 Yes, you can have caffeine, but don’t use straws for your iced drinks! Other than that, you can consume food as per normal, and remember to your prescribed medications too!

5. Absolutely no smoking and alcohol consumption!
Smoking may cause vasoconstriction and alcohol may cause inflammation, which we don’t want while your body is healing from surgery. We don’t want to see post-op inflammation after your surgery, or worse, necrosis! At least for the first month, these are absolutely no-no❌

Having a new nose also means that you have a new routine, but it doesn’t seem too much of a hassle if you have a beautiful new nose! Now that you’ve learned a few tips on how to take care of your nose after rhinoplasty, how about you come into Marble Plastic Surgery and get a rhinoplasty consultation to start your nose job journey?