• While sleeping and resting; you should sleep with your head in a high position (with two pillows) for 4 days after the operation.
• Applying ice around the eyes for at least two days at 15-minute intervals will reduce bruising and swelling on your face. Plaster must be protected during ice application.
• Although swelling and bruising do not occur immediately after the operation, swelling and bruising may increase in the 2nd and 3rd days following the operation. Do not worry. Afterwards, these complaints will decrease rapidly.
• Pain after rhinoplasty is not a very common complaint. If you have pain, you can take the prescribed pain reliever every 8 hours. If you do not have pain, do not use painkillers.
• Depending on the nasal packing, there may be flu-like complaints (such as discharge, itching, coughing, etc.). After your tampon is removed, these complaints will pass.
• The tampon can stay in the nose for 3-5 days. Tampon removal is a painless procedure. Because there is a channel in the middle of this special soft silicone material, you can breathe easily.
• Avoid solid, dry, and hot foods for 4 days. Consume unsalted or very little salty foods for a week.
• Prefer watery, soft, not hot or cold foods that do not require much-chewing action.
• Avoid excessive mimics (such as straining, laughing, crying, shouting, yawning) for the first 4 days.
• You may have a bloody leakage from the nose for two to four days. You can clean the leak from time to time in a tapping manner. Do not force or bruise when blowing your nose.
• Avoid blowing and sneezing for three weeks.
• In order to prevent crusting in the nostrils for the first four days, the cotton part of the ear cleaning swab can be immersed in oxygenated water 3-4 times a day to clean the inside of the nose. Do not insert more than the cotton part into the nose.
• Avoid excessive physical activities (swimming, aerobics, jogging, cycling, etc.) for three weeks. Protect your nose from impact for six weeks.
• Your nose skin becomes sensitive to sunlight after surgery. Therefore, protect your nose from the sun for 8 weeks (such as solarium, sunbathing).
• You can change the gauze under the nose if any.
• The bands and plaster placed on your nose will be removed in the practice approximately 1 week after the operation. Do not remove the plaster and tapes and try to keep them dry.
• Avoid excessive physical activity and always try to rest more than normal days.
• You can brush your teeth gently with a soft toothbrush. Try not to touch your upper lip too much, and try to keep your nose motionless.
• Avoid activities that require long phone calls and long conversations for at least 10 to 14 days.
• You can take a shower with warm water. The special plaster on your nose is water resistant. But still, do not put water on your face. You can wipe your face with a cloth. You can get your hair washed at a hairdresser or you can wash it by yourself without wetting the plaster.
• Avoid excessive facial movements for at least 1 week (especially crying and laughing).
• Wear front buttoned clothes for 1 week. Do not wear tight-fitting clothing.
• Avoid excessive exposure to the sun for 6 weeks, unless you have to, and do not go to the solarium. Sunlight causes edema on your nose and face, resulting in increased swelling and delayed healing.
• Do not swim for 1 month and stay away from sports such as tennis and basketball that may cause trauma to your nose for at least 3 months.
• Do not worry about the swelling or discoloration that still exists on the nose, around the eyes, and upper lip after the tapes and plaster are removed, it will usually regress completely within 2-3 weeks. In some patients, 6 months are required for the swelling around the nose to disappear completely.
• Do not use glasses for 4 weeks as it may cause heaviness and deformity on your nose. Your contact lenses can be used 2-3 days after the operation.
• After the bandages on your nose are removed by your doctor, you can gently clean the top of your nose with vaseline intensive care lotion.

If you are considering or have had rhinoplasty, you will have many questions to ask. Besides planning your surgery date (which is super exciting!), you may be wondering what to do right after your surgery. What happens when you wake up from surgery and after you leave the hospital? How do you take care of yourself to achieve the best possible results? I’ve listened to your questions, now let’s move on to the answers!

1. Be patient!

Although a rhinoplasty takes only two hours to operate, it takes a very long time for the full results to appear. After a few months after the operation, it is very normal to begin to feel doubt about the outcome of your rhinoplasty surgery. But before you start questioning your choice of surgeon, take a deep breath! It can take up to a year (in some cases, longer) to see the full results of rhinoplasty, so try not to panic and rejoice at what you see when your splint is removed. Because this is never the final result! Recovery time varies from patient to patient, as well as depending on the preferred technique (open or closed rhinoplasty). Your surgeon will advise you on how long to wait, but for example, if your nasal hump is removed, your nose tip may heal much faster than if you had a reconstruction. Minor changes can be seen each day, so you might benefit from taking pictures of your nose every week to track the changes. If you can take the stress away, you’ll enjoy watching the shape of your new nose! Deciding to have plastic surgery is a very difficult event. So remember that you are doing something for yourself and only for yourself, and take advantage of the moment.

2. Keep the inside of the nose humid!

Your surgeon may recommend using a saline intranasal spray (saline solution) after rhinoplasty surgery. Different surgeons prefer different sprays, but many recommend using one type of nasal spray for 4-6 weeks to prevent drying of the inside of the nose. Rather than fighting the dry skin problem, keeping your nasal tissue humid (without wetting your dressing) will help you heal faster. Using a good nasal spray also helps relieve congestion, so you’ll be able to breathe easier after a few uses as well. Remember to always use the medicine as directed and listen to your surgeon’s recommendations about when and for how long to use it. It may be tempting to reach for over-the-counter medication sprays for extra relief, but you should seek advice from your surgeon first as they can affect your results.

3. Don’t clean or blow your nose!

It is quite normal to feel like your nose is blocked while the splints and tampons are still in place, especially in the first week of the rhinoplasty recovery process. You’ll have an urge to blow your nose like never before, but it’s very important to follow your surgeon’s advice about how long to wait before you start blowing your nose. Blowing your nose, sniffing deeply too soon, or sneezing can cause bleeding. Bleeding can result in a long recovery time (best case) or injury (worst case). Most likely, the stuffiness in your nose is accumulated, swollen, or bodily fluids during surgery and should stay there until your nose is ready to expel it. Note; If you haven’t been able to breathe through your nose for two weeks- don’t worry- it is a normal sign of your recovery! Also, to be honest, one of the most frustrating problems with rhinoplasty while you’re recovering can be that you’re having trouble smelling and tasting food. This is quite normal. It is not only yours but almost everyone’s problem during this process. You just have to know that it won’t last forever.

4. Use a cold compress!

Many patients experience bruising or “lippitude” in the first days of the rhinoplasty recovery process. This is completely normal and is just a side effect of swelling in the midface area. Using a cold compress or ice pack for the first 48 hours will help reduce swelling, and after this time an ice pack can be used to relieve discomfort. Tip: always wrap ice packs well to keep your dressings nice and dry.

5. Don’t be afraid of plaster and tampons!

If you asked Google “What happens after rhinoplasty?”, then you will surely read the writings of a crowd gathered for a great urban myth. Patients are afraid of considering the removal of tampons. However, you do not need to be afraid if you have had or will have rhinoplasty surgery. New generation silicone tampons will not cause anything written on those pages. But to be honest, while tampon removal may be uncomfortable for a few seconds, it comes with a new level of relaxation. It’s not pretty, and it’s a little irritating, but it needs to be performed. Apart from your tampons, it’s important to look after your dressings and always keep your splint dry. If they become loose for any reason, be sure to inform your doctor about it.

6. Don’t worry if your nose tip goes hard!

If the tip of your nose is very hard or stiff, there is no need to panic! A hard tip is usually due to the swelling of the nasal tissue. This can fluctuate throughout your recovery period and is a normal part of the healing process. The hardness of the tip may also be a sign that scar tissue is present or cartilage grafts have been used to reconstruct the nose. Following a low-salt diet can help to relieve fluid retention, so consider cutting back on the salty foods until the tip moves more naturally. If your nose has been stiff for more than a few months after nose reshaping and you feel concerned, seeking professional advice from your surgeon is always an option.

7. Learn to do nothing!

Taking a few weeks out to do absolutely nothing can be difficult and tedious, but it is paramount to your recovery. Gym bunnies, busy mothers, and girl bosses alike need to take the time to rest and recuperate- the world will still be there when you are ready to get back, so enjoy every moment! We’re not just talking about vigorous exercise; you should refrain from bending over, cleaning, and doing any actions which involve the close proximity of your face (if you can). Keeping your head elevated while you rest and sleep will allow circulation to your nose and will decrease swelling, so chuck a few extra pillows underneath your neck. Don’t be afraid to rest alone, either- you want to lower the risk of having your nose knocked by your cats, kids, and your husband while spending time with them.

8. Wear zip-up tops

This one might be obvious or something that your specialist have adviced to you, but we’d always advise to wear loose or zip-up tops during the early stages of recovery. Zip-ups are much easier to put on and you can completely avoid your mid facial area, minimising the risk of catching your new nose on a hood or toggle. While turtle neck jumpers and tight pull-over hoodies are a no-no, light and oversized jumpers can be worn if you are confident that you won’t catch or bash anything. There’s no harm in asking your partner, friend, or family member to help you- take advantage of the support where you can!