Recovering from rhinoplasty can be from something very minimal to something more significant. It really all depends on what you do with the rhinoplasty. Sometimes, the rhinoplasty entails just tailoring the sides of the nose which one can recover from very quickly. Certain tip refinements can have quick recovery times as well. One thing to know is that refining the tip as a whole may entail a quick recovery, but the refining process can take several weeks to months to take significant changing to take place. When you work on the bridge and take down a significant hump, this usually requires controlled shaping of the nasal bones which will lead to more bruising and swelling. This will extend the recovery to time to a week or more. So based on these variables, your recovery could take from as little as 3-4 days to a week or more. Most of the time your surgeon will put on a nasal splint to protect your nasal bones especially if you have the shaping of the nasal bones and this is usually left in for at least 6-7 days. Nasal obstruction is something that can be bothersome for the patient and this is variable as well. It also depends on how much is done with the septum or midline cartilage structure. I tend not to place splints inside the nose and hence breathing is usually alot better for my patients. If nothing is done to the septum your breathing can be pretty much unaffected. Pain is variable and also depends on how much is done. If you get the works for your rhinoplasty, you could had significant discomfort for a few days to a week or more. Bleeding is usually more significant the first 24-48 hours. It should be no more than a trickle. More significant bleeding should be discussed with your doctor. Swelling also depends on how much is done. The swelling in the tip could take months to resolve. It goes away quicker in the bridge area. Sutures usually are removed 5-7 days later and depends on your surgeon. If you have any questions you can always reach me through our website. Here is a video on rhinoplasty showing a live demonstration but be forewarned this may be too graphic for some.
Thanks for reading, Dr Young
Dr Young specializes in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and is located in Bellevue near Seattle, Washington