What Day is Your Nose Most Swollen After Surgery?

Swelling after most surgical procedures is maximal at about 36 hours afterward.  This varies however, depending on many factors:  How much lymphatic drainage of the nose was disrupted by your procedure, how much electrocautery was used and where, how much bleeding you have post-operatively and where, your fluid and salt intake patterns, etc.

When I counsel my patients prior to their rhinoplasty surgery I warn them that their swelling will be more dramatic between days 3-5 then what it was like immediately after surgery.  The swelling usu sally subsides significantly by day 7 and the healing process will go on for months.  There are of course variations in healing times but, these time frames can be used as a guideline.

Swelling gets worse over 48 hrs, so I would have to say day 3 should be the max. Apply ice and use Arnica Montana to reduce bruising and swelling. Check with your surgeon.