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Is It OK to Gently Clean the Inside of Your Nose with a Moist Q-tip the Day After Surgery?

asked 8 months ago by Troyboy84 in Sydney, 02
Latest answer by Francis R. Palmer, III, MD
Question viewed 136 times
Tags: 1 day post-op, cleaning

After I got home I cleaned the inside of my nose with a Q-tip and then gently wiped excess mucas with a Kleenex tissue. I then applied some Vaseline to keep the area moist and stop it from drying out. I also used a saline spray as I thought it would clear and further leaking. I repeated a couple more times and now I feel a little discomfort. It might just be part of the swelling but I wanted to know if this is this OK? Is it normal?

3 answers to Is It OK to Gently Clean the Inside of Your Nose with a Moist Q-tip the Day After Surgery?

+1

Is It OK to Gently Clean the Inside of Your Nose with a Moist Q-tip the Day After Surgery?

I do not advice any of my Rhinoplasty patients to clean their noses with Q tips for the first 6 months...and certainly not the day after the surgery. You have more chance of creating an injury and should let the surgeons staff do that for you.
Francis R. Palmer, III, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Care after Rhinoplasty

We always have our patients gently clean and they are given written instructions saline nasal spray is available over the counter arnica gel is useful adding moisture and decreases swelling bacitracin ointment will loosen crusting and moisten the mucosa
Jed H. Horowitz, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

Leave the cleaning to your surgeon

It is best to leave the cleaning of the nose to your surgeon. Your surgeon will clean the nose with q-tips and peroxide and remove any excess dried blood. Nasal sprays unless ordered by your surgeon should not be used right after surgery. The discomfort may be from added pressure due to the spray. I place small packs in the nose which are removed in 24 hours and a small gauze fold bandage under the nose which will take care of any excess drainage if you have any. See your surgeon regularly... more
Michael Elam, MD

Orange County Facial Plastic Surgeon

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