How Long After a Rhinoplasty Does the Face Look “normal” Again?

The plastic surgeons on this website are constantly reminding patients the changes occur after rhinoplasty for months. However the obvious swelling that gives away a rhinoplasty is usually gone a couple of weeks.

        In a closed rhinoplasty, most patients will look very good at 2 to 3 weeks.  

 

 

 

Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

The initial healing period is about 2 weeks. You will have a hard cast on the nose the first week followed by brown paper tape the second week. Any bruising around the eyes after surgery is typically resolved at 2 weeks post-op, but it may last slightly longer depending on the patient. You will still be swollen after 2 weeks, but able to go back to work and resume normal activity. Some patients return to work sooner, but it really depends on the individual. The time of the "after" photos can vary, and it really depends on the surgeon. For example, there may be a single after photo, or a series of after photos at 3 month time intervals documenting the patient's healing progress.  I hope this helps, and best of luck to you.

Recovery depends on how you define it.  It is also variable for this procedure based on the extent of the operation and the thickness of the skin.  On average most patients can return to social activities after about 10-14 days.  At 3-4 weeks a significant amount of swelling has resolved so that the swelling is not obvious to the casual observer.  It takes 6-12 months for the swelling to resolve enough to be photo ready.  Final results cannot be fully evaluated until at least 12 months. 

Most patients can return to work and social activities one week following surgery. Bruising can occasionally persist for up to 10 days depending upon exactly what was done during surgery. Post-surgery photos are typically taken at 3-12 months following surgery when the swelling has mostly subsided. I hope this information is helpful.