How Soon After Rhinoplasty Can I Fly or Exercise?

Hi I,

Let's save the best for last. Patients may fly 6-7 days following rhinoplasty. Patients may begin light walking at 4-7 days, but wait about 18-21 days before vigorous exercise.

Based on the previous two time periods, you are in the best "position" to determine when you can be intimate. My patients are allowed to "make love" after 10 days, but they must wait 18-21 days for vigorous "sex".

Make sure that you follow your surgeons instructions. Enjoy your new nose and everything else. Be well.

Dr. P

Every doctor is different, but I suggest 6 weeks for exercise. Intimacy is about being careful, so you can have fun earlier if you are careful. Concern for flying is about dryness. Be sure to humidify your nose frequently during your flight.

With an open rhinoplasty that does not require nasal packing, flying is safe immediately. I ask patients to refrain from strenuous exercise for a week to avoid sweating the nasal splint off, and to avoid swelling. After that, I place no restrictions other than avoiding significant nasal trauma from activities such as contact sports.

We generally let our patients....

• Fly in one week if they must, but I prefer 10 days to 2 weeks
• Get on an elliptical machine in 3 weeks
• Run in 3-4 weeks as long as it does not hurt.  A lot of pressure transmits up to your nose when you plant your foot.

Many of my patients are from all around the U.S.A. I allow my patients to fly within 7-10 days after I perform a rhinoplasty. We like to take out their internal nasal splints and make sure that they have nasal spray such as an Afrin type spray for middle ear decompression during take off and landing. One needs to also know there will be more swelling when flying after rhinoplasty for up to 3 months.

The main reason to limit exercise, activity and flying after rhinoplasty is to limit the swelling which could prolong recovery and to prevent a nose bleed.  Nose bleeds typically occur within the first 24 hours, and then at days 7- 10 after the surgery, when the clot / scab comes off any incisions inside the nose.  So, I do not have my patients fly or travel extensively for 48 hours after the rhinoplasty.  They can travel, and many have flown back to their homes on days 3,4 and 5.  Activity should be limited again for days 7-10.  If they have to fly on days 7-10, they are to take Afrin nasal spray one hour before the flight.  

Once the cast comes off, the swelling typically  increases for a short period of time.  So when is it OK to return to activity?  I tell my patients to wait another 1 - 2 weeks after the cast comes off and then to proceed with activity slowly.  If there is pain, throbbing, or pressure, then stop exercising and wait another 5 days.  Repeat as necessary until you can exercise without pain, pressure or throbbing. 

Our primary concerns with this are the potential for bleeding which are greatest within the first 24 hours and at 7-10 days after surgery. Therefore, physical exertion which can raise your blood pressure should be strictly avoided during this period.

In regards to physical contact, this depends on what was done. A reconstructive rhinoplasty with bone grafts and cartilage grafts requires greater protection than a simple tip rhinoplasty.

My general rule is to use the week number as the number of miles/hr you would set on a treadmill. For example:

Week 1 = 1 mph

Week 2 = 2 mph

Week 3 = 3 mph

But the most important thing is to ask you surgeon.

Restrictions after rhinoplasty generally are there to prevent bleeding in the post-operative period. For most surgery, problems with bleeding are usually encountered 7-10 days after the procedure. This is when increased activity can cause a clot to break off a partially healed vessel. These activities include things like nose blowing, strenuous lifting, intimacy, and exercise. We usually allow return to full activity after 2 weeks. Obviously, if there are any issues, that time period is extended.

Flying can be safe after 2 weeks, although we usually recommend waiting 3-4 weeks. The main reason for this recommendation is to avoid being at 30,000 feet if you do happen to have a nose bleed. Pressure changes and dry air can also increase the risk of problems.

Finally, exercise at 2 weeks can sometimes promote temporary increases in swelling. If that occurs, then just dial down the exertion and taper your activity according to how it affects the nose. Nothing permanent will occur if you do happen to swell.

We ask our patients to delay any air travel for a minimum of 7 days after rhinoplasty. No exercise for a full 2 weeks; during the 3rd week patients start with a gentler work out to return to "full force" activity after 3 weeks. The same applies for heavy lifting etc.

For your final recommendations, please refer to the preferences of your rhinoplasty surgeon as he/she may differ from our routine.

Best wishes.

After a rhinoplasty there will be a period of time when the internal structures of the nose are swollen. During this period of time, the normal equalization of pressure which occurs between the nose and the inner ear can be impaired. This can lead to earache while flying which cannot be cleared. Usually, if discomfort in the ears occur while flying, it can be alleviated by pinching the nose and blowing the nose at the same time. With some of the swelling that occurs after rhinoplasty, this may not be possible. If you need to fly soon after a rhinoplasty, it would be helpful to use some type of nasal spray such as Afrin to help reduce swelling and prevent this problem.

Some patients are at increased risk for developing life-threatening blood clots. Many practices employ a grading system to determine your particular risk for this problem. One of the criteria for this grading system can be confined travel within one week of your operation. If a grading system such as this is employed and you score high enough to require blood thinners after surgery, then it may be best to delay any flying in the immediate postoperative period in order to remove this particular risk.

After rhinoplasty, the internal tissues are still swollen and any significant increased blood pressure in the vessels of the face can lead to prolonged swelling. It is advisable not to engage in any activity strenuous enough to make your face turn red for three to four weeks after a rhinoplasty.