{"id":22669,"date":"2022-04-11T13:53:16","date_gmt":"2022-04-11T20:53:16","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=22669"},"modified":"2023-10-12T12:11:35","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T19:11:35","slug":"what-not-to-do-after-rhinoplasty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/what-not-to-do-after-rhinoplasty","title":{"rendered":"8 Things Not to Do After a Nose Job"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rhinoplasty<\/a> has become one of the most popular surgical procedures in recent years, and its patient base skews uniquely young—think teenagers<\/a>. That might make it seem like a straightforward procedure, and while that can be the case, its recovery period<\/a> is more in-depth (not to mention longer) than one might gather from a seconds-long TikTok montage.<\/p>

“The recovery period for surgical rhinoplasty varies, depending on the type of surgery performed,” says board-certified Beverly Hills, California, facial plastic surgeon Dr. Deepak Raj Dugar<\/a>. “On average, [it] can take anywhere between 6 and 12 weeks for general swelling and inflammation to come down.” Then, he adds, 6 to 12 months<\/em> for the micro-swelling to subside and results to fully show.<\/p>

Not surprisingly, most post-op recommendations are intended to reduce that inflammation, which can happen at a different pace for each patient, says board-certified New York City facial plastic surgeon Dr. Dara Liotta<\/a>. “The very last place for swelling to resolve is around the tip of the nose,” she says. “In patients with thicker skin or in the case of revision rhinoplasty, it may actually take up to two years to see all the definition around that area.” <\/p>

With that in mind, here’s what to avoid in the days and weeks following rhinoplasty, to ensure the best possible results.<\/p>

1. Don’t ice your nose<\/h2>

While icing your nose might be an obvious way to reduce general swelling, it actually should be avoided following your surgery—a recommendation that usually surprises patients. “Icing in the first 48 hours contracts the blood vessels and lessens the amount of bruising and swelling that develops,” says Dr. Liotta, who recommends icing the nose for 20 minutes of each hour (only while you’re awake) during that time. “After 48 hours, however, once swelling and bruising are established, we actually want the blood vessels to deliver blood to the area to help ‘clean up’ the bruising.” In fact, applying ice to your nose after that time period will actually make bruising and swelling last longer.<\/p>

Interested in rhinoplasty?<\/small><\/div>Find Doctors Near You<\/a><\/div>

2. Don’t wear your glasses<\/h2>

Glasses pose a unique dilemma, as they may be a necessary part of life for both nearsighted and farsighted people. The issue: “Glasses sit on the bridge of the nose and can cause an alteration in the soft tissue swelling during the acute healing period,” Dr. Dugar explains. He recommends avoiding them or, if that’s not possible, using an optic bridge, which is a device that supports the glasses using the cheeks rather than the bridge of the nose. <\/p>

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