After Care Advice for Rhinoplasty?

Once your nasal splint has been removed (usually 5-7) days, there is not much after care. For the first three weeks the bones are not completely stabilized and you should avoid any contact sport. After that you can resume your sports and activities. You will notice some redness and swelling after rhinoplasty especially after exercise or exposure to sun or consuming too much salt. You can also get acne breakouts on the nose. All these are temporary and resolve on their own. If it is taking too long, then you can use certain acne medications for quick relief. The healing process of the nose can go on for one whole year. Fortuantely, after the first month you really don't have to do much except protect it from sun exposure.
Regards

Rhinoplasty surgery is frequently accompanied by the development of scar tissue.  This scar tissue may occur in several locations including external incisions, the subcutaneous tissue and the internal nasal cavity.  Excess scar tissue can result in impairment of nasal function and alterations in nasal aesthetics.

            Scar formation in the vast majority of patients is normal to some degree.  It typically responds to conservative management including massage and tincture of time.  In rare situations, more aggressive treatments may be necessary.  This may require surgical scar revision or steroid injection.

            Major interventions for scarring shouldn’t be undertaken for at least one year following rhinoplasty surgery.  During this period, scar tissue gradually softens and swelling slowly resolves.  In many cases areas of concern will have total resolution without intervention. 

If you have concerns about scarring following rhinoplasty, make sure you discuss this with your plastic surgeon.  Your surgeon will be able to recommend the appropriate course of action to ensure the best possible result from rhinoplasty surgery.  

Thank yu for your question. Healing varies from person to person but following the advice from Dr. Patel, such as keeping your head elevated,  may shorten the recovery time.  There will be bruising around your eyes and cheeks which should resolve within a few days of the procedure. Minor bleeding is not uncommon. Discoloration will resolve after one week and the swelling should go down within several weeks. Once your Nose Job is complete, you can expect to go return to normal daily activities within 7 to 10 days. Exercise should be put on hold for a few weeks so the bones and cartilage have a chance to heal properly. The sensitivity of your nose from the procedure should ease within several weeks. Best of luck!Dhaval M. Patel Double Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Hoffman Estates Barrington Oakbrook Chicago 

Care of rhinoplasty surgery is actually pretty easy. It generally does not hurt like what you're afraid of. It feels more like a stuffy swelling or sinus congestion. The key to care is .... elevation and ice. Ice, ice, and more ice. The more you ice down the less bruising and swelling you will have. Elevate your head to reduce swelling too. I also am a believer in sing Arnica Montana. This is a homeopathic preparation that seemss to really help reduce bruising and swelling. Above all ele though, always listen to your own surgeon nd you should do just fine.

 Ice will decrease the amount of swelling and potential scar build up. Don't get the nose sunburned or traumatized. There is nothing else to do unless you want to waste money on marketed products with no evidence to support their claims.

Judging by your two questions, you're concerned about scar-tissue after your rhinoplasty.
The best advice I can give you is to keep regular follow-ups with your surgeon. If there is unusual swelling or "scar-tissue" developing, triamcinolone (steroid) injections may be of benefit.
Best regards.

I just asnwered a question about massage after rhinoplasty and realself prefers that we not repeat ourselves so please refer to this answer.
Avoiding excessive swelling is important (ice, elevation, nose compresion with splint, rest with limited strenuous exercise are useful).
Manual lymphatic drainage is one controversial option.
Cessation of tobacco use or second hand smoke for a minimum of 2 weeks (and sometimes 6) before and after is advised by many.
Minimize sun exposure the week before and for 3-4 months after.

In general, your nose has less natural protection from the sun right after rhinoplasty. All the tissue was just elevated off of the internal structure of the nose, including the bone and cartilage, and blood vessels were coagulated in order to do this. There fore we weakened the nose's natural defense since we weakened its blood supply. This blood supply grows back , but it can take quite a bit of time to happen. In the first 6 weeks, your nose is less naturally resistant to UV rays and is more likely to burn and get discolored. Also, since your nose is mostly numb early on, its less likely that you are to notice the problem until its too late. I recommend you stay out of the sun as much as possible in the first 6 weeks after surgery. If you are in the sun for short periods of time, stay in the shade, and wear a big hat and a good sunblock. Do not wear sun glasses in the first 6 weeks, or any glasses for that matter, if osteotomies were performed, (breaking of the nasal bones). You can get your nose wet as soon as the splint comes off, but I would be careful about chlorinated pools early on until the incision is fully healed an more mature, as the chlorine can irritate the incision. The gym and anything that increases you blood pressure will increase the swelling of your nose and delay your healing time. I recommend 6 weeks for this as well. Sometimes it can take longer for your skin to mature, even a year and more in some cases. I suggest that you wear sun block for at least a year every day while out in the sun.Best Wishes, Pablo Prichard, MD

Care after nasal shaping can be very simple for patients and control of swelling is the best assurance of an early and smooth recovery. After the procedure the taping and splinting applied are there largely to control the swelling and to provide a stable platform for healing as the nose is reshaped. The day after rhinplasty it is helpful to apply ice over the bridge of the nose, keep your head elevated, and avoid any bending or straining. The swelling will reach a peak at three days and then subside over the next three days at which time we remove the splint, about one week. The nose will be stiff, though the result will be off to a good start in the healing process. At this point there is little risk of scar buildup.
After the first week patients can sleep flat and we add saline spray to keep the nose moist and comfortable. Sunscreen during healing is a must. We have not found massage very helpful though some patients feel that it does relieve some the stiffness as healing progresses.
Best of luck,
peterejohnsonmd

Early post- op care after rhinoplasty includes cold compresses or ice( frozen peas) on the face fir the first 24 hours.   Head elevation is important to minimize swelling.  A dressing under the nostrils to catch fluid also is helpful.  Minimize excessive exertion for the first few weeks.