What is the timeline for African American rhinoplasty recovery?

Recovery time  from African American Rhinoplasty can vary. Most patients are back into daily activities by the end of a week. Athletics can be resumed at six weeks. Patients give written permission for use of their pictures. Many do not feel comfortable allowing doctors to post them online, but may allow them to use them in their office. Your weight affects the proportion of the face, but not directly the nose. If you loose weight the nose will not get skinnier. Loosing weight may help to narrow the face and affect the impact of the nose on the face. often we will do facial liposuction to help set the shape of the face. Potential side effects of rhinoplasty are rare but include; bleeding, infection, asymetry, scarring, difficulty breathing,etc. While patients notice an improvement at one week when the splint is removed, it may take 12-18 months to realize the final outcome.

After rhinoplasty surgery, you will have a hard cast on the nose the first week followed by brown paper tape the second week. You will want to take it easy the first week, getting lots of rest and keeping the head elevated. You may gradually increase activity during week two. Any strenuous activities should be avoided for the first 4-5 weeks after your procedure. When browsing through the websites of prospective surgeons, you should be able to find some patients that had their tip refined. Check the before and after galleries. Seeing a patient that had a procedure that satisfies needs similar to yours is a great way to get the feel of a surgeon's work. In general, refining the nasal tip can yield a fantastic result when performed by a skilled surgeon. Your weight will not affect your nose. This is something that would have more of an effect on your chin and/or neck area. The side effects of a rhinoplasty may include:



1) Swelling


2) Bruising


3) Congestion


4) Bleeding


5) Mild pain



The final result generally takes a year to see. The majority of the swelling resolves in the first 3-6 months, and the remainder goes down over time. I hope this information helps, and good luck to you!


However, full healing takes year or more. The thicker the skin the longer it takes. For African American noses that often have thick skin, we create tip definition by actually adding graft of your own cartilage to press into the skin and make the tip look more defined. Weight has little to do with nose definition other than a thinner face will make a nose stand out more. Visit a few doctors and see who you feel  most comfortable with. Ask to see their before and afters as well.

Thank you for your question. Recovery from rhinoplasty is 1-3 weeks depending on the extent of the procedure.  Recovery has several components.  The first is how soon can you return to normal social acitivities (1-3 weeks), the second swelling (6-12 months) and the third scar maturation (12-18 months).  There is sometimes slight alteration in smell which resolves in about two weeks.  Tip sensation takes several months to return to normal.  Breathing through the nose takes a couple of weeks to improve as long as the airway is not compromised by the procedure. African american rhinoplasty is a specialized procedure. Restoring tip definition, dorsal augmentation or narrowing and nostril definition should be restored in a way that enhances appearance without compromising ethnicity.  You can overdo it.  Consult with a surgeon that has experience and the socio-cultural sensibilities to address your concersn.  All the best.

The initial recovery period takes around two weeks. You will have a hard cast on your nose the first week, and then your hard cast will be removed and you will have brown paper tape placed on the nose the second week. Activity should be limited the first week after surgery and should be increased gradually during week two. For before and after photos, look for a surgeon who has experience performing ethnic rhinoplasty. Your weight will not affect the appearance of your nose. Following rhinoplasty, you will experience some bruising and swelling, minor pain, and congestion for the first two weeks. Look for a board certified surgeon who has a great deal of experience. A variety of before and after photos, great patient testimonials, and the office are all things to take into consideration. I hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck.

Tip definition, narrowing the base, increasing projection, and other changes are routine not only for AA rhinoplasty, but other ethnicities as well.  Most consultations are free.  See a few docs in your area (including me of course) to understand what to expect and decide who can produce for you the result you want.

African American rhinoplasty recovery usually takes a little longer than thin-skinned Caucasian rhinoplasty.  This is due to thicker sebaceous skin overlying the nose which takes much longer to heal than thin skin.  It is important to not be overweight and have an acceptable BMI before undergoing elective cosmetic surgery as an outpatient procedure.  Remember that surgery is done under general anesthesia.  Full healing on a rhinoplasty takes about one full year, but the majority of the improvement is evident within the first 3 to 6 months.

All of your questions are good and can be answered by your surgeon during consultation. Your concerns are quite typical, including looking natural and balancing the proportions of the nose. Weight does not typically affect the final result. You should expect the nose to look fairly good within the first month after surgery but appearance will change gradually over the course of a year. Best of Luck   Dr Harrell

Usually patients inmy practice have a nasal splint for one week and sutures are removed at that time as necessary.  I recommend limiting exertion for 4-6 weeks and no glasses leaning on the nose for about 6 weeks.