What Is The Proper Way For Me To Clean The Dried Mucus Out Of My Nose 3 Weeks Post-Op?

I personally demonstrate, to all of my Septorhinoplasty patients- how to irrigate their nose with the Neil-Med sinus rinse bottle. I recommend they start rinsing with warm nasal saline twice daily-commencing 10 days after surgery and continuing till day 90. You wanna clean out your nose-this is how I do it!!

Saline nasal spray or saline irrigation with a Neti Pot or a syringe is good to use and can get to mucous and dried blood very deep into the nasal cavity. For the first week post op I have my patients clean inside their nostrils with a Q-tip and hydrogen peroxide and then apply antibiotic ointment.  After 3 weeks you shouldn't need the peroxide to dissolve blood clots as your nose shouldn't still be bleeding. But a little antibiotic ointment or vaseline would help. I tell my patients not to go deeper than a ¼ inch with the Q-tip but check with your doctor.

What you are describing is to be expected and is of no concern. Crusting and hard mucous forms following any nasal surgery and can be helped with regular douching of the nose with a salt water solution. Sometimes these crusts form around where stitches are within the nose.  They form around the stitch material and can be uncomfortable but will lessen as the stitches dissolve. Try not to pull at the mucous but rather use the salt water and dab the area with a cotton bud dipped in warm salty water to soften this. Your doctor may also have given you ointment to put in the nose which could help. 

I would recommend that you call your surgeon. It is probably a good idea to be seen to make sure that everything is going well. A vaporizer can help to put extra moisture in the air while you sleep. 

I recommend keeping the nasal mucosa moist and the nostril area clean. You can buy OTC saline spray and use it many times a day--you cannot over use this. This is a good way to keep the mucosa moist, and help soften any crusting in the nasal cavity. Additionally, a room humidifier can help. I ask my patients to use a qtip with hydrogen peroxide to keep the incisions (just inside to nose) clean and clear out any crusting. At 18d post op, the need to clean the nose with a q tip should be less than in the immediate post op period. You likely did not harm anything, but if you are concerned, please see your surgeon.

By three weeks postoperative, all of your incisions should be well healed, and nasal dryness and crusting may occur. Consider asking your surgeon if saline rinses may be helpful. Nasal saline gel on a Q-Tip may also be soothing for your nose. Hope this helps! Dr Joseph

While I usually tell my patients not to put anything in their nose q-tips inclured during the post operative period, it is very unlikely you could have done any serious damage.  I usually recommend patients to use plain saline nasal spray to keep the inside moist and be patient as the crusting will eventually be dissolved and make its way out when ready.  After a revision rhinoplasty, there is often more swelling that lasts longer than the first time around, so this may not be out of the ordinary either.  But if you are concerned, the best thing is to see your surgeon and ask them to have a look.  Revision rhinoplasty does also have a higher risk of infection and its better to catch these things early. 

Hi,
It is very common to have dry mucous build up in the nose after rhinoplasty. We advise our patients to clean the very outside of the nostrils with hydrogen peroxide and antibiotic ointment for 1 week. If there is a lot of crust or debris built up and you are having trouble breathing, you can visit your surgeon and allow him/her to clean your nose with a suction vacuum. It is unlikely that you harmed your surgery by using the q-tip.  
Best,
Mehdi Sina, MD

This is an excellent question.  The answer varies from surgeon to surgeon, so be sure to check with yours. In my practice, we have an excellent technique that we teach post-operative patients that does not interfere with any healing, nor does it disturb any tissue. The best way to guarantee a great result is to ensure that patients take the best care of themselves postoperatively, since fresh rhinoplasties are fragile and need careful attention!

Hi Sunny2011,After rhinoplasty it is not unusual for crusting to develop inside the nose. Picking, of course, is not recommended as the healing incisions may open and bleed. In my experience, a thin layer of antibiotic ointment placed just inside the nostril rim with a finger will soften the crsut in this area. Also, using saline nose spray four to six times a day will soften and flush out any crusting that is further back in the nose.
Best of luck,
Dr. Kaniff