What Day is Your Nose Most Swollen After Surgery?

Swelling after most surgical procedures is maximal at about 36 hours afterward.  This varies however, depending on many factors:  How much lymphatic drainage of the nose was disrupted by your procedure, how much electrocautery was used and where, how much bleeding you have post-operatively and where, your fluid and salt intake patterns, etc.

The first 2-3 days directly after your rhinoplasty would be
the time that your nose is most swollen, as the procedure and your associated
recovery are still fresh and recent. If you are worried about being in a social
setting because of your swelling, I would advise that you plan your schedule
accordingly. Plan to take off about a week from your normal routine, as this is
the most dramatic part of your recovery process. After this time, you can apply
light makeup to help mask swelling and will likely feel more comfortable going
out in public.

When I counsel my patients prior to their rhinoplasty surgery I warn them that their swelling will be more dramatic between days 3-5 then what it was like immediately after surgery.  The swelling usu sally subsides significantly by day 7 and the healing process will go on for months.  There are of course variations in healing times but, these time frames can be used as a guideline.

Swelling gets worse over 48 hrs, so I would have to say day 3 should be the max. Apply ice and use Arnica Montana to reduce bruising and swelling. Check with your surgeon.

There is no set day that the swelling is at its "maximum".  Rather, know that the swelling decreases as time goes by and it may take months for the entire swelling to go away, usually 12 to 18 months.

In general for any facial plastic procedure swelling peaks at about 3 days. With rhinoplasty the tape and cast hold some of the swelling down which then subsides over the first week. When the cast is removed at 5-7 days you can have some rebound swelling though not usually as much as in the first 3 days. 80% of the edema is usually resolved by 6-8 weeks and sometimes sooner. The final 20% can take up to one year.

The swelling after rhinoplasty hits a peak after the third day, and settles down considerably by six to seven. Much of the swelling is in the tip, the more 'mobile' area of the nose as the splint will control swelling over the bridge.
Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

The first important consideration is whether the surgery is a primary or a revision surgery.  The following statements are based on primary surgery.

Swelling is maximum at 48 h

Then swelling subsides

A rebound swelling occurs 24 hours after the splint is removed and this tapers over the next 3-5 days.

Raghu Athre, MD

There is no set time for when this would happen but I'd say the first post-op day after the Rhinoplasty and the day after the nasal cast is removed.