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These are great questions. The reason restrictions are placed after surgery is to optimize the success of the surgery during healing and to prevent complications. The most common complication after a septoplasty and turbinate reduction is a nose bleed. This can be minor, or severe enough to need to return to the OR. Forceful nose blowing can start a nose bleed. Sometimes packing has to be replaced in the nose under pressure to stop the nose bleed and this too can cause complications and affect your final result. What I ask my patients to do is to avoid nose blowing for 2 weeks after surgery. Anytime they feel the need to blow their nose I ask them to use nasal saline rinses. The saline rinses start the first day after surgery. You will have scabs and clots in your nose that will be tempting to pick, but I advise not picking at them until after you have seen your surgeon in follow up. This is because they may be attached to suture material that will cause you pain if pulled at. As for smoking, again, I would wait until after your first follow-up and discuss it with your surgeon. I see my patients at 1 week after surgery to get an idea of how things are healing and to address these concerns.
I appreciate your question. I would recommend that you discuss this question with your surgeon as every surgeon has their own respective post op protocol for his/her patients. Your surgeon is your best resource as he/she is most familiar with your medical history and how you are healing at this time. The best way to assess and give true advice would be an in-person exam. Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic and restorative plastic surgery. Best of luck! Dr. Schwartz Board Certified Plastic Surgeon #RealSelf100Surgeon
It's always best to ask your operative surgeon, since they're the one that performed your surgery. After a septoplasty turbinate reduction, we ask our patients not blow their nose for a week, although they can sniff as hard as they like. It's acceptable to use a netipot at any time, however is very difficult to get any saline up inside the nose for the first week due to the swelling. Best to not pick your nose. Best to not smoke weed for at least a week after the surgery to ensure optimum healing
