What is the recovery time for alar rim graft surgery of retracted nostrils ?

Hello, and thank you for your question. Generally, the recovery timeline for rhinoplasty will take about 1-2 weeks and for the initial bruising and swelling to subside so that you can return to work and daily activity. We recommend no exercise for 4 weeks, followed by light exercise and increasing gradually. The swelling of the nose will take up to a year to fully resolve before the final result.

Recovery time varies based on what type of rhinoplasty is used (open vs. closed), skin thickness, what technical maneuvers are used at surgery. If an endonasal (closed) approach is used to lower the nostril rims and raise the columella, you could probably go back to work in 1-2 weeks. The nose would be swollen for longer, but most likely this wouldn't be very noticeable to others. A more involved procedure would have more down-time. Remember, down-time is always variable.

It would take about 1 week of taping to help reduce swelling after this procedure, which is about the same as any other rhinoplasty minus the dorsal splint.  

Hi  Kind2853,
In most cases, alar rim graft surgery falls into the category of a minor rhinoplasty. On average, you should be ready to return to your daily activities within 7 to 10 days after the operation. However, you may have to wait up to 12 months in order to appreciate the final results. Keep in mind that the procedure itself takes less than an hour and initial recovery is relatively fast. To get the best results, always make sure you consult with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon.
Best of luck
Dr. Sam Rizk

Thank you for the great question. If all you really need is  placement of an alar rim graft (or composite graft) for alar retraction or symmetry, this can typically be done in the office with local (and oral sedation as needed). In most cases, the cartilage would be borrowed from the ear. The procedure would take about 30-45 minutes and recovery should be pretty quick, depending on the size of the graft and the donor site. Thank you and best of luck!

Two processes intersect here. One is, healing is always the same unless infection interfers. It takes one year for the nose to heal on average. On the other hand if lesser surgery is performed, then there is less area of the nose to heal and may seem like a shorter time. It's not. Just perception. But you may be able to return to work or school sooner.

Hello and thank you for your question. While you should be back to regular activities within a couple of weeks, the full recovery from your surgery will likely take up to one year. During that time, you might see swelling subside and reappear, making it difficult to see your full results right away. 

For a columellar tuck or rim grafts, you should expect some mild swelling at the columella and along the nasal rim but after 2 weeks this will be difficult for your co-workers or even your family to tell.  Alar rim grafts, depending on size, can swell a bit more than a columellar tuck.  In either case, healing occurs over a full year.  

Hello, thank you for the question.After a Rhinoplasty procedure healing process is crucial and takes at least one year long and it can change case to case, for exampla thick skinned patients need more time to totaly heal.Best Regards,

If the surgeon only works on the lower part of the nose, and does not elevate the skin of the nose very much, healing time is usually 7-10 days prior to return to work.  If the septum is involved, recovery can be slightly longer.