How long should one avoid blowing their nose after a septorhinoplasty?

Question

Would like to clean my nose very badly, lots of crusting I would like to get rid of so I can start breathing properly for this moment I have been waiting for. As I do not want to cause any side effects or ruin any of my results how long approx. should one wait before blowing/ and cleaning their nose?

Rod J. Rohrich, MD · Answer

I recommend that my patients do not blow their nose for the first 3-4
weeks if they have had a septo-rhinoplasty surgery, this is very

important. Talk to your Board
Certified Plastic Surgeon, as there are treatments to ease sinus congestion such as
sterile saline spray and oral decongestant.

Tanveer Janjua, MD · Answer

It is best not to blow the nose for 1 week after rhinoplasty or septoplasty.  During this time you can use copious amounts of saline spray to loosen any secretions that was then run down to the nose or into the throat and you can spit it out.RegardsDr. J

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Every doctor is a bit different, but I usually tell patients not to put anything in their nose while the splint is on. After about a week and after coming out of the shower they can gently use a q-tip to gently remove mucous. Dilute peroxide and water can be used to soften crust.

Benjamin C. Paul, MD · Answer

You should really ask your surgeon, because only your surgeon knows the details of the operation performed.Thanks for your question. Best of luck with your recovery.

John B. Lazor, MD, MBA, FACS · Answer

I instruct my patients to use saline sprays and ointment (Bacitracin) to soften the crusting over the first week.  At their first post op visit (one week after surgery) I will suction out the nasal cavity.  I allow them to blow their nose gently over the second week and usually normally by the third week.  Please discuss with your surgeon his or her specific instructions

Bryan Correa, MD · Answer

I generally counsel my patients to wait 3 weeks. Each surgeon is different, so I would suggest discussing your concerns with your specific surgeon. Good luck!

Kailash Narasimhan, MD · Answer

Dear aesthetics93I ask patients to wait for a month because I dont want to trigger any increased pressure which might stir up bleeding or swelling.  I do suction and clean out the nose in the office early after surgery and tell patients they may gently use saline sprays to soften contents before that month period.  Different docs have different protocols so you may want to ask your surgeon. Good luck!Dr Narasimhan

Chen Lee, MD · Answer

Best to consult your surgeon to review his protocol specific for the structural work performed.  Noses subjected to nasal osteotomies, cartilage grafts, or inferioir turbinate work are sensitive to displacement and bleeding when one blows their nose.  Therefore, it is best to consult your treating surgeon on the specific limits permissible for you to perform.  In my practice, I perform the first intranasal cleaning in my office at 7-10 days after surgery.  At that first post-operative visit I instruct my patients how to perform daily home cleansing of the intranasal incisions with cotton tip applicators so as to not disrupt tissue healing.  If much structural work has been performed, I ask patients to re-frame from manipulation and blowing of the nose for 4 weeks.  Best of luck to you.

How long should one avoid blowing their nose after a septorhinoplasty?

Answers (8)

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