How Long to Stay Away from Sun After Rhinoplasty?

Question

After an open Rhinoplasty, how long must one stay out of the sun? It has been five weeks since my Rhinoplasty. My scar is healing very nicely and is already barely noticeable. It's summer and I am on a holiday, should I continue to hide from the sun? If so, for how long? Or can I go swimming if I have a 60 or 70 spf? I just don't want to compromise my results.

Michael A. Persky, MD · Answer

Hi Deformed Lipo,
We tell our patients to always practice good sun exposure common sense.  After rhinoplasty you want to avoid sun exposure (sun burn) as it will cause swelling, and if you do have an external scar, it will cause the scar to darken (hyperpigment). 
You should wear a good sunblock that blocks both UVA and UVB rays, a wide brimmed hat, and by all means, put down that ever popular in the 60's and 70's sun reflector.
Five weeks after your surgery while on holiday, you can be in the sun, but use sun block, your hat, and avoid direct sun to your nose (if you must lay out, a heavy towel will do over your face).  Have fun on your vacation, get your Vitamin D in moderation, and enjoy your new nose.
Dr. P

Caner Kacmaz, MD · Answer

Sunlight can cause inflammation and swelling of your nose. Therefore, I recommend my patients to stay away from direct sunlight for 3 months after rhinoplasty. Make sure to protect your nose with sunscreen and a hat. You can't wear sunglasses for 2 months and please avoid using tanning beds for 12 months as it delays the healing process. Best wishes.

Andrew Miller, MD · Answer

At 5 weeks after rhinoplasty, your nasal skin may still be sensitive to the sun. Just use good common sense - use a great sunblock, wear a hat, stay under an umbrella. If you are noticing sensitivity, then back off a little bit. If your nose feels fine, then you should be OK

Eric M. Joseph, MD · Answer

The worst a sunburn on your nose could cause is redness, discomfort, and temporary swelling. In general, while there is persistent nasal swelling after rhinoplasty, we suggest avoiding direct sunlight without SPF and a cap. This is typically the summer of surgery. Hope this helps you! Dr Joseph

Deepak Raj Dugar, MD · Answer

Exposure to the sun should be avoided for at least 6 weeks after the
 cast is removed. If you are going to be in the sun 3-4 weeks from cast
 removal use sunblock and a hat.

Jerome Edelstein, MD · Answer

You should wait for 6 weeks after surgery before you go swimming. It's best to stay out of the sun for at least this long as well, and make sure to cover up your nose when you go outside after that time.Please ask your surgeon as they may have different advice.

Lewis Albert Andres, MD · Answer

Hello!  Thank you for your question!  After any surgical procedure, you should be careful with incisions as well as avoidance of direct UVA and UVB rays in order to lessen the chance for hyperpigmentation of the skin and scars, which can take several months to resolve, if it ever does.  As the tissue was elevated off of your nose along with any oother adjunct procedures, minimizing trauma to the area is critical for such a delicate procedure as the rhinoplasty.   The ability of the affected area to heal has been slowed and you should try to avoid additional swelling to the area.  The area will likely be numb for several weeks to months and will be difficult to feel when sunburn is coming on.  Typical recommendations include wearing a hat and/or sunblock to the affected area for at least 6-12 weeks following the procedure.  Certainly discuss the postoperative instructions with your surgeon, as thoughts differ among surgeons.  Hope that this helps!  Best wishes!

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

It’s
important to avoid sun exposure following rhinoplasty for several reasons. Sun
exposure can adversely impact wound healing and result in unfavorable scarring.
In addition, patients can suffer severe nasal sunburns because of nasal
numbness.

We
generally, recommend avoiding sun exposure for at least six weeks following
surgery. After six weeks it’s important to use a sunscreen with both UVA and
UVB protection.

Steven L. Ringler, MD, FACS · Answer

You can go out in the sun immediately following rhinoplasty, but you should avoid prolonged exposure or tanning. It mainly has to do with bruising and scaring. If you expose a bruise to UV light, it may cause hyper-pigmentation of the skin, and this can take many months to resolve. This can cause any external nasal scars to darken as well. Also, you are more like to get sun burned during the early weeks after surgery. A good sun screen and a hat, will allow you to enjoy your vacation and not harm your recovery. Have fun, but be careful.

Rod J. Rohrich, MD · Answer

One of the key elements is after doing rhinoplasty your nasal tip and dorsum may be numb and it would be best to avoid the sun for 3-6 months. More importantly, use sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection.

How Long to Stay Away from Sun After Rhinoplasty?

Answers (18)

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