Will Soaking Tweezers in Alcohol and Using It to Take out Dried Mucous from my Nose 3 Weeks After Rhinoplasty Be Ok?

Question

i soaked some tweezers i had in 50% rubbing alcohol and used the tweezers to pick out some dried mucus in my nose. i did this about 3 times and i am about on my 3rd week after rhinoplasty. is this a bad thing to be doing?

Glenn Vallecillos, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello and thank you for the question.

	 

	I would not recommend placing any sort of instrument inside your nose. As my colleague suggested, you may cause inadvertant damage to the nose or stimulate bleeding.  You may want to consider using a saline spray to irrigate the nasal cavity.

	Kindest Regards,

	Glenn Vallecillos, M.D., F.A.C.S.

David A. Bray, Sr., MD · Answer

I don't recommend this. You may cause bleeding or damage the inside of your nose. Steam or a vaporizor might loosen them and then they will come out naturally.

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD (retired) · Answer

No, IMHO if you have dried mucous in your nose at 3 weeks after a Rhinoplasty, IMHO it's best to return to your Rhinoplasty surgeons office to have your nose cleaned.  There are internal sutures that you may pull causing collapse and web formation...it's best to let them handle it for the first 4-6 weeks until the sutures have dissolved and the incisions healed.

Maurice P. Sherman, MD (retired) · Answer

Its natural and expected for crusting to occur inside the nostrils after surgery. Using  tweezers can injure the stiches that your doctor placed so carefully. A better way is to moisten a Q-tip with peroxide, and roll the cotton bulb inside the nosril rim in a cleaning motion 4 times a day, followed each time with applying any over the counter , nonperscription antibiotic ointment with another clean Q-tip in a similar way. This will coat the healing tissues, as well as keep the nostrils well moisturized. Furthermore, it will keep your doctor happy !

Will Soaking Tweezers in Alcohol and Using It to Take out Dried Mucous from my Nose 3 Weeks After Rhinoplasty Be Ok?

Answers (4)

Answer: Nasal Hygiene after rhinoplasty

Answer: Nasal Hygiene after rhinoplasty

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Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

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Will Soaking Tweezers in Alcohol and Using It to Take out Dried Mucous from my Nose 3 Weeks After Rhinoplasty Be Ok?

Answers (4)

Answer: Nasal Hygiene after rhinoplasty

Answer: Nasal Hygiene after rhinoplasty

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.