How long does swelling last after septorhinoplasty?

Question

I had a septorhinoplasty done 5 weeks ago. My nose still looks wide and swollen. I also have a round bumps on the left and right side of my nose. Is the bump means it's just swollen in that area? 5 weeks after I still have stitches on the left side of the nostril, 1 of the stitch looks blue and the other one is the dissolvable stitch. What does the blue stitch means? Should I worry? I have a wedding to go in 2 weeks, will the bump on the sides will go down by then? I just want my nose look good.

Anthony Corrado, DO · Answer

A majority of swelling after rhinoplasty resolves within three months.  Residual swelling and healing after rhinoplasty can take up to 12 months.  You should not critque your results for at least 6 months.  Regarding the "blue" suture, I would suggest following up with your operating surgeon to make sure that does not need to be removed.  Good Luck

Marcelo Ghersi, MD · Answer

Everyone is different.And so swelling will vary between people even if the exact surgery was performed.Obviously the bigger the surgery the longer the recovery.I would wait no less than  3 months to evaluate asymmetry and prolonged swelling.Good luck.

Paul S. Nassif, MD · Answer

In general, 70% of the swelling resolves after the first 3 months and the remainder goes down over time. The nose will continue to change as you heal, and the final result may not be evident for 18-24 months after surgery. I would recommend following up with your surgeon regarding any specific concerns, as he/she knows the details of your surgery. I hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck.

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

Swelling after septorhinoplasty can take 6-12 months to completely resolve, so it is not at all unusual to still have some swelling 5 weeks after surgery.  You mentioned a blue stitch in your nose and I would check with your surgeon about that issue.  A blue stitch could be a permanent suture that sometimes needs to be removed.

Gaurav Bharti, MD, FACS · Answer

It takes 6-12 months for all the swelling to subside after rhinoseptoplasty. Be patient.  A blue suture likely needs to be removed by your surgeon. Hang in there and be sure to voice all concerns with your surgeon. I know how you feel as I have had a rhinoseptoplasty and it's hard to not look at your nose with a magnifying glass every time you look in the mirror. Good luck!

How long does swelling last after septorhinoplasty?

Answers (5)

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