Rhinoplasty – What to Expect..?

The promise of Rhinoplasty surgery is found to entrance a great number of individuals today, to seek out procedures to enhance their appearance, fix a birth imperfection, or resolve breathing issues. As with every other surgery, it is remarkably essential for rhinoplasty to ensure that both the patient and surgeon are on the same page as far as the situations that should be avoided after surgery, expectations on the recovery time and physical constraints are considered. It’s highly imperative to schedule your surgery in such a way to allow enough recuperation time, so that you can return to your normal activities accordingly. So, in this article, we will talk a tad about those expectations, you should have before having a rhinoplasty.

Pre-Surgical Preparations

          Prior to your surgery, it is important that you start preparing your body to encourage the healing process. Ensure that you refrain from any smoking habits (in case if you have), as smokers have the chance of slow healing and can even lose their skin amid the healing process. Also, stop alcoholic consumption. Don't take aspirin or aspirin compounds, or any medications like vitamin, hormone, or birth control pills, until a week after the surgery, to improve your healing time by reducing any possible swelling and bruising.

The Day Before Rhinoplasty

          Try not to eat or drink anything after the midnight before your rhinoplasty procedure; this will halt regurgitation when you are under anesthesia. Now, on the day of the surgery, you can take your everyday medicines (kindly have a talk with your physician) with just a sip of water.

Post-Surgical Recovery

          Rhinoplasty requires a couple of months to completely heal; so, make sure to plan your social engagements in like manner. There are chances for you to encounter post-operative depression, during the initial one to two weeks after the surgery; this is normal and should pass quickly as its own. Seek the help of your physician in the event that your anxiety or depression does not decrease over time. Also, be aware that the ultimate outcomes may not be visible for six months to two years.

Swelling, Bruising and Numbness

          Swelling and bruising of the eyelids, nose, and cheeks are normal during the first two weeks after the surgery, and it is extremely common for there to be bulbous swelling at the tip of the nose, which is the most heavily-operated area. No need to fear about this – the swelling will get reduced over time. What you can do from your side to reduce the inflammation of your eyelids is to use iced gauze pads every hour in the initial two days post-surgery (however, be cautious to keep your nose dressings dry).

          Likewise, be informed that the swelling inside your nose can cause nausea and breathing issues for the first week. So, during the initial recovery time, expect to inhale and sneeze from your mouth. It is recommended that you sleep on two or three pillows to reduce the possibility of swelling and for easier breathing.

          A few patients are also found to experience difficulty to smile because of the numbness and swelling during the initial couple of weeks after the surgery. No worries, your smile will come back to ordinary after the swelling subsides.

Aftercare

          It is imperative for you to follow your physician’s specific aftercare guidelines, for a speedy recovery. Make sure that you give enough care for the incisions that are made inside your nose during the procedure. Moderate bleeding is normal for the initial few days, so dress your nose with gauze, and change as frequently as required. Other things to be taken into consideration are discussed below:

·       Diet: Eat a light and cool diet as endured for the first 48-72 hours after the surgery; drink a lot of fluids. Try not to consume anything spicy or hot in temperature, as such foods will dilate your blood vessels thereby resulting in swelling.

·       Use Sunscreen: Keep your nose completely out of the sun for 4-6 weeks. Try to use a sunscreen for the first six months after surgery whenever you go outside.

·       Exercise Limits: Avoid strenuous activities like jogging, or weight lifting for the first four weeks of recovery, as this may result in increased heart rate, thereby increasing your blood pressure, finally making blood clots that have formed to help the healing process to ‘pop off’ resulting in bleeding and swelling.

·       No Smoking: Absolutely do not smoke for four weeks after your surgery. The nicotine in the tobacco is a vasoconstrictor that cuts off the blood supply to your tissues, in this manner, leading to scarring, infection and increased healing time.

          So, now, it’s time to commit to Rhinoplasty! Make a consultation appointment with Dr. Sandhya Balasubramnyan, and we will discuss the best option for you!