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Posted December 17, 2021 in Rhinoplasty

How to Care for Your Nose After a Rhinoplasty

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A rhinoplasty is a cosmetic surgical procedure designed to improve the shape and the size of a patient’s nose. In some cases, the procedure can also help improve breathing. 

Profile of woman's face with eyes closed, showing her nose

Whatever your reason for getting a rhinoplasty surgery, you need to take good care of your nose after the surgery for optimum recovery and results. 

So, what exactly should you do to this end? Your doctor will give you some instructions on how you need to take care of yourself during different phases of the recovery period. However, here are some tips to help you take care of your nose after a nose surgery.

Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions

As mentioned above, Dr. Hochstein will give you instructions on the most important things you need to do or avoid during the recovery period. For instance, you may be advised to avoid rigorous activities for a couple of weeks. You may also be directed to return for multiple follow-up appointments. 

To stay safe and achieve optimum results, it is imperative you follow your plastic surgeon’s instructions without fail. If you have any doubt, you can always consult Dr. Hochstein.

Keep Your Head Elevated

You are probably used to sleeping on your side, but when recovering from a rhinoplasty, you need to sleep on your back with your head elevated. 

This is because sleeping on the side can potentially lead to additional swelling and bruising or even displace your nose and prolong your recovery period.

Don’t Blow Your Nose

After a rhinoplasty surgery, it is normal for patients to experience congestion for six weeks. 

This issue is usually caused by the swelling of nasal tissues following the surgery. However, you should not blow your nose at all. 

Maintain a Healthy Diet and Avoid Smoking

You may be wondering what eating healthy food has to do with recovering from a surgical procedure. 

The reality is that your body needs adequate nutrients to heal. 

Therefore, by taking a balanced diet during the recovery period, you can significantly speed up the process and be able to get back to work sooner. 

You also have to avoid smoking to optimize the circulation of oxygen and nutrients to the surgical area.

Get Plenty of Rest

The nasal congestion that occurs after rhinoplasty surgery can make it quite difficult for you to catch sleep. However, sleep is needed to optimize the recovery process. 

Therefore, you need to get at least eight solid hours of sleep every night to optimize the recovery process.

Interested in Learning More?

There are several things you need to do to optimize your recovery after a rhinoplasty surgery. Contact Dr. Leonard M. Hochstein at 305-931-3338 for more information on post-operative care for a rhinoplasty.

You can also visit our rhinoplasty before and after gallery to see how Dr. Hochstein has helped his previous patients.