Side Effects of Rhinoplasty

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Following your procedure, you will experience side effects commonly associated with rhinoplasty. These side effects are considered normal and are usually temporary.

• Swelling: Expect swelling of your nose and the surrounding tissues to peak approximately thirty-six to forty-eight hours after surgery. You can expect more pronounced swelling if osteotomies (cuts or fractures to the nasal bones) were made during your procedure. Swelling is usually greatest when you rise in the morning. This side effect begins to subside within the first two weeks but will take at least a year to disappear completely.
• Bruising: Bruising may occur between the eyes and on the cheeks, especially if you've had osteotomies performed. Bruising peaks approximately two days after surgery and then disappears, usually within two weeks.
• Pain: The pain associated with rhinoplasty is usually mild. Most of the pain will probably disappear by the second or third day after surgery.
• Nasal blockage: Congestion is to be expected following nasal surgery and may feel similar to the effects of a head cold. Cold-like symptoms are common for about six weeks after surgery.
• Drainage: Following surgery, you can expect some nasal drainage to be tinged with blood, especially during the first day or two. You may notice an increase in nasal drainage when you rise to an upright position after
  being in a reclining position. This is normal and is not a cause for concern.
  
• Stiffness in upper lip: Your upper lip may feel stiff, making it more difficult to smile. This feeling will usually dissipate within a few weeks.
• Numbness of tip: The tip of your nose may feel numb, but the numbness usually disappears within a few months.
• Depression: Don't be surprised if you discover that you feel a little blue in the days following your surgery. This is a common occurrence following surgery, when bruising and swelling are at their worst. This
  emotional letdown may be due to the fact that your face temporarily looks worse than it did prior to surgery, but it may also be attributable to stress, fatigue, or metabolic changes in your body. Rest assured that these feelings usually disappear within a few days.

Potential Complications of Rhinoplasty

There are risks associated with surgery of any kind, including rhinoplasty. However, you should know that when your procedure is performed by a qualified facial plastic surgeon, complications are uncommon. In the rare instance that you experience a complication, you may require some form of treatment.

• Infection: Infection is a risk associated with any kind of surgery, but it is rare following rhinoplasty. Antibiotics are routinely prescribed to prevent infection.
• Bleeding: Excessive postoperative bleeding can occur.
• Burst blood vessels: Small burst blood vessels may appear as tiny red dots on the surface of the skin on your nose. This is more common if you have rosacea, or if you're having revision rhinoplasty. Although it may be permanent, it can be treated with vascular lasers.
• Scarring: If an incision is made on your columella, or if incisions are made to reduce the width or length of your nostrils, there is a minimal risk of obvious scarring.
• Irregularities under the skin: It's possible for irregularities under the skin to be visible. Any underlying irregularities are more visible if you have thin skin.
• Asymmetry: This may occur due to no fault of your surgeon. Post-operative scarring within the nose can cause it to appear uneven from one side to the other. In addition, the nose is a three-dimensional object that can heal in unpredictable ways.

Follow-up Appointments

After your rhinoplasty procedure, you'll need to return to your surgeon's office for several follow-up appointments.
If packing was used in your procedure, it's usually removed within a few days, and often the day after your surgery. Even if packing isn't used in your procedure, you may be asked to return for a follow-up visit within a few days so your surgeon can evaluate how you're healing and so that the inside of your nose can be cleaned. Cleaning the inside of
your nose is usually done gently with Q-tips swabs and half-strength hydrogen peroxide.

The splint placed on your nose and any nonabsorbable sutures are generally removed in your surgeon's office at one week. Removal of the sutures and splint isn't painful and usually takes only a few moments. Once the splint is removed, you'll have a chance to observe the new shape of your nose. However, it's important to remember that your nose will still be swollen at this time, so you won't be looking at your final results.

During this appointment, your surgeon may also retape your nose to control swelling. You may also receive instructions on how to perform simple nasal exercises along any osteotomy sites to decrease swelling or to mold the nasal bones. In follow-up appointments, you may also be instructed to continue taping your nose nightly for four to six weeks to
further minimize swelling. The frequency of additional follow-up appointments depends on your surgeon. Considering that these appointments help to ensure that the healing of your nose is on track, and are generally included in the price of your surgery, it's important to go to all postoperative visits.

Getting Back to Normal

As the weeks and months pass after your surgery, your life will return to normal. Be sure to follow your surgeon's timetable for returning to work or school and for resuming various activities. This will help protect your nose from injury and will allow it to heal as quickly as possible.

How Long Does Rhinoplasty Last?

You should be aware that your nose may change throughout your lifetime due to aging. This is normal and occurs whether you've had rhinoplasty or not. The good news is that once your nose has completely healed, it doesn't require any long-term follow-up care. However, it is recommended that you visit your surgeon annually to have photos taken of your nose. This way, you and your surgeon can track the changes to your nose.

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