For faster recovery: 
- Apply cold, dry compresses often for 24 hours
- Avoid nasal medications for 3 months
- Keep head elevated to reduce swelling
- Avoid blowing or picking your nose for the first 4 weeks to reduce bleeding and abnormal healing
Immediately
after nose surgery a splint is usually applied to the nose to maintain
the shape. Nasal packs or soft plastic splints also may be placed in the
nostrils to stabilize the septum. We recommend ice packs over
your eyes for the first 2 days to minimize swelling. Pain medication
and sleeping pills can help with pain management.
After surgery, your nose and eyes will
be swollen and bruised, they may ache, and your face will feel puffy.
The extent of this will depend on the extent of the operation and if the
nasal bones were broken. The swelling and discoloration increase in
the first few days and then will subside after the first week or so. Your upper lip and tip of your nose may feel numb for a few months. You'll also feel like you have a cold for the first few weeks because of
the congestion of the nasal passageways. A little bleeding is common
during the first few days following surgery.
If you
swallowed a lot of blood during the procedure, you may be more likely to
feel nauseated and possibly vomit post-operatively. Your stool may
also be darker due to blood content.
Keep your head elevated while you
sleep. You should also keep your head up during the day and avoid
bending over. This will minimize swelling. You may have a slightly
longer recovery period, if your surgery required breaking the nasal
bones. You are usually able to return back to work in 10 days-3 weeks
with make-up.
Although the final result will be apparent in
about 2 weeks, small changes may continue to occur over the next 6-12
months. The final outcome depends upon your age, skin type, and
healing ability.
Activity:
The best rule is to avoid
any activity which causes you discomfort. Any strenuous activity or
exercise that has the possibility of resulting in a nose injury should
be avoided for at least 6 weeks. You'll also want to avoid bending
over. Check with your doctor regarding bathing and showering; generally
it is allowed as long as the nose splint remains dry.
Revisions:
There is a 20% chance you will want or need revision surgery. This is
because plastic surgery of the nose is difficult and your nose can also
change in ways that cannot be predicted following surgery. You must
accept this risk before having cosmetic nose surgery.
Long Term Expectations: There
should be no major changes in your nose after rhinoplasty. The surgery
is normally permanent. Your nose will change slightly with the normal
aging process.
