Recovery period rhinoplasty

How long will it take to recover from a rhinoplasty?

The answer to this question depends on the type of rhinoplasty and your individual healing characteristics.

For endonasal rhinoplasty, most patients with Dr. Shah do not have bruising and swelling is minimized within the nasal tip and surrounding cheek.  To decrease the chance of bruising, Dr. Shah has a strict preoperative list of blood thinners and herbal medications to avoid prior to surgery.  In addition, Dr. Shah advocates a strict regimen of icing which begins prior to surgery.

During surgery, Dr. Shah minimizes bruising by preserving the periosteum along the nasal bones.  The periosteum is like a carpet over the nasal bones,  By lifting this structure, bruising can be minimized.

Patients requiring external rhinoplasty or open rhinoplasty will have more swelling along the nasal tip and nose.  Dr. Shah will help guide patients to the appropriate operation based on their underlying anatomic issues.

Patients who have endonasal rhinoplasty by Dr. Shah often feel comfortable in public amongst friends one week after surgery.  Patients with external rhinoplasty may experience a longer period before they feel comfortable in public but generally by 10 days are in the public eye.

Swelling within the nose is one of the factors in patients wanting to go in public earlier of later.

See rhinoplasty journey videos in the Video Library.