Like any plastic surgery, the recovery in case of rhinoplasty will vary from one patient to another. This can depend on the extent of surgery performed, the skills of the cosmetic surgeon, and the natural healing ability of the patient. Dr. Suzanne Quardt will discuss the recovery process with her patients in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and other areas. She is a board certified plastic surgeon providing rhinoplasty and other surgeries.

First Week of Recovery

Most patients will experience a mild pain in the treated area and a dull headache for a brief period after rhinoplasty cosmetic surgery. Severe pain is rare, unless a patient suffers an infection after surgery. The surgeon may prescribe mild pain relieving medications for a few days to keep the patient comfortable during the early days of recovery. Congestion is a common symptom after rhinoplasty because there is internal swelling in the nose. As the swelling subsides gradually over a few weeks, the congestion will go away.

If the patient suffered from breathing obstruction in the nostrils prior to the surgery, they will experience an immediate improvement despite the swelling. Sometimes the plastic surgeon may also prescribe a mild sleep aid medication, if the congestion or other conditions interfere with sleep. Patients should avoid blowing the nose unless the surgeon allows for it. The degree of bruising and swelling during the initial period will depend on the extent of surgery and how delicately the tissues were handled. Bruising will be gone mostly within seven days of the surgery.

Time Off from Work

A majority of patients may have to take about five to seven days off from work following rhinoplasty plastic surgery. The patient is likely have a cast on the nose and may have stitches that need to be removed at the end of the first week. Once the cast and the stitches are removed, most patients could be ready to go back to work.

The patient can wash the face gently and put on some makeup to tone down the appearance of the treated area after a week. As an experienced cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Q tries to ensure that her patients in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage have to face minimal downtime. She performs rhinoplasty with incredible skill and care to achieve the desired results in a conservative manner.

Full Recovery

Within two to three weeks of rhinoplasty, nearly 75 percent of the swelling will have subsided. The patient will be in a position to notice and appreciate the improvements. However, detailed results will be visible only after six to eight weeks when about 90 percent of the swelling will be gone. Nasal tip in the initial weeks will feel slightly numb, which can make the patient feel slightly self-conscious.

However, as the weeks progress, more natural outcomes will appear. The complete natural feeling about the nose will return after six to eight weeks, but in some cases it may take longer. The results will be long lasting or even permanent in many cases of rhinoplasty and there is nothing wrong with this!