Post-operative Care

After surgery, a conforming splint is usually applied to the nose. The patient must place ice packs over the eyes for the first two days to reduce swelling and minor discomfort. Suitable pain medication and nasal sprays will be available. One of the sprays is plain salt water and can be used as often as desirable to wash mucous or crusts out of your nose, or simple to moisten the inside surfaces. You can use this spray as often as you would like, and conversely, if your nose feels fine, you do not have to use this spray. The other spray, Afrin®, is an over-the-counter nasal spray which can be used to decongest the nose. This is a powerful medication and should not be used more than twice a day. Afrin® may be used for the first two weeks, and its use should then be discontinued.

During the initial period after surgery, every patient will experience a trickle of blood and mucous at the back of the throat. Make every effort to spit these fluids out and not to swallow them. Blood is irritating to the stomach and may induce nausea.

The nasal protective splint will be removed by your surgeon, at the time of the first post-operative visit, approximately a week after the operation. The majority of patients do not require nasal packing. However, a packing in the nose is occasionally required to help control the bleeding or to help hold tissues in place. During the period that the nose is packed, the patient will have to breathe through the mouth. The patient may have the feeling of a minor cold anywhere from one to twelve weeks after surgery due to the attendant congestion of the nasal passageways. Patients undergoing correction of an impaired airway will feel an improvement, but cannot expect air to flow as well through the reconstructed nose as through an open mouth. The eyelids will be discolored and swollen for a period of approximately seven to fourteen days after surgery. Residual bruising may be covered with cosmetics. The office aesthetician can assist you with makeup application if requested. Occasionally, the whites of the eyes will become temporarily bloodshot-this could last for many weeks, but always resolves spontaneously.

The upper lip may feel stiff and unnatural for a varied period of time. Some numbness may be noted in the upper lip and over the tip of the nose for a period of up to six months. If a chin augmentation or reduction is also performed, varying degrees of lower lip numbness or asymmetry may also occur, although such permanent changes are extremely rare.

Although the major effect of the nasal operation will be evident in a week, minute improvements continue to occur over a period of six to twelve months. These changes will occur so gradually that the patient will not be aware of them.

The final outcome depends upon the age of the patient, the type of skin and the patient's healing ability. The older the patient, the thicker the nasal skin, and the broader the nose, the longer the residual swelling will remain. In such cases, it will be more impossible to achieve a thin, chiseled nasal appearance.