What’s Recovery Like after Rhinoplasty?
Whenever you are contemplating surgery, one of the biggest questions you’ll have is what the recovery period will be like.
While this can be pretty lengthy and difficult for certain surgeries, this isn’t the case with the typical rhinoplasty recovery.
Rhinoplasty Recovery Timeline
The exact length of the recovery period and when you hit certain “milestones” will vary between people. In other words, this timeline is meant to give you a general idea of what to expect, but be ready for some variation. Remember to keep your expectations for recovery flexible since everyone heals differently.
Week One
The worst of the post-surgery pain occurs in the first few days. During this time, you also won’t be able to breathe through your nose due to the splint you’ll wear. Expect quite a bit of swelling and bruising. By the end of the week, the splint and packing should be removed and you will start to feel better.
Week Two
The swelling and bruising start to go away at this point. By the end of the week, most people won’t be able to tell you just had surgery. You can go back to work at this point, but stay out of the sun and protect your nose.
Weeks Three and Four
Throughout these two weeks, bruising and swelling further reduce. Usually, by the end of the fourth week, only the tip of the nose still has noticeable swelling. You should be able to start wearing glasses again.
Months Two and Three
More and more, your swelling will decrease, and during this time, you will be able to see most of what your final results will be. Life should be back to normal.
Months Six through Twelve
At six months, you will be able to resume contact sports. By the time you are 12 months out, all swelling should be gone, letting you see your final results.
If you are interested in learning more about rhinoplasty and the recovery process, speak with Dr. Pugao. Call the office at 575-521-7111 or get in touch through our contact form.
