PLASTIC SURGERY CENTER OF NC

RHINOPLASTY 
AFTER CARE

RECOVERY PHASE

Now that you’re through your rhinoplasty surgery, it’s time to focus on your wellness during the recovery phase. To download a copy of these recovery notes, click here.

Activity

  • No nose blowing until your physician says that it is ok.
  • Elevate your head by sitting up or on two pillows while in bed the first day after surgery.
  • Avoid bending over for the first week.
  • Keep your head elevated at night for the first week.
  • Do not lift more than 10lbs (or more than a gallon of milk) or perform any strenuous activities for 3-4 weeks after surgery. Do not swim or use a hot tub until your wounds have healed.  This will be about 4-6 weeks after surgery. 

Reasons to Call

  • Significant swelling.
  • Excessive bleeding, some drainage is normal.
  • Fever greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).
  • A change in drainage color (green/yellow/thick) or foul-smelling odor.
  • Pain not relieved by pain medication.

Bathing

  • You may shower 48-72 hours after surgery but keep your nose and nose splint dry.

Wound Care/Dressings

  • Keep the dressings and nasal splint on, clean, and dry until your first office visit. If the splint falls off, gently try and put it back on.
  • You may have packing in your nose passages – leave this packing in place unless you are instructed otherwise.
  • Bruising and swelling around the eyes and face will worsen for the first three days. If you have severe swelling, or difficulty breathing call the office immediately.
  • The surgical area may have numbness for a time after surgery. Therefore, avoid using a heating pad near the surgical area to avoid burning the skin.
  • It is normal to have some bloody drainage from the nose after surgery. If you experience a large amount of bleeding, call your surgeon.

 

Medications

  • Some postoperative pain is to be expected, your pain medication may take the edge off, but you may not achieve pain free. Call the office if you have severe pain that is not relieved by pain medication.
  • You may take non-aspirin pain relievers such as acetaminophen or Tylenol for lesser pain, but do not take this in addition to your prescribed pain medication (the prescription medication likely has Tylenol in it already).
  • Do not use aspirin or aspirin-containing drugs (Anacin, Bufferin, Bayer, Excedrin, etc), Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen) as these medications interfere with blood clotting and may increase bleeding risks.

If you have any concerns or questions, call us at 336-765-8620. We have a doctor on call 24 hours a day.