How Long Does Swelling Last After Rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty

Nose reshaping plastic surgery is an evolutionary process with results showing slowly over a period of months. Rhinoplasty procedure creates a dramatic change in the overall facial appearance. It is a major event for the nose as well that necessitates time for cartilage, tissues, and bone to heal completely.

plastic surgeon Dr. David Kim provides rhinoplasty to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and surrounding locations.

Post-Surgical Swelling After Rhinoplasty

Depending on the complexity of the nose surgery, residual swelling may last for as long as 6 months to a year. This is usually present in the tip of the nose. However, the majority of swelling will subside in just two weeks allowing you to present your improved facial profile to the world. You should find it easy to cover up the residual swelling with makeup after consulting with your surgeon.

You would experience more swelling if you had an open rhinoplasty cosmetic surgery. The swelling can take a long time to subside. If the plastic surgery involved breaking nasal bones or nose reconstruction, it will add to the overall stress and result in greater swelling.

Final Outcomes

The persistence of swelling means it would take more time for ultimate results to show. Don’t worry if your nose appears a bit asymmetrical in the first week of healing. It will rectify itself by the end of the recovery process to become balanced and proportionate.

Your surgeon may decide to provide you with a steroid injection if the swelling continues bothering you after several months. Too much laughing, smiling, and blowing nose is not recommended during the first 1 – 2 weeks. The golden news is that the full beauty of your new nose will emerge giving you plenty to enjoy later.

Reducing Swelling After Rhinoplasty

Certain amount of swelling is expected with every surgical procedure. However, there are a few things you can do which can reduce swelling and improve comfort levels. For instance, you can apply ice to the swollen places. However, take care not to disturb the reshaped areas of the nose and your healing incisions.

Ice can help towards improving your comfort and calming swelling. However, you need to be careful while icing so as not to cause any harm to your skin. Always wrap ice in a clean kitchen t-shirt or towel. Never apply it directly to the skin. Apply the ice pack for only 10 – 15 minutes.

You should try and sleep with your head in an elevated position after the surgery. This will prevent any jostling motions as you sleep in addition to minimizing pressure and swelling. Make sure to drink a lot of water and rest as much as you can. You should increase your water intake to reduce swelling.

Don’t forget to take some time off work. Downtime allows your body’s involuntary healing systems to make use of a large portion of energy. This speeds up the healing process. You can expect to return to your normal work routine in about one week. Cosmetic surgeon Dr. David Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and nearby areas for rhinoplasty.

Schedule a Consultation with Beverly Hills California Plastic Surgeon Dr. Kim

For more information on the surgical and non-surgical procedures and treatments by Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim.  Click here to contact us today.

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