Rhinoplasty – How Long Does Swelling Last After Surgery?
Rhinoplasty is an evolving process that takes place over several months rather than being completed in a single day of surgery.
Your rhinoplasty treatment will transform the way your face looks dramatically, but it will also be a significant event for the nose itself, needing healing time for the sensitive tissues, cartilage, and bone. Dr William Portuese, md, a well-known facial plastic surgeon in Seattle, talks about how long and how bad the swelling is after rhinoplasty, as well as how long it takes to heal.
Periods of recovery
Swelling can last for a year or longer, depending on how complicated your treatment was. The nose tip in particular is a good example of this. Fortunately, the majority of the swelling will go down in about two months, and in about two weeks, you should be prepared to show off your new facial profile to the world.
If you had an open rhinoplasty, the swelling would be greater and would take longer to subside.breaking nasal bones during rhinoplasty will also put extra strain on the nose, causing more swelling and a longer recovery.
Your final outcome
Due to the persistent swelling, it takes time and patience to wait for the final outcome. Your nose will almost definitely be well-proportioned and balanced by the end of the healing process, even if it first appears slightly uneven. As your nose recovers, it may be beneficial to make use of the computer imaging models made for you during your initial consultations. These will be a better indicator of your eventual outcome than the enlarged nose you notice when you look in the mirror in the first few weeks following surgery.
Dr. William Portuese can inject a steroid in the area of greatest swelling if edema persists to affect you after several months. Additionally, you can aid in reducing the swelling: apply ice as instructed, refrain from strenuous exercise, and keep your head elevated. Instead of taking showers, take a bath, and brush your teeth softly. Surprisingly, it’s not a good idea to laugh or smile too much. The good news is that when your new nose reveals its full beauty, there will be enough of that.
Surgical procedures and recovery
The “open technique” is generally used for rhinoplasty, which involves a surgeon making an incision at the base of the nose, in between the nostrils. The “closed approach” is a different type of surgery in which the cut is made inside the nostrils.
The open procedure helps to assure a more accurate result by providing the surgeon with a thorough look of your nose’s inside structure. Additionally, it will leave a minor scar under the nose that will disappear over time. Both treatments involve the removal and repositioning of cartilage as well as the possible fracture and reshaping of the bone. To increase volume, bone or cartilage might be removed from other places.
It takes longer for an open rhinoplasty to heal. Swelling can last up to a year, occasionally longer. The nose tip in particular is a good example of this. Fortunately, the majority of the swelling will go down in about two months, and in about two weeks, you should be prepared to show off your new facial profile to the world. When nasal bones are broken during rhinoplasty, the nose is put under more stress, which makes swelling worse and makes it take longer to heal.