Immediately following surgery, your face will feel puffy, your nose may ache, and you may experience a dull headache. If packing has been placed inside of the nose during surgery, it will be removed after the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Plan to stay in bed with your head elevated for the first day. Pain medication prescribed by your surgeon should help control any pain or discomfort.

You will likely experience swelling, along with bruising around the eyes, which can increase during the first two to three days. Cold compresses applied to the area will help to reduce the swelling. The majority of this swelling and bruising should disappear within two weeks following surgery. Some minor bleeding can also occur during the first several days following surgery, and you may feel some stuffiness for several weeks following surgery. It is important that you not blow your nose for at least a week following the surgery while the tissues heal.

Most patients are up and about within two days following surgery, and able to return to work or school within a week’s time. Within five to eight days following surgery, the splint will be removed. After six to ten days, the dressings and stitches will be removed as well. If absorbable sutures were used, they need not be removed but will dissolve instead.

Your surgeon will provide you with specific guidelines for gradually resuming your normal activities. Some activities will be prohibited in the weeks following the procedure, but generally avoid any strenuous activities for two to three weeks afterwards. Avoid sun exposure, exertion, and risking injury, and be gentle while using cosmetics, and washing the face and hair. For those who wear glasses, special arrangements will need to be made in order to ensure that they do not rest on the bridge of the nose. It is essential to keep any follow-up appointments with your surgeon so that he or she will be able to best monitor the healing process. Be sure to immediately report to your surgeon anything unusual that you may encounter.

Your nose will gradually improve day by day, and though it will take months for the final results to emerge, you will likely begin to feel pleasure with your new appearance within a week or two following surgery. “Semi-final” results should become clear around 3 months following the surgery, though it can take anywhere from 12 to 14 months for the actual final results to be evident, which is the time necessary for complete tissue softening.

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