After Otoplasty: Important Dos and Don'ts for an Optimal Recovery
Ear surgery is a simple procedure that delivers dramatic results. To ensure you get the most out of otoplasty, follow these easy tips during your recovery.
More than 352,500 Americans got a nose job last year. Some wanted to fix a bump, others wanted to size down, and some did it to resolve medical issues like fractures, deviated septums, or chronic sinus infections.
New Yorkers looking for an experienced, skilled plastic surgeon to perform their rhinoplasty come to Dr. Robert A. Guida, MD, in Staten Island and New York City. He’s double-board certified and specializes in a wide range of facial procedures, including his trademarked procedure, Rational Rhinoplasty™, a highly customized approach that delivers excellent results.
No two Rational Rhinoplasties are the same, so the exact steps involved, the tissues removed, the implants added, the passages cleared, and the damages repaired differ from patient to patient. This also means the recovery will differ as well, but in general here’s what you can do to make your post-op period as smooth as possible.
Rhinoplasty is surgery, so plan to take it easy for a while as your tissues heal. You won’t be down and out, but a week off work is in order, and you should take a break from strenuous exercise for about two months. Serious rest allows your body to concentrate on healing with undivided attention.
Nose jobs don’t cause a lot of pain, but they do trigger considerable inflammation and some bruising. This typically dies down in about a week.
However, you may have swelling that lasts much longer than that — up to nine months, or even a year in some cases — particularly at the tip and on the sides. Fortunately, the long-term swelling isn’t as noticeable as the inflammation you saw right after your procedure, which you can address with cold compresses to speed the dissipation process along.
As soon as you emerge from the anesthesia, you’ll notice a small splint on your nose. Dr. Guida strategically places this splint to keep your nose in the perfect position during the early healing stage. You’ll probably only have to wear it for five or six days — another reason to kick back at home for a week.
Although Dr. Guida doesn’t normally pack your nose after rhinoplasty, as some physicians do, the internal swelling may make you feel a bit “plugged up.” For a little while, this may make it hard to smell or breathe through your nose. You might even feel a bit of pressure in your ears, but all of these are short-term issues that are completely normal. Most patients feel much better in a day or two.
Since you’ll be breathing through your mouth almost exclusively for a few days to a week, you may notice that your mouth and throat are dry. You can run a humidifier to keep the air moist, drink tea with honey, and suck on throat lozenges to ease the discomfort.
It may go without saying, but we’re going to anyway — protect your nose after rhinoplasty. As your nose heals, it’s very vulnerable. To make sure your final results are exactly what you envision, follow all of Dr. Guida’s post-surgery instructions, steer clear of any activities or environments that put your nose in danger, and make sure nothing bumps, pushes, or applies pressure to your nose.
Your new nose will shape up in no time, and you’ll be back to your normal routine soon, but the lifelong results may still be months away. Be patient — good things come to those who wait. Dr. Guida’s rhinoplasty patients all rave about their experience and results.
To find out if you’re a good candidate for Rational Rhinoplasty, schedule a consultation with Dr. Guida at either our New York City or Staten Island office by calling our friendly staff or booking online today.
