Rhinoplasty, commonly referred to as a nose job, is a surgical procedure that aims to change the shape and structure of the nose or improve nasal function. As an aesthetic surgery, it focuses on balancing the nose structure in proportion to facial features and enhancing the appearance of the nose and face. This operation can be performed for medical reasons, such as to treat breathing problems caused by an obstruction in the nose or to correct defects resulting from trauma or congenital abnormalities. The rhinoplasty cost in India makes it a highly sought after surgery by domestic as well as international patients. Indian hospitals cater to patients from all parts of the world and offer affordable healthcare packages. However, this is a complex surgical procedure that needs some recovery time and post-operative care. If you’re planning to have rhinoplasty, prepare yourself for a little downtime. The recovery period after the procedure may vary for different individuals depending on the extent of surgery and healing speed. Usually, most daily activities can be resumed in 5-6 days or more. Patients are able to return to work before they are fully healed, but they need to take precautions for a long time.
As rhinoplasty is an outpatient procedure, there is no need for hospital stay. After the surgery, it may take a few hours for the effects of the anesthesia to subside. The doctor will put a splint and some bandages on the outside of the nose, and it will be taped onto the cheek or sometimes to the forehead. Postoperatively, the appearance might not be normal. After going home, it is advised to take things easy for the first few days and let the area heal to prevent any bleeding or complications.
The bandages will be removed, depending on the complexity of surgery and amount of work done – whether the surgery involved the narrowing of the nose or just the soft tissues. In general, most patients after a nose job get their splint or a bandage removed from the nose in one week. During this time, the patient might not feel comfortable going out and participating in social events. It is best to plan ahead and reserve your first week after the surgery to rest and relax. Depending on the nature of the job and personal preference, a patient may resume work or school after the splint is removed, as they are going to look more presentable. This is done on the follow-up visit with the surgeon, and they may also take out any stitches if that is needed, along with the splint. There will be some swelling and possibly bruising around the nose and under the eyes sometimes. This can be managed by some cover-up.
To reduce swelling, patients are asked to keep their head elevated when they go home. Patients are also recommended to get a kind of nest to sleep in, with a few extra pillows behind their back or use a recliner to sleep in. As you lay flat, the swelling may increase and keeping the head elevated for the first couple of days while there is a peak swelling time period can help.
Although, one can go back to work after a week following the surgery, he/she are advised to avoid strenuous activities or heavy lifting. Also, just because the splint and bandage is out, it doesn’t mean the nose is completely healed and the results will be visible. This may take some more time.
The doctor will discuss realistic expectations and time it will take for the results to be seen. The nose retains swelling longer than other parts of the body and it will last for some time, usually a couple of weeks. The swelling will become very subtle and it will mostly be noticed by some close friends or family. There will be a very small amount of swelling left in about three weeks post-operatively.
After six months, a dramatic improvement in the swelling on the nose can be seen. A patient may also get a good idea of what the final result will look like.
A year after rhinoplasty, the nose will substantially heal and most patients will no longer have swelling. The time period for achieving the rhinoplasty results may vary, but it typically takes a waiting period of almost a year. As the swelling fully resolves, it allows results to be seen. If it is unsatisfactory or you fail to get the desired results, a revision rhinoplasty can be considered. This surgery is usually complex and requires the expertise of an experienced and trained surgeon. Also, it is important to have realistic expectations from the surgery as there is only so much a nose job can do. Many people also opt for other cosmetic procedures such as chin augmentation, lip filler, facelift or others, to combine with rhinoplasty.
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