Rhinoplasty

How to Prepare for Surgery

We will have you come in for a pre-surgical appointment 1-2 weeks prior to your surgery date to go over post op instructions and give you a list of medications that will be called into your pharmacy. All prescriptions that are called in are to be taken after surgery. If you have someone that will be taking care of you, it is recommended that they come to this pre-surgical appointment to hear and understand post op instructions. We will provide one dose of arnica to help prevent bruising, which you can start taking 8 days prior to your procedure. If you would like to take another dose after surgery, arnica supplements can be purchased at our office or in common drugstores. We recommend obtaining all necessary items before surgery, that way after surgery you can go straight home and rest.  

What Can I Expect After Surgery?

• Facial swelling and bruising (particularly around the eyes) are normal to experience after a rhinoplasty, and will start to minimize within 7-10 days.  We recommend sleeping in a reclined position for this time period to help minimize swelling. 
• You will leave the office with gauze taped underneath your nose to help catch drainage. You may replace this as needed with the extra tape and gauze that will be provided. You can remove this dressing permanently once the drainage has stopped, which can take up to 72 hours post-surgery. 
• You should not try to clean the sutured area. If you feel like you need to clean, please be very gentle and use a Q tip just on the outer part of the incision. Do not touch the inside of the nose. Apply a small amount of Aquaphor over the visible sutured area to help keep the incision moist for minimal scarring. You may use saline nasal spray to help keep the insides of the nostrils moist. If you use nasal spray, avoid sniffling and allow the liquid to drain from your nose over a sink.
• Placing a humidifier in the room you are sleeping in will help with moisture control and aid in dissipating the stuffiness you will experience after surgery. 
• You will not be able to wear glasses for 6 weeks following surgery, so it is advised to use contacts if you need a visual aid. If you must wear glasses, you can suspend your glasses on your forehead with a piece of tape. We can show you how to do this if needed.

Prescriptions after Surgery  

• You will be prescribed medications based on your health history. 
• You will receive pain medication to use for the first 3-5 days after surgery.
• A migraine medication will also be prescribed for pain management, and is sometimes preferred over the pain medication.
• An antibiotic will be prescribed for you to start taking the day after surgery.
• A steroid will be prescribed to help reduce swelling.
• Anti-nausea medication will help limit any nausea you may experience after surgery.

Wound Care for the Surgical site

• There will be a hard nasal splint on the bridge of your nose that is expected to remain there for one week. Please keep the splint as dry as possible over this week period.
• Always keep a thin coat of Aquaphor on the incision site. You will need to apply this 3-5 times per day for the first week after surgery.
• You may shower following surgery, but please be mindful of the splint and avoid getting it wet. You should also avoid excessive contact between the splint and hot steam. 

What Happens at the Follow-Up Visits?

• You will have a follow-up 1 week after the procedure to assess your incisions and overall healing progress. At this appointment, we will remove the splint and sutures.  This appointment can be uncomfortable, so we recommend having a light meal prior to coming in and bringing someone who can drive you home.
• Once the splint is removed, you may have an acne outbreak from the tape that was applied underneath the splint. We can provide skincare recommendations to help with the outbreak, or we can schedule you with one of our estheticians to oversee your skincare.
• We have a Candela Vbeam Prima Perfecta Laser Machine, a pulsed-dye laser (PDL), that will help reduce the appearance of dark red or purple bruising more quickly.  
• We will take photos at each follow-up appointment to monitor your healing progress.
• You will have a follow-up 2 weeks after the procedure to assess swelling and address any concerns with healing that you may have at that time.
• You may call or email at any time during your recovery if you have questions or concerns between follow-up visits.
• Keep in mind, the swelling in the nasal bones can take up to a full year to completely go away. Your nose will go through a lot of changes in the first 3-6 months after surgery, so remember to be patient as swelling continues to go down. We will have you tape your nose nightly to help with more even swelling and shaping of the nose throughout your recovery.

Activity Level After Surgery 

• Avoid any strenuous physical activity for 1-2 weeks. 
• Do not hit or bump your nose. Be careful with animals and small children. 
• DO NOT rub your nose with a Kleenex.  Use the drip dressing for drainage if needed. 
• You may return to school or light duty work (non-physical labor) within a week of the surgery, or as tolerated. We can provide school or work notes if needed. 
• Although you just had surgery, we recommend you do not stay in bed while awake. The more movement and blood flow, the easier recovery can be. 
• Try to transfer to a chair and walk around the house. You want to be as active as possible, but avoid doing anything too strenuous.
• The swelling will worsen over the first 3-4 days after surgery, which is expected, but will begin to subside shortly after.

When Should I Call My Doctor? 

• If you have difficulty breathing
• If you have difficulty closing your eyes after surgery 
• If you are unable to urinate 
• If you have severe pain that is not improved with medications 
• If you experience a rash, nausea, vomiting, severe headache, severe constipation, or other unexpected reactions 
• If you have an oral temperature over 100.5 degrees. 
• If you have a question or concern that must be addressed prior to the follow-up visit
• Excessive bleeding. If this occurs, lie down with your head elevated about 30 degrees. Use two sprays of Afrin nasal spray into each nostril. Remain quiet and relaxed for 15-30 minutes. If this does not stop the bleeding, call our office.

Who Should I Call if I Have Questions? 

Please call our office at (972) 914-3660. You may also email photos or questions to info@dsa.live and someone will get in touch with you within 24-48 hours.