Surgery preparation and procedure steps vary, depending on the type of surgery and treatment goals. Your plastic surgeon will discuss details in a pre-operative visit. You may have lab work or other testing. You may need to make certain dietary, medication and other adjustments.
During rhinoplasty surgery
You’ll have medication for your comfort during the rhinoplasty procedure. Your doctor will recommend the best option, which may be intravenous (IV) sedation or general anesthesia. Choices vary, depending on how complex your procedure is and whether you’re having more than one procedure.
Your doctor will start by making an incision in your nose. There are different types of incision approaches. These include:
- Closed procedure – The surgeon makes hidden incisions inside the nose
- Open procedure – The surgeon makes an incision across the columella, the thin strip of skin and tissue between the nostrils
- Additional incisions – The doctor may make incisions within the natural creases of the nostrils to change their size or shape
During the procedure, your surgeon may remove bone or cartilage to make your nose smaller or add cartilage grafts to reshape the nose. Typically, cartilage is taken from your septum for grafting. In some instances, the doctor may take cartilage from your ear or, less commonly, from a rib.
If needed, the surgeon will straighten and realign the septum and repair any other tissues that may interfere with normal airflow. The doctor may treat nostrils to adjust their size or shape. Once the surgery is complete, your doctor will carefully reposition skin tissues and close incisions.
After rhinoplasty surgery
You’ll be in a recovery room for medical monitoring as the anesthesia wears off. You may feel some discomfort and congestion due to swelling and gauze or splints in your nose. You may have a drainage pad taped beneath your nose to absorb fluid as wounds heal.
If your condition is stable, you should be able to go home the same day. The doctor will remove any stitches or splints during a follow-up office visit, typically within a week of your surgery.
Your doctor will give you instructions about how to care for your wounds, including how often to change the dressings in your nose. You may have to rest in bed with your head raised slightly above chest-level to help the wounds drain.
The surgeon may prescribe medication, including something to help prevent infection. Your doctor will also advise you about these and other precautions to protect wounds and promote safe and successful results:
- Avoid strenuous activity as instructed
- Take baths instead of showers
- Don’t blow your nose
- Eat a nutritional diet, with limited sodium and plenty of fiber
- Don’t rest your eyeglasses or sunglasses on the bridge of your nose. Ask your doctor about alternative positioning options
- Protect your nose from the sun and use sunscreen
- Try to avoid exaggerated facial expressions that may put pressure on your wounds
- Brush teeth carefully, limiting upper lip movement
- Choose clothes with front-closure so that you don’t have to pull clothing over your head
