Also known as a nose job, rhinoplasty is a plastic surgery procedure designed to reconstruct your nose. People get this procedure for a variety of reasons, but they are all guaranteed one side effect, swelling.
We asked a leading otolaryngologist in Singapore for his tips to help reduce the swelling in the tissue surrounding your nose after rhinoplasty surgery. He first explained that the amount of swelling caused by Rhinoplastic surgery can depend on the procedure performed and on the individual.
For example, if as part of your surgery your nasal bones need to be fractured, you will experience extensive swelling around your eye and cheek area. No matter what, he recommends you follow a strict post-operative care routine. This can help minimize the swelling and ensure that you remain more comfortable and be able to see your surgery results much sooner.
1. Keep Your Head Elevated as Much as Possible
The first tip is to keep your head higher than your body; this will help the fluids drain from the areas surrounding your nose. The easiest way to do this is to avoid lying flat as much as possible. Use pillows to prop yourself up when you lie down. Sleeping in a semi-reclined position while so help prevent surgical pulling in the site. You should also avoid any strenuous exercise or bending over both of which will increase blood pressure in the area.
2. Remain Hydrated
By keeping your body as hydrated as possible, you will reduce the swelling more quickly as these fluids will help flush out your body’s toxins. Avoid coffee and try to only drink water. You should also reduce your sodium intake as this can encourage fluid retention.
3. Apply a Cold Compress
In order to soothe any discomfort or pain post-surgery, you can apply cold compresses. These will help reduce blood flow and information minimize bruising and numb the area where your surgery occurred. The easiest way to make a cold compress is to put a dump clean towel in your freezer for 15 minutes, and this will work perfectly. Placing this compressor on your swollen skin and leaving there for 20 minutes will help reduce much of the swelling and inflammation and pressure surrounding your nose.
Avoiding placing the compress directly on the surgical area, this is just going to cause the cast to become damp Instead, ENT specialists recommend you place it on your cheeks and forehead. They also suggest you continue to apply cold compressors as often as possible within the first 48 hours, alternating between 20 minutes of the cold compressor in 20 minutes without.
4. Take no Supplements, Drugs or Alcohol
If you’re taking any medications and drugs or supplements, he recommends you cease their consumption at least two weeks before your surgery and for 2 weeks following surgery. These can affect your healing circulation and even your blood pressure. it’s not recommended that you take Ibuprofen or any other type of anti-inflammatory for the pain or swelling. These can actually cause bleeding and result in further information. Put up alcohol as this causes dehydration and is a natural diuretic.
5. Try Not to Cry, Blow Your Nose, Cough or Sneeze
This may be the most complicated part of the recovery process. To help reduce successful reduce swelling following a rhinoplasty. You should avoid all the above as they can irritate your stitches, even causing them to burst.
6. Relax as Much as Possible
The single biggest way to reduce any swelling after rhinoplasty is to devote at least 2 weeks to just relaxation and rest. Following this, the vast majority of bruising and swelling should have disappeared and you will feel far less self-conscious. It is advised that you never schedule a surgery too close to any special event such as a wedding or a holiday. Occasionally it takes some months for the swelling to reduce.
Post-Rhinoplasty Swelling – How Long Will It Last?
Your post-surgical swelling will be bad for the first week to 10 days. But if you follow the steps listed above, the sweating should dramatically reduce and will hardly be noticeable to anyone by yourself. If you aren’t careful, you may be subject to fluid retention. This could stay in place for several months even up to a year.
