Rhinoplasty is a nose reshaping procedure that helps enhance your natural beauty. If you are worried about your nose or you have a too flat upper bridge or a bump on the bridge of the nose, you may consider having a rhinoplasty procedure. This surgery helps modify parts of the nose to offer you a better look. After having a rhinoplasty in San Francisco, your doctor will advise you on how to care for yourself during recovery. The full recovery after rhinoplasty can take up to a year, but within 6 weeks, the bones are stable so you can resume blowing your nose, wearing glasses, or even doing some light workouts like weight lifting. These tips will help you speed up the recovery time after rhinoplasty.
Listen to your doctor
You need to follow the instructions given by your doctor. The doctor will offer specific instructions about medication and when to take them. He or she will provide you with instructions and tips on how to care for the area you have received surgery so that you can prevent infection. The doctor will also tell you when you should come back in to receive a follow-up examination.
Listen to your body
Your surgeon can see how the recovery of your rhinoplasty is going, but only from outside. It’s you who can feel it and understand how you are doing. You need to listen to your body and if you feel something unusual, talk to your doctor right away. If you are experiencing a lot of pain or feel there is something wrong, immediately call your doctor for advice. You may need to visit the doctor for an examination.
Keep the head elevated
After rhinoplasty, you want to avoid sleeping on your side. It is uncomfortable and can prolong the recovery time by causing more bruising and swelling. Worse still, it can displace the nose. So, you want to keep your head elevated during the first 6 weeks after surgery. You can do this by propping the head up on three pillows or using a foam wedge. You may also consider sleeping in a recliner.
Do not blow your nose
You will experience some congestion for some weeks after the surgery. So, you may feel tempted to blow your nose. The swelling of the nasal tissues usually causes a feeling of congestion. You may want to talk with the doctor about using something like a saline nasal spray to help gently moisturize the nasal passages. After six weeks, you can resume blowing. If you are sneezing, you want to do it through the mouth rather than the nose. While it may sound strange, it is better than causing damage to the delicate nasal passages.
Avoid wearing glasses
It will take about six weeks to have the bones heal after surgery. Ensure that during this period, you avoid strenuous exercises. Movements, even those that seem to be harmless like lifting, stretching, or bending over, could increase nasal swelling. You need to wait until the doctor tells you that you can resume your workout routine.
Using these tips will help with the recovery and ensure that you do not have any complications after the surgery. You will also be able to get back to your normal life quickly.
