After undergoing rhinoplasty surgery by Dr. Ovchinsky, you may be wondering what the recovery period is like and when you can really see your amazing final results! A common misconception is that your nose post-surgery is your final result, which isn’t the case. Your nose continues to heal for a year or more after your rhinoplasty surgery as the nose takes time to fully settle, but it’s definitely worth the wait.
Rhinoplasty surgery is life changing for most and Dr. Ovchinsky is a rhinoplasty expert who works closely with his patients to understand their specific surgical goals and bring them to life. There are various different reasons one may decide/need to get rhinoplasty surgery; from repairing defects from an injury, to correcting breathing difficulties, to aesthetic/self-esteem reasons. No matter the case, Dr. Ovchinsky specializes in all different types of rhinoplasties and accommodates each and every patient’s specific wants/needs for their new nose.
Everyone Is Different
First and foremost, everyone is different. When it comes to your nasal anatomy, structure, shape, and size every nose is unique. Dr Ovchinsky performs cosmetic, functional, reconstructive, and revision rhinoplasties. Cosmetic rhinoplasty is all about appearance and aesthetics as Dr. Ovchinsky reshapes the nose to achieve the look his patient desires. Functional rhinoplasty focuses on breathing problems and airway blockages that occur due to a deviated septum. These functional fixes give patients a huge relief allowing them to breathe better than ever. When it comes to reconstructive rhinoplasty, Dr. Ovchinsky works to rebuild the nose that was damaged from an injury or crooked/deformed at birth. Lastly, revision rhinoplasty, also known as a “second nose job”, is the correction of the unwanted results from a previous rhinoplasty surgery.
Depending on the type of rhinoplasty you undergo, your specific nasal anatomy, and your body’s natural healing process- recovery is different for everyone.
Recovery Duration
Rhinoplasty recovery does not have an exact timeline as every patient recovers at their own pace. Factors like after care consistency, rest, and your body’s natural healing process contribute to recovery speed, as well. Dr. Ovchinsky has follow up appointments with his patients throughout their recovery journey to ensure they are healing properly and is always there to answer any questions/concerns.
1-2 weeks post op
Generally, the first week after rhinoplasty surgery, patients experience swelling, bruising, some discomfort/pain, and overall soreness. There is no way to tell how much you may swell or bruise since all bodies react differently. However, something all rhinoplasty patients will have in common is the need to rest! Resting is absolutely essential during this first week for the nose to properly recover and heal. All strenuous activities should be avoided during this time as well as any pressure on the nose (such as blowing the nose/ touching). Some patients may use a cooling pad or ice to reduce swelling and it is recommended to stay very hydrated. At this time, the nose is in its most fragile state, and it is important to treat it with extra care and caution.
After week one comes to an end, it’s already time for the nose cast removal! At this stage, patients are still very swollen and potentially bruised. Cast removal is quick and easy with little to no discomfort. Dr. Ovchinsky will also remove all sutures and splints as well as clean out the nose. This is usually quite relieving for patients as they can begin to breathe better and can get a glimpse of their new nose. At this time, the nose is far from healed and still very swollen. Swelling actually tends to worsen once the cast is removed as the body is going through its natural healing process. Dr. Ovchinsky ensures his patient is happy with their post op result so far, explains where they are at recovery wise, and goes through all of the aftercare steps patients should continue as they are still healing.
1 month post op
After 3-4 weeks post rhinoplasty surgery, patients should be feeling much better as the major swelling, bruising , and discomfort subsides. They can now return to participating in activities but must treat the nose with caution and care as the tip is usually still swollen and fragile. Furthermore, patients should be able to see a bit more of the results they were expecting at this point of recovery.
3 months post op
Patients should be feeling back to normal 3 months after their rhinoplasty surgery and enjoying their new look! It is possible that the tip of their nose may still have some minor swelling, but nothing that would be noticeable to others. At this point in their recovery, patients usually express to Dr. Ovchinsky that they have gotten used to their new nose and are absolutely loving their improved look.
6 months post op
Once patients reach 6 months post rhinoplasty surgery, they probably have forgotten what their old nose even looked like! At this point of their recovery journey, usually 80% of the swelling has gone down. However, there is always a chance that some patients may still be dealing with some mild swelling as every patient is different.
1 year post op
Everyone who undergoes rhinoplasty surgery is familiar with the fact that true results really take at least 1 year to see, as the nose needs time to fully settle. Minor swelling can even take up to one year to fully go down, especially the tip. As patients reach the one-year mark, they can finally see the refined, true results of their rhinoplasty surgery by Dr. Ovchinsky and are very satisfied with their transformed nose!
If you are thinking about rhinoplasty surgery, it is extremely important to keep in mind that recovery is not the same for everyone and is not a short process. Although the pain and discomfort may subside weeks after surgery, the nose takes a full year, at the least, to fully heal and settle to its final result.