Does Rhinoplasty/ Nose Surgery Hurt?

The main goal where rhinoplasty is concerned is to reshape the nose to make it more aesthetically pleasing and proportionate to the rest of the face. Of course aesthetics is not the only reason a person may elect to have rhinoplasty performed, but it is the most common reason. There are also medical reasons to have the procedure, like breathing problems that may have been the result of damage done to the nose from an accident and other structural defects that can occur. Nose surgery procedures can be very effective in fixing the following issues:

● A nose that is large and out of proportion with the rest of a person’s facial features

● A wide bridge of the nose that is disproportionate

● Large or irregularly shaped nostrils

● Humps, bumps and depressions that are visible from a profile view of the nose

● The end of the nose is bulbous, drooping, upturned or hooked

● A nose that is not symmetrical to the rest of the facial features

● A deviated septum

The Procedure and Recovery Time

There are various different types of rhinoplasty procedure, which depend entirely on the problem a patient is trying to correct. But, the procedure itself generally follows the same steps. Once a consultation is done with a plastic surgeon and the applicable procedure is chosen, a patient will be prepped for surgery. The first step is undergoing anesthesia during the operation. Next, the applicable incisions will be made into the nose. The incisions are made in order to gain access to the cartilage and bone that are responsible for the shape of the nose. Cartilage and bone will then be removed in order to get the desired result. Once that is done, the nose will be reshaped by the surgeon in order to get the result that is desired. The incisions will then be closed and the procedure is complete.

A splint, gauze and bandaging will be in and on the nose for at least a few days after the procedure, so results may not be instantly noticeable to the patient. Typically, there will be swelling of the nose for up to three weeks after the surgery is performed, which can be acutely painful or uncomfortable for the patient. In many cases, medications will be given to the patient to reduce swelling and pain and the chance of infection. The physician in charge of the surgery will give the patient very detailed instructions on what to pay attention to during the healing process, and will let the patient know what to expect during the recovery process.

While swelling will typically reduce dramatically after a few weeks, it can take up to one year to see the full results of the nose surgery procedure. This is because it takes time for the contour of the nose to fully refine. Small changes will be noticeable during this time, but the full result may not be. It is not uncommon for minor swelling to come and go for about a year after the surgery, and in most cases it will stop completely after that.