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Many patients ask what happens after rhinoplasty and splint removal.
Usually, between the fourth and sixth day after a nose job, the plastic protector placed over the nose at surgery’s end is taken off in the surgeon’s office.
That’s the first time you can really see your rejuvenated nose; while you’ll also discover it looks better than before surgery, the healing is not quite finished. Actually, it requires days, weeks and months for the nose to completely heal and take its final shape.
(Read more post rhinoplasty activities.)
But, hey, it’s far better at splint removal than it was before surgery. And things only get better after splint removal.
In nature, an unbending rule of healing is that 100 days are needed for any healing to be completed. And that’s not only for rhinoplasty. Virtually all surgeries in all specialties from arthroscopic surgery in a shoulder to hernia repair or even open-heart surgery require the same time.
(Look at some nose job before and after pictures.)
That’s not saying your nose won’t look good; it will, but you’ll continue to look better. Everybody wants to see the final result quickly, but Nature moves at its own pace.
However, there are a few things you can do to nudge healing along. After surgery, some mild exercise like walking is helpful. In most cases, you can resume your full athletic program in ten days and bring back good blood circulation.
Some patients who have had septoplasty or turbinate resection to improve the airway may find swelling in the nose. To counter that, a prescription cortisone nose spray is the ticket.
(Learn more about septoplasty, deviated septum surgery.)
For others who seem to be a little more swollen, we can prescribe an oral cortisone medicine for six days. And that helps reduce the swelling.
Keep in mind none of the above are miracles, but the happy news is that every day sees a march towards improvement.
(Learn if you are right for non-surgical rhinoplasty.)
Rest easy in the faith that nature will, as always, be consistent in its healing activity.
You can always be assured of sunrise and sunset because all the workings of nature – from nasal healing to sunsets – are predictable and consistent, unlike we humans.
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