Reshaping Your Nose With Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty, colloquially known as a nose job, is a common surgical procedure to reshape the nose. You may be considering rhinoplasty if you are unhappy with the shape of your nose and feel you would gain in confidence and feel happier overall after the procedure. Rhinoplasty can also be performed to remedy breathing problems, or to re-shape your nose after trauma or injury. This article discusses the basics of a nose job as well as nose job pain after.
How Is Rhinoplasty Performed?
A nose job is performed under a general anesthetic, or more rarely a local anesthetic with sedation. During the procedure, the surgeon will make incisions inside the nostrils and from there will be able to augment or re-shape your nose. In some cases, a bone or cartilage graft might be applied to assist in the re-shaping procedure. The surgeon will sometimes need to make a small incision between the nostrils or outside them, which can leave small scars, but this is not common. Your surgeon will discuss the procedure with you thoroughly before moving forward.
A nose job is performed under a general anesthetic, or more rarely a local anesthetic with sedation. During the procedure, the surgeon will make incisions inside the nostrils and from there will be able to augment or re-shape your nose. In some cases, a bone or cartilage graft might be applied to assist in the re-shaping procedure. The surgeon will sometimes need to make a small incision between the nostrils or outside them, which can leave small scars, but this is not common. Your surgeon will discuss the procedure with you thoroughly before moving forward.
What Happens After My Surgery?
You will have a splint or plaster cast applied to your nose after rhinoplasty, to help support your nose as it heals, and to keep the new shape. Some procedures also require your nose to have packs placed inside the nostrils – this means you'll have to breathe through your mouth until they are removed. Some patients understandably find this a little uncomfortable, but the packs are usually taken out within a week at most.
You will most likely wake up after your surgery comfortably arranged with your head raised above the level of your chest. This is to help reduce the swelling around your nose. There will be a bit of swelling and bruising immediately after the surgery.
In most cases, rhinoplasty only requires an overnight stay in hospital, so you will be back home quickly.
How Much Pain Can I Expect?
Nose job pain after is a concern for anyone who is considering undergoing rhinoplasty. However, the procedure is not terribly painful, and can easily be managed with oral painkillers. Many people are given painkillers by their Doctor for the first day or two, and are able to manage easily with over the counter painkillers such Tylenol after that. Many patients find they do not need painkillers after the first three or four days.
What Is The Recovery Like?
You will need to wear your splint or plaster cast for a week or so. The bruising and swelling from the surgery subsides quite quickly – most patients find it is gone within two weeks or so. Once the swelling has decreased and the cast has been removed, patients usually find they can return to work and to normal daily activities with no problems. It takes several weeks for your nose to heal completely, so it is advised to build up to more strenuous activities slowly, and of course avoid playing any sports or engaging in other activities that could result in a blow to the nose.
