Convalescence
Within 2 days, most patients are up and about, and able to return to school or non-strenuous work within about a week following surgery. Full recovery takes several weeks.
Avoid strenuous activity (jogging, swimming, bending -- any activity that increases blood pressure) for 2 to 3 weeks. Avoid rubbing or bumping the nose. Avoid unprotected sun exposure, especially for the first 8 weeks. Be gentle when washing the face and hair or using cosmetics.
Glasses will have to be taped to the forehead or propped on the cheeks for 4 to 6 weeks after the splint is removed and the nose is completely healed.
The patient may feel depressed following surgery, but day by day the nose will look better. Within a week or two, cosmetics will camouflage signs of the operation. Healing is a slow and gradual process. The tip of the nose may have subtle swelling and numbness for months. The final results may not be apparent for up to a year.
The patient might experience some unexpected reactions from family and friends. They may act resentful, especially if something they view as a family or ethnic trait is altered. The patient should keep in mind the reasons for the nasal correction, and if these have been reached, then the surgery is a success.
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