Those who are considering getting a nose job or in medical terms, a rhinoplasty, must not only consider what goes on during the operation procedure, but the post operation procedures involved after getting a rhinoplasty as well. Here is an overview of both what is expected of the patient and what the patient should expect for the weeks and months following the rhinoplasty surgery.

Right after the surgery, the patient will experience pain, hence the need for pain relievers that will be prescribed by the plastic surgeon. Keep in mind that taking in certain pain relievers may not be advisable because they may have adverse effects on the patient due to the interaction of certain chemicals with the anesthesia that was administered prior to the rhinoplasty procedure.

The patient will also experience a lot of bruising and swelling around the nasal area. The patient should not panic if he or she sees that there will be some bleeding that will be experienced around the nasal area. However, excessive bleeding will be cause for some alarm and the attending plastic surgeon must be consulted immediately. The patient must expect the nasal area to hurt even for the weeks following the plastic surgery. The swelling around the nasal area will continue up to until a few months following the procedure.

Generally, the patient will be advised to get complete bed rest for the next twenty-four hours after the operation. Apart from the bruising and swelling that was described above, which will reach its peak in the next forty-eight hours following the procedure, the patient should also expect a lot of tenderness around the nasal area. Simple activities such as blowing of the nose and bending over should be avoided for at least a week.

The patient will have to wear a splint on the nose and what is called as nasal packing before they leave the operating room. These should not be touched and can only be removed after three to four days after the surgery. Meanwhile, the stitches will be removed by the attending plastic surgeon seven to fourteen days following the plastic surgery.

If the patient engages in office work and physical activity on a daily basis, these must be completely avoided for the entire week following the surgery. Exposure of the nasal area to day to day activities may only damage and jeopardize the patient’s recovery. Going to the gym, doing cardiovascular activities and lifting weights should be avoided as well.

It goes without saying that engaging in sports is not advisable when it comes to recovering from a plastic surgery procedure. Traveling on airplanes and going on long excursions must be completely avoided as well for the next few weeks after the operation.

Meanwhile, those who require the use of glasses and contact lenses must take extra caution before returning to wearing these again. Those who wear contact lenses will be relieved to know that they can resume contact lens wear when they are well enough to put them on. However, those who are more comfortable wearing eyeglasses will not be able to wear them on their noses until possibly up to two months following the Miami post operation rhinoplasty procedure.