Everything you need to know on Nose Surgery
Will There Be a Scar After My Rhinoplasty Surgery?
The possibility of a post-op scar on the nose depends on the technique used during the surgery. There are two approaches: open and closed rhinoplasty techniques. With Closed Technique, that is more traditional, making an external incision on the nose is not a matter of question. With Open Technique on the other hand, an incision is made on the tissue (columella) that links the nasal tip with the nasal base and separate the nostrils. Taking the patient’s nose condition, open technique is more widely used in order to control the nose structure and to use the ultrasonic bone scaler (piezo). After the surgery that is performed with the open technique, the incised area will be stitched; the stiches will be dissolved with 10 days of post-operation. It takes 12 months at total for the scarred area to be heal. Depending on the patients’ conditions, there will be a slight scar that cannot be seen with naked eye. The scar can only be seen under a microphone. Rarely, the scar can be seen with naked eye on the patients with slow or bad recovery process.
How Long Will The Surgery Take?
It is quite hard to state a standard duration for rhinoplasty surgery. The average duration for rhinoplasty surgery is 3 hours; however, depending on the condition of the nose and the patients’ demands, this duration can go down to 2 hours or even can go up to 5 hours.
When Will I Recover Totally?
The recovery process varies from patient to patient and the nose skin factors (thick skinned, thin skinned) play an important role in this process. In general, the recovery process is at 70% on the second month, 80% on the sixth and nearly 100% on the twelfth month. This rate can rise up to 2 years for thick skinned patients, while the rate can go down to 6 months for thin skinned patients. Outside of these factors, patients’ genes, chronical diseases, age, alcohol or nicotine intake and the diet can play a highly important role on the recovery process.
Will I Have Pain After the Surgery?
Usually, in the first week after surgery, your pain can be cured with ordinary painkillers. Most of our patients do not even need to use painkillers after the third postoperative day. Patients who we consider to have a low pain threshold may need strong painkillers, which we call narcotics, but this is very rare.
Will There Be Bruising/Swelling After the Surgery?
In surgeries where we use the Piezzo device, less swelling is observed compared to the traditional method. Bruising, which is quite common in the traditional method, is almost non-existent. If swelling and bruising occur, the swelling and bruising will heal within 10 days and the patient can continue his/her normal quality of life.
When Are Tampons Removed After Surgery? Is it a painful procedure?
We place tube-shaped silicone tampons inside the nose to prevent the nasal walls from sticking, which can cause nasal congestion in the long term. We usually remove tampons after 5 to 7 days. Removing tampons is a painless process that takes 20-30 seconds in total.
Do I Need to Stay in the Hospital After My Surgery?
Depending on the patient's condition, we generally require hospitalization for 1 night or, in rare cases, 2 nights after the surgery.
When Does My Nose Start to Look Beautiful?
One of the most frequently asked questions by patients is "When will my nose start to look beautiful?" On the seventh postoperative day, after removing the patient's bandages and tampons, our patient's first question in front of the mirror is, "These swellings will go down, right?" Yes It will. Swelling is an expected condition after surgery and will of course subside. You can admire your side profile photos starting from the 2nd or 3rd week after your surgery. It should take at least 4 months for your nose to look beautiful, even from the front profile.
When Can I Return to My Normal Life?
Although the recovery period varies from person to person, you can generally swim in the pool after 1 month and be in humid environments such as saunas after 2-3 months.
Can I Wear Glasses After Surgery?
We do not recommend wearing glasses until 2 months after your surgery as it may cause damages or may melt the nasal bridge bone.
