RHINOPLASTY

 First 24 hours: Rhinoplasty patients may feel groggy or nauseous after surgery. Discomfort is usually mild immediately after surgery. Nasal packing for the first 24 hours will result in breathing through the mouth, causing sleep difficulty and dry mouth.

1 week: Mild to moderate bruising and swelling should be expected during the first week. For protection, a plastic splint is often placed on the nasal bridge during this time. Regular activities and resuming work may occur within 1 week. 

2 weeks: Final shape of the nose begins to take form.

3 weeks: Contact sports and strenuous activity may resume.

2 - 3 months: Nose reaches about 90% of its final appearance. 

6 - 12 months: Patients should expect complete healing during this time.

 A rhinoplasty is an elective procedure. Insurance will not cover elective procedures. However, if there is a functional component to the surgery, such as in a combination septorhinoplasty, insurance may cover the functional part of the surgery. 

Rhinoplasty should be done after facial growth is complete. This is at about 15 years of age for girls and about 17 years of age for boys. If a person is near this age and interested in a functional or cosmetic nose surgery, they can bring their guardian and meet with Dr. Madorsky. He will be able to identify a suitable time for surgery after assessing the patient in person. 

There are two ways that rhinoplasty is accomplished. One is called Closed Revision. With this option, the incisions are made inside the nasal cavity so they are not visible. The cartilage and tissue are rearranged, reduced or augmented, depending on what changes are being made to the original structure. An Open Revision is used when a lot of work is being done on the tip of the nose. For these revisions, the incision is made in the outside vertical piece of the nose that separates the nostrils. The incision is very small and is very difficult to detect after it has healed.

Most likely. Once the surgery is complete, incisions will be closed, and a splint will be placed over the bridge of the nose. The purpose of the splint is to minimize swelling and hold everything stable while healing occurs. Also, depending on what work was performed during surgery, there may be some nasal packing in the nostrils that will need to stay for a couple of days.

 Yes. Patients can choose to combine their rhinoplasty procedure with additional cosmetic surgeries. A few common combinations include:

• Rhinoplasty with chin augmentation - for an enhanced and more symmetrical profile
• Rhinoplasty and eyelid surgery - for brighter and more youthful looking eyes
• Rhinoplasty with facelift - for a complete rejuvenation strategy
• Rhinoplasty with nonsurgical volumization - for a rejuvenative pick me up