What Not To Do After Rhinoplasty

If you’re hoping to change the size, shape, or proportion of your nose, rhinoplasty is your best option. However, recovery from rhinoplasty can be a long and involved process, so it’s important to know what to expect before scheduling your consultation with Dr. Cruise.

What Should I Avoid After Rhinoplasty?

As a general rule, strenuous exercise is off-limits. You should plan to avoid all exercise and sexual activity for the initial three weeks after your procedure. Intense movements that include bending, pushing, or pulling should be avoided for the first two weeks following the procedure. To prevent blood clots, patients are typically encouraged to take light walks indoors to encourage circulation. After three weeks, most patients have begun to feel better and are able to resume exercise; however, Dr. Cruise should inspect your nose and clear you for resuming strenuous activity.

Daily Maintenance

During the day-to-day after your procedure, you’ll need to avoid blowing your nose since this may be dangerous. Because you may have a cast on your nose that must remain dry, you should not take showers until it’s removed. You should also avoid wearing glasses after surgery since resting glasses on the bridge of the nose can reshape the softened cartilage. Touching the nose is also prohibited as pushing, prodding, or bumping the nose may disturb and misalign the nasal tissues. If you normally wear makeup, you should keep your skin bare to lower the risk of infection.

Prohibited Leisure Activities

Drinking alcohol and smoking are considered high-risk activities that should be avoided during postop recovery. While nicotine has been known to restrict blood flow and complicate your ability to heal, alcohol thins the blood and can interfere with medication. Beyond avoiding drinking and smoking, you should also limit direct exposure to sunlight. The skin on the nose is very sensitive following surgery and sunlight can damage it. Therefore, you should always apply sunscreen and wear a hat to shield the face from direct sunlight before venturing outdoors.

Schedule a Consultation

Overall, rhinoplasty is generally a safe procedure with long recovery period. This means it’s important to follow directions and ask any questions about your recovery. To meet with Dr. Cruise and discuss your options for facial plastic surgery, contact our Orange County office by calling or filling out our online form.