Who benefits from Rhinoplasty?
Rhinoplasty is surgery that changes the shape of the nose. The motivation for rhinoplasty may be to change the appearance of the nose, improve breathing or both.
The upper portion of the structure of the nose is bone, and the lower portion is cartilage. Rhinoplasty can change bone, cartilage, skin or all three. Rhinoplasty is customized surgery, you need to talk to the surgeon what is appropriate for you and what it can achieve.
Rhinoplasty can change the size, shape or proportions of your nose. It may be done to repair deformities from an injury, correct a birth defect or improve some breathing difficulties.
Pre-Operative Care
Our team will evaluate your medical history to check for conditions that may delay the surgery or the healing process. Some of the common conditions are:
Bleeding tendencies – problems with blood clotting, or lack of clotting
- Breathing problems you have had in the past – like snoring, sleep apnea.
- Hypertension (High blood pressure) – particularly if it is not under control.
- Smoking – this may affect your reaction to the anaesthetic and prolong the healing process. Please stop smoking 4 weeks prior to surgery.
- Please avoid aspirin and brufen-containing medication for two weeks prior to surgery to eliminate the chance of post op bleeding.
A discussion of your expectations. You and your doctor should talk about your motivations and expectations. He or she will explain what rhinoplasty can and can't do for you and what your results might be. It's normal to feel a little self-conscious discussing your appearance, but it's very important that you're open with your surgeon about your desires and goals for surgery.
Post-Operative Care
Patients are seen on postoperative day number one and incisions are inspected, all crusts are removed and antibiotic ointment is applied.
Avoid “sniffing”, that is, forcibly attempting to pull air through the nose as some people do when their noses feel blocked. This will not relieve the sensation of blockage – it will only aggravate it because the suction created on the inside will cause more swelling. Avoid constantly rubbing the nose and base of the nose. Not only will this aggravate the swelling, but it may cause infection, bleeding, or the accumulation of scar tissue inside the nose.
Ice compresses should be applied diagonally across each eye for twenty minutes every two hours while awake during the first two days after discharge from the hospital are helpful.
You may clean the outside of the nose soon after the bandage has been removed, the nose should be cleaned in the usual manner twice daily to remove the oily material that is produced by the skin glands.
Avoid excessive grinning and smiling. Don’t pull the upper lip down as women do when they apply lipstick. Apply lipstick with a brush. The upper teeth should be cleansed with toothpaste on a face cloth; the lower teeth may be brushed as usual. Also avoid gum or foods that are hard to chew. Soft or liquid diet is recommended.
You have to stay up (sitting, standing, walking around) as much as possible when you leave the hospital. Avoid bending over or lifting heavy things for one week. Besides aggravating swelling, this may raise your blood pressure and start bleeding. Avoid hitting or bumping your new nose. It is not wise to pick up small children.
Sleep with the head of the bed elevated until all the dressings have been removed from the nose. Try not to roll on your nose.
