Common Questions About Rhinoplasty
Swelling is normal soon after rhinoplasty or revision rhinoplasty. Swelling and bruising can happen after any surgery, because making incisions and lifting tissue affects the tissue, and blood and fluid collect in the injured area, which causes swelling. How much swelling you get depends on each person’s body.
The incision to take rib cartilage is under the right or left breast (this depends on the surgeon’s assessment). Most surgeons use the 6th, 7th or 8th rib, as this area has enough cartilage to use, and it is large and very strong. The surgeon makes an incision about 1.5cm to 3cm long.
You may get pain and tightness around the rib incision for about the first 1 to 3 days. The incision usually heals in about 3 months, and the scar on the rib area becomes a thin white line. If you are worried about the scar or about it becoming raised, talk to your surgeon.
It takes longer than a standard silicone implant, because the surgery goes deeper and involves the airway. If the tissue in this area swells, your nose can feel more blocked. It usually improves gradually over about 7 to 14 days. Use cold compresses, take your medicines and clean the wound exactly as your surgeon advises. Some people may also feel blocked from mucus or dried blood, so rinse your nose regularly after surgery.
Alcohol affects your immune system and blood clotting. Drinking a lot can slow down wound healing, so we recommend avoiding alcohol for 3 months.
This technique can correct a wider range of nose shapes and concerns than a standard closed technique. Using material from your own body can help lower the chance of inflammation, infection or implant extrusion in the future, and rib cartilage is durable and strong. The graft is also shaped by hand and customised to each person. It is suitable for a short nose, a large nose, a nose with thin tissue, noses affected by accidents, cleft lip and palate, and even noses that have had infections or several revisions before.
*Surgical results depend on each person’s underlying structure.
A nose that has had structural rhinoplasty takes longer to settle than with other techniques. On average, it takes about 3 months to start seeing the shape, and at 6 months the nose is close to settling. For the final result, it may take about 1 year, after which the shape usually stays stable.
If you did not have a general anaesthetic, you can travel. If you had a general anaesthetic, some people feel dizzy or light-headed, so we recommend resting for 1 night before you travel.
Bleeding is normal after surgery. How serious it is depends on how much blood there is. Light oozing is common after surgery and usually improves gradually over about 2 to 3 days. If the bleeding is heavy and does not stop, try a cold compress for about 15 minutes. If it does not improve, see a doctor as soon as possible. However, blood draining out means it does not collect inside the nose, which is considered a benefit.
