Skin Care after Rhinoplasty

Patients who decide to have a rhinoplasty performed should understand that the operation is only the first part of the process. The way to truly guarantee success from this surgery is to take care of yourself during the recovery.

As the facial skin is stretched and altered in order to accommodate the results of the nose job, Orange County patients should recognize that their skin will be sensitive after the operation. Newport Beach rhinoplasty patients should talk with their facial plastic surgeon about what skin care regimen they should adopt after the surgery.

What are Some Tips for Skin Care After Rhinoplasty?

Patients should first focus on reducing the swelling in their face after the procedure. The best way to reduce swelling as quickly as possible is to rest with your head elevated for at least 24 hours after the operation. Cold compresses can be applied to the face at this time in order to help with both swelling and pain. In addition, patients can take arnica montana supplements in order to help naturally relieve swelling in the surgical area.

Wash your face on a daily basis in order to cleanse the skin and help prevent infection near the incision site. It is important to use mild, non-scented cleansers in order to wash your face. You will want to be gentle so as not to disrupt the healing process or skew the results of the surgery, but you do want to make sure you keep your skin as clean as possible. A fragrance-free hypoallergenic moisturizer also should be used in order to keep your skin from becoming dry and itchy during the recovery.

Be vigilant about protecting your skin from the sun. The skin near the nose will be vulnerable to sunburn because it has been stretched and altered. Patients should always wear strong sunblock on their nose, whenever they are heading outside. It should be worn not only on sunny days, but also on cloudy days.

Drink plenty of water during your entire recovery. By staying hydrated, your skin will replenish itself and stay moisturized naturally. It will also keep toxins out of your skin. Plan to drink between eight and ten glasses of water each day while you rest and recover from the nose job surgery.

By taking good care of your skin after the rhinoplasty operation, you will ensure that you not only get amazing results from the surgery itself but that your entire face appears to be rejuvenated after the fact. The immediate recovery process takes about 7-14 days. Typically, most patients can return to work or other daily routines after this time period.

It should be noted that there may be some residual swelling for up to a year, so patient’s should not expect to see final results until at least 12 months after the operation. In order to find out if you are a qualified candidate for the rhinoplasty surgery, set up a cosmetic consultation with a facial plastic surgeon today.