The nose is one of the most noticeable characteristics that enhance facial beauty. In case the nose is deformed due to an accident or lacks symmetry, which causes psychological problems for its owner, many people seek surgical intervention to restore the original shape of their nose or to obtain the shape that they have always dreamed of. Through this procedure, the plastic surgeon reconstructs the structure of the nose based on well-studied techniques that are essentially the result of years of experience. The main goal of rhinoplasty is to improve the nose appearance based on proportion, or the so-called golden ratio so that the shape of the nose is consistent with the other facial features.

If you are among the many who have always dreamed of improving the shape of their nose and want to undergo surgery but are still hesitant, we would like to reassure you that it is a natural feeling that most rhinoplasty patients feel extreme anxiety, which increases during the pre-operative period. Ensuring the desired results depends on many factors, including the expertise of the surgeon and medical staff, but following pre and post-operative instructions is key to ensuring a quick and harmless recovery. Prevention and appropriate preparations greatly reduce the risk before and after any surgical operation, not only rhinoplasty.

In this blog, you will find the most important tips that everyone who is thinking about undergoing rhinoplasty must be aware of in order to be well prepared.

Before Rhinoplasty

First tip: Relieve stress before rhinoplasty

The psychological aspect may be among the factors that influence the outcome of any surgical intervention in a favorable or bad way, so it is very important to reduce your stress. It is normal for a person to feel nervous, tense, or anxious before rhinoplasty, but there are many ways to reduce the level of stress.

Psychological support: You can overcome your stress if you share the details of the experience with someone close to you who you can talk to easily, such as a friend or family member. Having a supportive person who is a good listener may help you manage your anxiety and overcome your fears.

Consultation session with the surgeon: The consultation session is considered one of the most important steps before surgery that helps relieve stress, contrary to what some people might think. During the consultation, the surgeon will draw a clear outline of the surgical steps, goals, and what must be followed to ensure the best results, which builds trust between the rhinoplasty patient and the surgeon.

Various preparations: To avoid stress and the accumulation of things that you have to do after surgery and to ensure advance arrangements, it is advisable to choose a good place where you can spend the recovery period, away from noise and responsibilities. Doing shopping in advance is also very important, as it saves you the trouble of thinking and stressing yourself, especially since you will be tired after surgery and need to rest. To maintain your best health, try to hydrate your body by drinking sufficient amounts of water. Drinking liquids such as juices contributes to hydrating the skin, which significantly reduces the effects of surgical scars. A healthy, balanced diet and good hydration help reduce your stress. You can also practice mouth breathing, as this will help you, especially during the first days after surgery.

The second piece of advice: things to avoid

Smoking: If you are a smoker, you are more aware than others of the harmful effects of smoking on your health, but the matter may become more severe if you undergo any surgical operation, so doctors recommend quitting smoking before rhinoplasty surgery at least one month before the surgery. The anesthesia team's task is more difficult when the rhinoplasty patient is a smoker, as the team makes every effort to ensure that the patient breathes well throughout the anesthesia, and the negative effects of smoking on the heart and its functions are countless. During the surgery, the high levels of creatine monoxide and other toxins in the blood resulting from smoking, which penetrate the body's tissues, depriving them of the oxygen necessary to ensure their recovery, hinder and delay the recovery process. It is necessary to quit smoking for a period of time, even after surgery, as nicotine causes the blood vessels to narrow, which negatively affects the recovery process. How? The narrower the blood vessels, the weaker the blood flow, the slower the healing of wounds, and the greater the rate of cell and tissue death.

Drinking alcohol: From a medical perspective, especially for those thinking about undergoing surgery, alcohol harms the blood and is the main cause of its thinning. This causes a decrease in the number of platelets, which hinders wound healing and blood clotting and even increases blood flow and bleeding. The healing of scars and full recovery are among the most important things that the surgeon is keen on completing perfectly after rhinoplasty surgery. However, drinking alcohol without awareness of its risks on the results of the surgery might cause consequences such as delayed blood clotting, scar healing, and other problems. It is also recommended to stop drinking during the recovery period, as the effect of alcohol may interfere with the effect of prescribed medications.

Medications: It is necessary to consult a surgeon to ensure the possibility of taking a specific medication. But in general, doctors recommend stopping taking any unnecessary medication two weeks before surgery and stopping taking ibuprofen and some nutritional supplements such as vitamin E.

After rhinoplasty

Third tip: Physical comfort

- Take a rest, avoid activities that may cause pressure on the face, and stay away from crowded places to avoid injuring the nose or catching a cold.

- Avoid bending down or lying on your stomach or face. It is preferable to sleep on your back for a period after rhinoplasty surgery, to ensure that there is no pressure on the nose. You can use two pillows to keep your head elevated.

- It is necessary to avoid strenuous activities, but this does not mean that we should not walk, as doctors recommend walking for varying periods throughout the recovery period, especially from the first days after surgery. Walking daily helps reduce swelling and bruising.

Fourth tip: Take care during the first seven to ten days

- It is very important to follow a diet rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals to help you heal and recover. Make sure to drink plenty of liquids to avoid dehydration. In Korea, doctors usually recommend drinking pumpkin juice because of the benefits it contains that help in quick recovery. Be sure to avoid salty or spicy food. You should also avoid eating very hot or very cold food.

- It is recommended to use cold compresses on the nose for twenty minutes every hour or two to help reduce the severity of bruising and swelling.

- It is recommended to wear comfortable, loose clothing so that it does not constitute an obstacle when changing or putting pressure on the nose.

- Painkillers can be taken in the reasonable limit and quantity recommended by the doctor.

- Stay away from wearing glasses or sunglasses for at least a month in order to avoid pressure on the bridge of the nose or increased side complications, which may lead to revision of the surgery. You can use contact lenses if you haven’t undergone eyelid surgery along with the rhinoplasty.

- Avoid exposure to sunlight, because high temperature will actually increase the symptoms of swelling. The same applies to baths or saunas.

- Excessive nasal discharge is considered normal, so do not worry. Take care of the cleanliness of the surgical area with saline solution and avoid putting pressure on the nose. It also causes swelling of the blood veins in the surgical area (the nose) and congestion, which makes you feel uncomfortable, especially during the first week after surgery.

- It is recommended to limit sneezing or coughing due to stitches as much as possible. Since it is a natural thing that you cannot control, you can resort to a trick to relieve the pressure on the nose, by keeping the mouth open whenever you feel the need to sneeze or cough.

- Avoid exposing the nasal splint or stitches to water.

- Avoid applying makeup around bruises as this may cause harm and slow down healing.

- Be sure to consult a doctor if any emergency occurs, such as sudden pain in the chest area, a sudden high body temperature, severe pain that does not go away even after taking painkillers, dizziness or severe headache, difficulty breathing, bleeding, inflammation, etc.

- Avoid products that contain all kinds of nicotine and avoid drinking alcohol.

Fifth Tip: Determine your expectations after rhinoplasty

 - Nasal splint and internal nasal plugs: Immediately after surgery, you will have to breathe through your mouth due to nasal wicks (nasal plugs, nasal packing), which is what the surgeon uses as a preventive measure to avoid bleeding. As for the external splint, it is placed to support the nose until it heals and is usually removed after five to seven days (usually 7 days), depending on the patient’s condition.

- Sutures: In the case of open rhinoplasty, the sutures are removed during the seventh (or tenth) day after surgery. Some of the sutures are dissolvable and are usually the ones that are used inside the nose.

- Immediately after surgery, and when you wake up from anesthesia, you will be asked not to drink water and not to eat for a few minutes until you fully recover from anesthesia and are completely discharged.

- The first stage after rhinoplasty surgery (the first week) is the most difficult, so you must be patient.

- Doctors advise doing some exercises sometime after rhinoplasty surgery in order to help make the nose take its correct shape. These exercises include applying pressure on both sides of the nose from top to bottom without putting pressure on the bridge of the nose to avoid displacement of bone or cartilage.

- Do not judge the final results of rhinoplasty surgery in a short time, as the nose needs a longer time to recover and take its true shape depending on the type of nose: fleshy or bony, as the matter varies.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I return to my normal activities?

Doctors recommend a gradual return to normal life. You can return to daily activities and light exercise in the second week, while it is recommended to return to heavy sporting activities a month after rhinoplasty surgery.

How long do I need to live in Korea to be able to undergo rhinoplasty?

The length of stay is usually related to the date of removal of the stitches, and in the case of rhinoplasty, you will have to stay from seven to ten days, depending on the clinic. However, the clinics understand how difficult it is for foreigners to come from abroad to undergo surgery, and have made it possible to provide a document allowing you to have the stitches removed in your country if you are unable to stay longer.

What is the most appropriate diet after rhinoplasty surgery?

The most important nutrients that you should be sure to eat are:

- Protein: found in eggs, poultry, low-fat fish, nuts, and some legumes.

- Vitamins: Vitamin A, found in carrots, spinach, cabbage, etc., Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits, tomatoes, etc., Vitamin D, found in milk, eggs, etc., Vitamin K, found mainly in vegetables, fish...etc.

- Iron and zinc: found in meat, poultry, seafood, legumes, and dairy products.

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