After undergoing rhinoplasty, most patients experience side effects such as tenderness, redness, bruising, swelling, bleeding, and discomfort. These are to be expected, and should subside within a few weeks of surgery.
Potential complications in the days after rhinoplasty surgery include adverse reactions to the anesthesia or medications and slow healing. After surgery, blood vessels in the nose may burst, resulting in thin red lines on the surface of the nasal skin. While these will usually fade over time, there is a chance that they could be permanent.
Infection is also a possibility, as with any surgical procedure requiring skin incisions, although the risk is less than one percent. Signs of infection include significant swelling, warmth, redness, or pain in the nose. Skin death is also possible. While rare in non-smoking patients, it is significantly more likely in patients who are smokers.
Extended period of bruising
One potential complication after rhinoplasty is an extended period of bruising, which can continue for several months after surgery. This is particularly common in patients who are smoking, as smoking can prolong the healing process. Many patients find swelling to be the longest-lasting side effect. Some residual swelling may remain to obscure the full results of the nose job for up to six weeks.
Because nose jobs require an incision in the skin, scarring is a possibility. However, the placement of incisions inside the nostrils and in the skin separating the nostrils minimizes the risk of visible scarring.
Risks during recovery period
If the nose is bumped or disturbed as it heals, it can be moved out of alignment, becoming asymmetrical, crooked, or abnormally shaped. This may require revision surgery for correction. In addition to aesthetic issues with the nose after a nose job, structural or functional problems are also a risk of rhinoplasty. Difficulty breathing through the nose, recurring nosebleeds, loss of structural support, a perforated septum, and temporary or permanent numbness are some of the potential risks of a nose job.
When rhinoplasty is performed by a qualified, experienced plastic surgeon, complications are rare and are usually minor. However, all surgical procedures carry a risk of complications, a fact which should be discussed with your surgeon prior to scheduling the procedure. You can reduce your risks by following the surgeon's instructions for preparing for surgery and the recovery process.
