Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Laura James11 said:Since my surgery date is creeping up on me, I’ve been doing a ton of reading on how to prep. So, here’s everything I managed to dig up.
1. Potential post-op symptoms include headaches, swelling, bruising, and nosebleeds.
2. Drink plenty of fluids, rest as much as possible, and use compresses (under the eyes—don't leave them on the nose too long or you might trigger sinus inflammation).
3. Avoid cigarettes and alcohol leading up to the procedure.
4. Skip the aspirin, ibuprofen, and Vitamin E because they thin your blood.
5. For faster healing, there's an effective Arnica Montana cream (they even have oral pellets).
6. Chewing and opening your mouth will be a struggle after surgery, so get ready with soups and grab some straws. Stock up on juices too; they actually have calories and flavor, unlike plain water.
7. If you get dehydrated, your lips will crack, so keep some Chapstick handy.
8. To make changing clothes easier, stick to button-down shirts so you don't have to pull anything over your head.
9. You can find decent hot/cold packs at CVS for just a few bucks.
10. Taking Vitamin C before and after surgery is recommended for optimal recovery.
11. A travel pillow might help if you aren't used to sleeping on your back.
12. Show up to the surgery without nail polish so the doctors can monitor your circulation at any time.

That’s about it for now. 🙂

Is it okay to take Tramadol before surgery?

Is there anything else besides Vitamin C that helps speed up recovery? I’ve seen people on various forums claiming protein shakes help because they provide the "building blocks" for repairing damaged tissue...

I'm not getting nose surgery, I'm having something else done, but I started this thread regarding this topic and nobody answered me... So, I'm asking here.

I’d undergo surgery in a heartbeat, but I’m only 14—and male... so go ahead, judge all you want. My nose is my pride and joy. Honestly, maybe nobody will even agree to operate on me, but none of you actually understand how this feels :/ I have an appointment to talk things over with Dr. Glušac, so we’ll see what happens...

Mark Young10 said:I’d totally go through with the surgery but I’m only 14... and I'm a guy... so yeah, just say whatever you want... my nose, my pride... I don't know... maybe nobody will even agree to operate on me... but you guys don't get how this feels :/ I'm going to talk to Dr. Glušac so we'll see...

Guys get this done all the time, it's nothing weird—just not at fourteen. It isn't just about being an adult or getting parental consent, there's actually a medical reason for it—your bone growth isn't even finished yet.

Check this out:

What are the main stages of growth?
There are six distinct growth phases
· fetal (9 months in the womb)
· infancy (from birth to year 1)
· early childhood (from years 1 to 3)
· late childhood (from years 3 to 10)
· puberty (between ages 10 and 14)
· adolescence (between ages 14 and 18)

Year 1 sees the biggest jump, about 10 inches

Year 2 slows down a bit, averaging about 5 inches

From years 3 to 6, kids grow about 2-3 inches a year

From year 6 until puberty, growth hits about 2 inches per year

Puberty

a) girls
· puberty starts a little earlier for girls than boys
· growth speeds up around age 10, hitting peak velocity around age 12 (about 3.5 inches a year)
b) boys
· growth picks up speed around age 12
· peak growth happens around age 14 (about 4 inches a year)

.

So, basically nothing then?

Donna Johnson16 said:Men get surgery all the time—that's not the issue. But at 14 years old? Absolutely not. It isn't just about being an adult or getting parental consent; there's a massive medical reason here. Bone growth hasn't even finished yet.

Look at this:

What are the primary growth stages?
There are six distinct developmental phases:
· Fetal (9 months in the womb)
· Infancy (birth to age 1)
· Early childhood (ages 1 to 3)
· Late childhood (ages 3 to 10)
· Puberty (between ages 10 and 14)
· Adolescence (between ages 14 and 18)

During year 1, growth peaks at about 10 inches.

In year 2, growth slows down slightly, averaging about 5 inches.

From ages 3 to 6, children grow about 2-3 inches per year.

From age 6 until puberty, growth is roughly 2 inches annually.

Puberty

a) For girls
· Puberty starts a bit earlier in girls than in boys.
· Growth accelerates around age 10, peaking around age 12 (about 3.5 inches per year).
b) For boys
· Growth accelerates around age 12.
· Peak growth occurs around age 14 (about 4 inches per year).

.

I had my nose done when I was just a kid.

Mark Young10 said:so basically nothing then?

that’s not the point, right? i mean, once you're fully grown... then maybe.

Ashley Ramos78 said:I actually had nose surgery back when I was just a kid.

definitely wasn't for looks, though.

Donna Johnson16 said:It’s definitely not for aesthetic reasons.

No, but I did have surgery on it.

Can someone please actually answer my question about the recovery process?

Look, recovery speed isn't some one-size-fits-all thing. Some people bounce back in no time while others... well, they struggle way more. Basically, anything that keeps your overall health in check is going to help you heal faster after any kind of trauma.

And seriously, Tramal is heavy-duty stuff. Whatever you do, don't go taking it before a procedure unless you've cleared it with your surgeon and anesthesiologist first.

Donna Johnson16 said:Recovery speed is entirely up to the individual; some bounce back fast while others struggle. Anything that improves your overall health just speeds up recovery after any kind of trauma.

So, what exactly are these "specific things" that improve overall health?

Ashley Ramos78 said:I don't smoke, hardly ever touch alcohol, I'm vegetarian/vegan, stay away from processed junk and anything loaded with chemicals or additives... Just taking a few specific meds. All my tests before the surgery came back fine...

honestly, feels like you actually know a decent amount about this, doesn't it? the issue is you're asking such a broad question that it's hard to give you a straight answer.

based on what you just said, maybe you aren't getting enough protein, but who knows... depends if you're making up for it elsewhere. either way, it won't do much for recovering from nose surgery.

if you're young, healthy, fit, and you actually know what you're getting into with a SPECIFIC procedure (which implies we aren't talking about a nose job here?), then recovery really comes down to your headspace and the people supporting you...

i also get the vibe you're comparing apples to oranges. an elective nose job for looks is one thing entirely, compared to, say, being in a car wreck where someone else got hurt too. in one case, you're literally motivated to stop whining and bounce back ASAP, in the other... not so much.

Ashley Ramos78 said:No, but I actually had surgery for it.

It would be really helpful if someone could get back to me regarding what I asked about the recovery process.

It would actually be super interesting to hear exactly what was operated on, because Donna Johnson16 is totally right.

Mark Young10 said:So, basically nothing then?

I'd say leave that septum alone until at least the 16th, and definitely hold off on the pyramid until you hit 18.

Hey everyone, I have a few questions regarding nose surgery
I finally pulled the trigger on this—that bump on my nose is driving me crazy. I'm looking for recommendations for private clinics, but what’s really eating at me is the idea of that incision right above the upper lip. I saw that they do that when using the closed technique... does that cut inside the nostril always have to happen, regardless of the situation? Also, is four weeks enough time after the procedure to get back to my normal routine—college, work, all that stuff?

Is it actually normal for an anesthesiologist to just... not even check you out during an exam? Like, they didn't even bother asking about my height or weight? 🤷

Laura James11 said:Is it even normal that the anesthesiologist doesn't bother to actually check you out during the exam? Like... seriously... they didn't even ask about my height or weight... just nothing... 🤷

Yeah, totally makes sense. I mean, when you're sitting right there in front of a doctor, they can actually look at you and get a real feel for what's going on... they can pretty much nail down the dosage they need to give you just by looking at the situation in person...

Ashley Ramos78 said:Is it okay to take Tramal before surgery?

Besides Vitamin C, is there anything else recommended to speed up recovery? I’ve been seeing stuff on some online forums suggesting protein shakes might help—apparently, they give the damaged tissue those extra "building blocks" needed for repair...

I'm actually not getting nose surgery, just something else, but I started a thread about this earlier and nobody really gave me an answer... so here goes nothing.

Honestly, I have no clue about the Tramal—you should probably ask when you go in for your blood work, but definitely make sure to mention it when you're talking to the anesthesiologist.
Most of the stuff I've stumbled upon mentions Vitamin C and Arnica at most—though, fair warning, you shouldn't go overboard with the Vitamin C either. :
Although Vitamin C promotes healing and helps with bruising it is possible that excessive Vitamin C consumption can cause over-collagetation (excess scar tissue formation) so adhere to your own surgeon's instructions.
I think I also saw somewhere that Bromelain—that pineapple extract—is a thing too.

driftingmason4 said:hey everyone, I have a few questions about nose surgery
I finally decided I want to go through with it because this bump on my nose really bothers me... I'm looking for recommendations for private clinics, and what's weighing on me most is that part where they make a cut above the upper lip. I saw that they do that when using the closed technique... I'm wondering if they always have to make that incision inside the lip, regardless of the situation?? Also, is four weeks after surgery enough time to get back to my responsibilities—college, work, and all that?

Don't let that stress you out too much—I just have a tiny little incision under my nose that you can only see if you're staring at it from super close, otherwise it's basically invisible. 😉
Recovery is pretty much different for everyone, but I know I was already heading back for finals after about 10 days, so I'd say four weeks is more than enough time.

Laura James11 said:is it normal for the anesthesiologist not to weigh you during the exam? Like, they didn't even ask for height or weight? 🤷

It seems normal to me that they don't weigh you, though I guess I would've expected them to ask at some point. 🤷
When I went in, they actually recorded it somewhere in my medical file, so it feels logical that they'd ask if they're logging it anyway. Plus, weight can vary so much from person to person, even if people look like they have similar builds. 🤷

But honestly, I believe if it's an experienced doctor, they can't really mess that up... hopefully. 😬

So, I’m asking because the intake sheet clearly says they need height and weight, right? But he just left it totally blank—didn't even bother to ask! And when I finally walked in, he didn't even look up from his clipboard before I sat down... just kept staring at his files. :/ It honestly makes me so nervous. I know this girl who had surgery about five years ago, and they messed up her dosage big time, so she actually woke up during the whole thing. She couldn't feel any pain and was completely paralyzed, but she could hear everything being said. It's terrifying. The doctors actually thought she was just hallucinating or making stuff up at first, but then they realized she was telling the truth when she started quoting their exact conversations about what they wanted for lunch!

Laura James11 said:I’m just asking because the paperwork specifically asks for height and weight, but he just left it blank and didn't even ask... When I walked in, he didn't even look up from the chart before I sat down, just kept reading the file :/ I actually know this girl who had surgery about five years ago and they messed up her dosage—she woke up feeling zero pain but was totally paralyzed, yet she could hear everything. It was terrifying. The doctors thought she was just being crazy at first, until she started repeating their own conversations back to them about what they were having for lunch...

Honestly, don't let stories like that get in your head—the odds of that happening to you are incredibly slim. If the idea of anesthesia is stressing you out this much, just have a real talk with your doctor before the procedure... I'm sure once you walk through it, you'll feel way more confident that everything's going to be fine. 😉

neonstag63 said:Don't get hung up on those stories; the odds of that actually happening to you are incredibly slim.

The official stats say two out of a thousand patients wake up during surgery. That's the reality.

And almost all of those "lucky" ones end up in psychiatric wards, with an alarmingly high suicide rate among them too. Isn't that terrifying?

That’s why you have to scrutinize every single reference, vet the surgeon’s track record, and grill the anesthesiologist. You need crystal clear communication. If anything feels off or suspicious, why would you ever risk it? It's better to run for the hills than to go under the knife with people you can't trust.