Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

goldencobra92 said:I mean, why not? Is there something wrong with that?

goldencobra92 said:It’s not a doctor's advice—I think I read that somewhere on here. Now I'm actually getting a little spooked.

Look, a Hematoma doesn't just happen by accident; there's a whole logic and dynamic to how they behave.
If a doctor hasn't specifically cleared you to use heparin gel or cream after reviewing your actual medical records and clinical status (ideally the surgeon who did the work, or at least someone in the same field), messing around with it can totally backfire. It’s actually pretty common to see people trying to be their own medics, slathering heparin products all over their face after nose surgery, only to end up with the entire nose swelling up way too fast and far too intense. Then you're looking at a real mess trying to save the nose from collapsing (and trust me, gangrene isn't exactly a vibe anyone wants to deal with)
. So, if the tip of your nose (or the nose itself) starts hurting like crazy, throbbing, or feeling like it's "pulsing" or "stabbing," and it feels significantly warmer than it was before, those are major red flags that you need an urgent consultation with your surgeon or an ENT...
Bottom line: post-op heparin should be used ONLY & EXCLUSIVELY after talking it through with your doctor.

velvetmoose9 said:Hematoma exists for a reason; it has its own logic and timing.
If a doctor hasn't explicitly told you to use heparin gel or cream after reviewing your medical records and clinical status—ideally the surgeon who did the work, or at least someone in the same field—using it could actually backfire. It’s not exactly rare to see people taking matters into their own hands and smearing heparin products all over their face after nose surgery, only to have their entire nose swell up way too fast and too hard, leading to a frantic scramble to save the nose from collapsing (trust me, gangrene isn't exactly a fun time).
So, look, if the tip of your nose (or the nose itself) starts hurting intensely, throbbing, or pulsing, and feels significantly hotter than it was before, those can be red flags that you need an urgent consultation with your surgeon or an ENT...
Bottom line: post-op heparin should ONLY & EXCLUSIVELY be used after consulting with a doctor.

Thanks so much for the reply. I wasn't going overboard with the application; I only did it twice a day in a thin layer without rubbing it in aggressively. I didn't even get near my eye—just the very bottom of the under-eye area, a tiny spot where the bruising is actually darkest, nowhere near the nose. I really hope I haven't caused any major damage; the swelling has stopped spreading, but the color is just a disaster right now and I don't know how to help myself. I know time heals everything, but since I'm naturally prone to hematomas that linger forever, I'm a little worried about how long this is going to last.
I hope your advice serves as a warning to others. Thanks again.

goldencobra92 said:Thanks so much for getting back to me. Honestly, I don't think I went overboard with the application; I was only putting it on twice a day in a super thin layer. I wasn't even being aggressive about rubbing it in, either. I stayed well away from my actual eye area too—I just focused on that tiny little patch right under my lower lash line where the purple discoloration is most intense, nowhere near my nose. I'm really hoping I haven't done any permanent damage. The swelling finally seems to be backing off.Honestly, the only thing that’s a total disaster right now is the color, so I’m kind of at a loss for how to even help you out. I know, I know—time heals all wounds and eventually things will settle down, but given that I’ve always been pretty particular about these kinds of things myself... I’ve always been one of those people who seems to be a walking target for bruises; I get these massive hematomas that just refuse to fade away for weeks on end.I gotta admit, I'm feeling a little uneasy about how long this whole thing is going to drag on.
I really hope your advice serves as a wake-up call for everyone else out there. Thanks again for looking out.

That part right there—that’s the real kicker. Just try to wrap your head around what the rivers in the States are looking like right now.It’s getting a little weird out there, isn't it? This sudden melt is hitting way faster than I expected. One day you’re bundled up in three layers just to step onto the porch, and the next, everything is turning into this gray, slushy mess. It feels like we skipped half the season entirely. Honestly, it reminds me of that one February back in Chicago where the temperature swung so wildly we went from a blizzard to seeing actual mud in the driveway within forty-eight hours. Just kind of disorienting when the seasons don't follow the script. It’s been nothing but non-stop rain for weeks on end, and then the last couple of days just absolutely dumped everything at once. Now we're dealing with some serious flooding.
Especially since you tend to bruise easily and get those Hematomas, it’d be a really good idea to touch base with your primary doctor once you land. It would be worth having them take a look and decide if you actually need to go see an internist or maybe even a hematologist—sometimes people even loop in transfusion specialists for a second opinion on stuff like this. There's no huge rush though, so don't stress about it too much. 😉
By the way, does anyone else feel like once you start popping Aspirin, even the tiniest, most insignificant little bump can leave you with a massive, ridiculous bruise? Like, I’ll barely graze my leg on the corner of a coffee table and suddenly there's this huge Hematoma staring back at me. It feels totally disproportionate to how much it actually hurt.

velvetmoose9 said:The part in bold right there? That’s the absolute crux of the issue. Just picture the rivers across America lately—that sudden snowmelt from the last few weeks combined with the torrential downpours we've had over the past couple of days. Total flooding.
It's especially risky if you're prone to Hematomas. Honestly, once you get settled, it would be a smart move to touch base with your primary doctor about this. They can figure out if you actually need to go see an internist or a hematologist (sometimes people even ask transfusion specialists for their take). It's not an emergency, so don't freak out 😉
By the way, when you take Aspirin, have you ever noticed that even a tiny, insignificant bump causes an insanely huge bruise to pop up?

I don't really take much Aspirin, but I haven't noticed any link between medication and my bruising, mostly because I don't take them that often anyway. For the most part, I've always just chalked it up to genetics or maybe just the structure of my tissue—like, my blood vessel walls just seem to give way easily. My blood work comes back fine, at least the basic stuff related to clotting.

Someone mentioned that weird tapping sensation in their nose—I definitely get that too, just here and there from time to time.
I’m actually heading in this week to finally get my cast removed, so I'll be sure to mention it to the doctor and see what they think.

Yeah, I mentioned heparin a few posts back, but I also made it clear why my doctor actually put me on it... Every single day I was dealing with these horrific bruises on my arms and legs from the daily injections. (I’m no expert, so sometimes I’d end up hitting a capillary instead). In my specific case, it was justified—but I did say you should check with a pharmacist first to see what they recommend, especially for those hematomas around the eyes..
So, my bad if I gave anyone the wrong impression regarding its use.

restlesspuma15 said:Someone brought up that tapping sensation in the nose—I get that too, here and there.
I’m actually heading in to get this cast removed later this week, so I'll just run it by the doctor.

Same thing happening with me... 🙂 the doc told me it was normal. I'm getting my cast off in two days.🙂

Drew Perez11 said:I'm feeling the exact same way about this... honestly, it’s pretty much the same story on my end too. 🙂 He told me that it’s totally normal... I guess—anyway, I should be getting this cast off in about two days. 🙂

So, I was just wondering—how's your nose looking under that cast?
I don't know, I guess I'm just a little worried that the fear is still pretty huge... maybe I'm overthinking it, but it feels like it hasn't really let up much. 😢 Well, since I'm stuck in this cast, I guess this is just how I look now.

Tampons are finally out, and honestly, the relief is unreal 🙂... I’ve spent the entire day actually breathing through my nose without feeling like my sinuses are being crushed. Fingers crossed I can finally get some decent sleep tonight. And yeah, looking at myself, things look pretty swollen too—I’m low-key terrified of what the results are going to look like once this cast comes off, especially after reading all the horror stories on here. But right now? The Hematoma is what’s killing me. I don't even recognize myself in the mirror. I’m supposed to be back on my feet and functional in just a few days, but let’s be real... I have no idea how this much bruising is just going to vanish overnight.

I don't know... my cast looks like a normal size to me, but I guess that doesn't mean much to anyone else. 😉
I was supposed to have my tampons removed today, too—but since my doctor wasn't in, they told me it would have to wait until tomorrow. 🙂 If you want, I can send over a photo of what mine looks like right now. 🙂

Oh yeah, for anyone wondering, getting the tampons out was actually pretty painless. It’s a weird, uncomfortable sensation, sure, but honestly? Not worth making a big deal about... and it's over before you know it. Plus, I finally feel like I can breathe again now that my nose isn't completely blocked! 🙂

Drew Perez11 said:I don't know... my cast feels like a totally normal size to me, but hey, what do I know? 😉
I was supposed to get my tampons removed today too, but my doctor wasn't in, so they told me to just wait until tomorrow. 🙂 If you want, I can send you a photo of how mine looks right now... 🙂

Send it over! 🙂
Man, I would have absolutely lost my mind if I hadn't gotten mine out today. I was literally counting down the minutes.

Drew Perez11 said:I don't know... my cast feels like it's a pretty normal size to me, but I guess that doesn't really mean much to anyone else.. 😉
I was actually supposed to have my tampons removed today too, but my doctor wasn't in, so they told me I'd just have to get them out tomorrow instead.. 🙂 If you want, I can send over a photo of what mine looks like right now.. 🙂

Please do send it 🙂

Drew Perez11 said:I don't know... my cast looks like a pretty standard size to me, but hey, what do I know, right? 😉
I was actually supposed to get my tampons out today, but my doctor wasn't around, so they told me I'd have to wait until tomorrow.. 🙂 If you really want to see, I can send over a photo of how mine looks right now.. 🙂

Honestly, you look great! Man, look at me—I’ve got these massive purple bags under my eyes, it’s a total disaster compared to you 😢. I noticed they were putting patches on your upper and lower eyelids at the start, but they didn't do that for me; maybe that's why my bruising just kept spreading forever
.

goldencobra92 said:you look amazing! man, I’ve got these massive purple dark circles under my eyes—looks terrible compared to you 😢. I noticed they applied patches to both your upper and lower eyelids at first; they didn't do that for me. Maybe that's why my bruising just kept spreading indefinitely
.

The doctor mentioned those patches were specifically for that purpose... the first night was a bit awkward because they were tugging at my skin, but they took them off by noon the very next day.. 🙂
I hope you have a speedy recovery 🙂.

So, does everyone actually have to wear a full-on cast after any kind of cosmetic procedure?
From what I've gathered, it's more about those medical tapes and bandages—not a heavy plaster cast...

I don't really think Hepan cream is all that dangerous or terrifying. During my first week, I stuck to just using cold compresses, and later on, I’d only apply a thin layer right under my eyes. My surgeon told me it was fine to use, though he mentioned I didn't have to if I didn't want to—he just warned me to be careful not to get it in my eyes. He didn't mention anything about drastic side effects affecting my nose or anything like that. In fact, the other doctor, the one who removed my mold, actually applied it himself and recommended I use the cream.
In my opinion, the gel is much better than the cream. It absorbs more easily and goes on smoother.

All this drama and comparing it to some sort of natural disaster or apocalypse... 🤣

rapidbadger7 said:is a cast worn after every cosmetic procedure?
i realized they just use bandages, not actual casts...

I used a pink plastic mold. I suppose it really depends on the surgeon. I once saw someone with this massive cast taped right to their forehead, but then again, dr. Glušac doesn't use casts at all.

Nicole Ortiz34 said:Who asked you anything?! I eat what I want and I do what I want; I don't just waste my time. If I had actually found someone who underwent surgery with him, I wouldn't be looking for answers here! I'm gathering information however I can, and I'm trying, because this time I want to make a smart choice. :503

I agree with Patrick Robinson7.
It's much easier for you to just find people who have had surgery with the doctor you're interested in and send them a private message rather than posting questions about it on a forum.
I was just quoting those dissatisfied women and the websites where they posted two years ago, because back then I was actively searching for a doctor too, and I knew about the mistakes made by the one you've chosen.
You can't really expect people who have had surgery—who might check every single page regularly—to see your message, respond in detail, give advice, or maybe even send photos and such.
That's how I handled it when I was torn between two doctors, and that method worked out fine for me.
There are plenty of people who have had surgery with the doctor you're looking at right now; I'm sure they would be happy to help you.

Look, I’m not out of my mind here... I tried doing it that way first, but the issue is that on David's thread, only one girl who actually had surgery with him has ever posted, and she hasn't been active in ages. I sent her a private message so there wouldn't be any other choice but to ask this way. Besides, this is the very first time I've even brought up this doctor; it's not like I've been badgering everyone about him every single day, so I don't get why you guys are making such a big deal out of me asking a question.😕 If you were in my shoes, you’d be asking too... Honestly, it’s because of people like you—people who are supposedly ready to help but get annoyed when someone is desperately searching for answers—that I'm walking away from this group. 👋

wanderingnomad13 said:I'm with Patrick Robinson7 on this one.
It is much easier to just see who else has had surgery with the doctor you're looking at and send them a DM rather than starting an entire thread on the forum about it.
I was just quoting those dissatisfied women and the websites where they ended up two years ago, because back then I was actively hunting for a surgeon too, and I knew all about the mistakes made by the guy you chose.
You can't really expect people who have undergone surgery to be scrolling through every single page regularly, whereas they'll definitely see a private message when they get to it and can give you a detailed response, some advice, or maybe even send photos and stuff.
That's exactly what I did when I was torn between two different doctors, and it worked out great for me.
There are plenty of others who went through surgery with the doctor you're interested in right now, and I'm sure they'd be happy to help you out.

Susan Diaz91 said:Yeah, I actually mentioned heparin a few posts back, but I made sure to clarify exactly why I was using it based on my doctor's orders.... honestly, from those daily injections, I ended up with such nasty bruising all over my arms and legs that it looked pretty rough... (sometimes I’d even hit a capillary because, hey, I’m not exactly a medical pro). In my specific situation, it was totally justified, but I also pointed out that you should definitely check with a pharmacist to see what they recommend for those dark bruises around the eyes..
so my bad if I gave anyone the wrong impression about why it's used.

There’s absolutely no reason to think your post was meant to be malicious; if anything, 😉
Your post is actually super helpful for anyone looking to take someone else's lived experience and apply it to their own situation in a smart way. 🙂
You clearly stated that in your case, heparin was prescribed by your doctor, which is the kind of advice we’re always trying to gently nudge people toward.
At the end of the day, some people will take a suggestion to heart and others won't—that's just down to individual judgment and choice.
Plus, it’s always worth a quick reminder about the Health Forum rules where the very first point explicitly states: "All information and advice provided here is used strictly at your own risk. This forum is not a substitute for professional medical advice. "

Just a reminder that this space exists so we can share info in a well-meaning way to help whoever might need it.