Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Tyler Grant4 said:Hey everyone, figured I’d jump in and share my own experience here.

So, I'm 17, and I've actually broken my nose twice now. Before those two incidents, it was perfectly straight. The first time was about two years ago while I was at the beach—I got injured, there was some bleeding, but you couldn't really see a bump, at least not at first glance. The second time was back in August 2012 at a pool 🙂 in Spain. They stitched it up there, and once I followed up with my doctor and had an appointment with an ENT specialist, a facial surgeon suggested a rhinoseptoplasty. Essentially, that means straightening the nasal septum and reshaping the nasal pyramid (the top third of the nose). Since I'm a minor, my parents signed off on it, and it didn't cost us anything out of pocket.

I just had the surgery this past Wednesday, so the memory is still pretty fresh 😁. The whole thing took about two and a half hours because the surgeon had to reset the bones, get everything aligned, and clear out the sinuses (to put it simply).
When I woke up, I was totally disoriented. I tried to sit up, but I had zero strength. That’s basically how the entire day of surgery goes—you’re just drifting through this heavy fog and weakness from the anesthesia 😍. By the second day, the local anesthetic starts wearing off and your face begins to cool down, which leads to some swelling and puffiness, though you can't see it much under all the heavy bandages and casts. During the surgery day and the day after, I didn't deal with any nausea or major issues.
Friday and Saturday were the toughest stretches, so I had to stick to Advil 600 and similar meds for the pain. The biggest hurdle is breathing; you have packing in your nose for about four to five days, so you're forced to breathe through your mouth. You lose your sense of smell and taste entirely, and getting to sleep was a struggle. The packing doesn't exactly "hurt," it's more just incredibly annoying, though I guess that varies from person to person. They pulled the packing out this morning and sent me home from the hospital. Right now, my nose feels like it's hit by a massive head cold or total congestion, so I'm using nasal drops to clear out the mucus so I can actually breathe. Bottom line: those first 4-5 days are rough. As for the pain of having the packing removed? It wasn't as bad or lasting as I expected. It’s just a split-second sting, like a little jolt of electricity through your head, and then it's over. Once they pull it, things start feeling better gradually.

Anyway, that was my experience. Honestly, the best move is to talk to a surgeon you trust, finalize the plan (if you're certain about the decision), and just live your life normally until the surgery date. Don't spend the whole time panicking or stressing out. Most of it is just mental. 😛

Which hospital did you have the surgery at? And how do you go about picking a surgeon for your consultation? Does your primary doctor refer you to someone, or does the hospital just pass you from one specialist to the next?

A lot of people end up going to private clinics because they just can't get things sorted out at the hospital, and honestly, sometimes paying extra for private care actually does mean you get better service.

urbanbadger1 said:Here’s what I’m wondering about:

1. How long do you actually wear the nasal packing? Some clinic websites say 3–5 days, others say even just two (like at Dr. Glusac’s), so I’m curious how long you guys wore yours and which doctor you saw. I assume it depends on whether they used an open or closed technique...

2. Once the packing comes out, can you actually breathe? I know there’s still going to be mucus and healing tissue inside, but I want to know if you can breathe at all, or if it feels like your nose is totally blocked. Also, regarding that—someone mentioned you shouldn't blow your nose, which makes sense, but can you at least clean it very carefully? I don't mean a standard blow, but maybe using a saline spray/solution and then a very gentle sniff to clear things out.

Could someone please walk me through the stages in more detail?

a.) The first few days after surgery: People say the pain isn't that bad, but they give you painkillers that aren't always super effective. Is it worth taking them? My main concern is that immediately after surgery, the nose is swollen, and all the internal tissue is inflamed and bloody. Add the packing to that, and you can't breathe through your nose for those 3–5 days. Is that a huge struggle when you're trying to sleep?

b.) And I'm curious about the window from day three to day seven—what is the pain level like, and how is sleeping compared to phase A?

c.) I read that the nose can stay swollen for several months or even up to half a year, which really spooked me. But most people seem to say it’s not that bad, so can anyone clarify that? How visible is the swelling, and how much does it hurt from week two onwards? It might be tender to the touch, but I wonder if it interferes with sleeping on your side. Can you sleep on your side if you make sure not to let your nose touch the pillow?

Basically, when do you stop feeling any pain in the nose at all? Can I expect to sleep normally and have little to no tenderness to the touch after three weeks?

Thanks so much for any info you can share.

Good grief, that's a lot of questions! 🙂 Well, here’s how it went for me. I read absolutely everything under the sun online, and honestly, half of it wasn't even true.
They kept me so well medicated; I didn't feel nauseous at all after the procedure. My nose is straight, shorter, the bridge is lowered, and those bumps on the sides are gone. If anyone wants the technical medical terms, I can dig those up. I woke up with the splint and the tape on. There wasn't really any pain, to be honest. I just lost my sense of taste for a bit and my throat felt dry since I've spent my whole life breathing easily through my nose. The bruising was minimal. By the time they took the splint off, I could already see it looked perfect. Removing the packing is uncomfortable, but it’s over fast. After that, you can breathe normally. Some people complained, but my nose wasn't runny or congested later on. In fact, I was already out in NYC the very next day. People were staring, but honestly, sitting in the clinic was way more boring than being out. 🙂 Oh, and the swelling wasn't bad at all. Everything looked pretty much back to normal after ten days. Some people have trouble sleeping, but I just took a pill just in case. Nothing went wrong for me. Anyway, I'll send a photo via private message.

Sandra Green81 said:Anyway, I'll send the photo via DM.

Can my picture look like that too??

Olivia Gray42 said:A lot of people end up seeking private care because they just can't get the answers they need at the local hospital. Honestly, in my experience, going private can truly make a world of difference when you're looking for better results.

I couldn't agree more! Honestly, I know way more people who have walked out of a public hospital feeling completely dissatisfied than those who’ve had bad experiences at private clinics. 😉

Olivia Gonzalez17 said:Thanks, I'm hoping for the best too... Mary covered everything, and I actually had an appointment with Dr. Toncic myself. Everything lines up exactly with what she said, so now I just have to hope I'm just as happy with my results. I'm getting the mold removed tomorrow... fingers crossed! 🙂))

Ah, sorry, I missed that 😁
Man, I really want to see great results and, obviously, photos! 🙂))
The longer I spend on this forum, the more I seem to flip-flop on my decision, which probably isn't great 😁. Right now, I'm torn between Dr. Glumicic and Dr. Toncic, so I am super, super interested in hearing from people who went to either of them. Please, if you've had surgery with them, let us know how it went! 😍

Rachel Vaughn85 said:Ah, sorry about that, I missed 😁
Oh man, I am so looking forward to seeing a successful outcome and, of course, some photos! 🙂))
The longer I spend on this forum, the more my opinions seem to shift—which probably isn't the best thing 😁, honestly. Right now, I'm actually torn between Dr. Glumicic and Dr. Toncic, so I am incredibly curious to hear from anyone who has had surgery with either of them. Please, if you have, do share your experiences with us! 😍

It’s been 12 days since my surgery today. The bruising has cleared up, and the swelling is minimal—though my nose is still a little tender to the touch right near the tear duct area. Overall, I couldn't be happier with the results!

Maria Jones84 said:It’s been 12 days since my surgery. The bruising is gone and the swelling is basically minimal—the nose still hurts a bit when I touch the tear duct area, but overall, I'm super happy with the results.

Jeeej! So it was totally worth it! 😍
Just a little more patience and hopefully everything will look even better soon. 😁

Maria Jones84, please, can you describe that swelling a bit for me? My nose looked absolutely perfect right after I had the cast removed, but now it’s looking a little distorted. I don't think it's a total disaster, but I’m seeing signs of a hump again and the side is all swollen. I'm really hoping it's just inflammation because nothing actually hurts—I'm not feeling any blue moods about the pain... but how does that swelling feel? Is it soft or firm?
My doctor told me I need to be patient for at least two months because things are going to shift and change every single day, but I have to admit, I’m incredibly impatient and getting a little anxious. I’d love to hear about your experiences if you don't mind.

Also, I know I mentioned I’d post some pictures, but my excitement over this new nose has taken a bit of a hit lately. Plus, what you see now isn't exactly the final reality, so those photos will have to wait a little longer...

Has anyone else had nose surgery at Mayo Clinic? I have a septum deviation surgery scheduled there, and I actually asked if they could just do a rhinoplasty at the same time, but they told me that might be too much to handle all at once. I guess I'm not sure if they really mean that or if they're just avoiding the extra work.

shadowsurfer62 said:Has anyone had nose surgery at Mayo Clinic? I have a septoplasty scheduled there, and I actually asked if they could just do a rhinoplasty at the same time, but they told me that would be too much all at once. I can't tell if they're being serious about that or if they just don't want to do it...

Wait, didn't you go see someone else for a checkup? Like, did you try to get a second opinion? Honestly, nobody's gonna give you a straight answer until they've actually looked you over themselves.

Before jumping into something like that, you really need to feel like you can trust your doctor, plus you need to have all the facts. This whole situation doesn't sound right to me...

...

I want to apologize to everyone who sent me a private message and didn't get a response. I'm new to this forum, so I honestly didn't even realize that feature existed... I've replied to all the messages now, so hopefully it isn't too late. Now that I know how this works, I'll be more careful in the future. My apologies again...

Hey guys, how do we feel about just wanting to tweak the tip of the nose and slim down the bridge?
Does anyone actually know someone who’s gone through that..? I'd love to hear some real experiences if you've got them 😉

Olivia Gonzalez17 said:Maria Jones84, please, could you describe that swelling for me? My nose looked absolutely perfect right after the cast came off, but now it seems a bit distorted. I don't think it's too bad, but I'm starting to see signs of a hump again and one side looks swollen. I really hope it's just inflammation because nothing actually hurts—I'm not blue... how does that swelling feel? Is it soft or firm?
The doctor told me I need to be patient for at least two months since things will change day by day, but I have to admit, I'm feeling pretty impatient and a little worried. I'd love to hear about your experiences if you don't mind.

Also, I know I mentioned I’d post some photos, but my excitement over the new nose has dampened a bit, and honestly, this current view isn't the most realistic representation anyway, so the pictures will have to wait a little longer....

:Oh, I am so sorry to hear that. For me, right after the cast was removed, everything felt different too—it looked lifted, then settled down after a few days, but it didn't really look distorted. I still have some swelling right at the tip, almost towards the center, and on the left side, there's that little arch toward my eyebrow, while the right side feels quite flat and firm. You can't see it with the naked eye, but you can definitely feel it if you touch it. Since my nose is narrower now, it's a bit tender on the sides when touched, and it feels slightly swollen to me, though just a tiny bit. People who don't know I had surgery can't even tell; even my mom tells me every day how much more refined and slim it looks. Anyway, what do you mean by "distorted"? Try not to panic; give it at least another week or so before you worry too much..

Maria Jones84 said::Oh, I am so sorry to hear that. For me, the day after the cast came off, things felt different too—kind of swollen and high up, then it settled down after a few days, but nothing got deformed. I have some swelling right at the tip, almost toward the middle, and on the left side, that little arch near my eyebrow appeared, while the right side is still pretty flat and firm. You can't see it with the naked eye, but you can definitely feel it if you touch it. Since my nose and tear ducts are sore, it feels slightly swollen to the touch, though it’s just a tiny bit. People who don't know I had surgery can't even tell; even my mom tells me every day how much everything is slimming down and refining. Anyway, what do you mean by "deformed"? Don't panic, give it at least another week or so before you worry..

So, basically, on the day I finally got the cast removed, my nose looked perfect. No bump, slim profile, and the tip stayed totally normal since they didn't even touch that part. But then, the very next day? It was swollen and felt hard under my fingers on the sides. That bump started peeking through again—obviously way smaller than before—and there's this weird little lump in the upper section. Overall, the profile still looks great, but looking straight on... it still looks more like a pear than a nose🙂. Honestly, I'm really hoping it's just inflammation. They were beating around my nose quite a bit during the procedure, so maybe it'll all smooth out over the next two months. I'm trying not to spiral, but tomorrow marks two weeks since the surgery. I know everyone heals differently, but 🤷

William Robinson80 said:I'm planning on having nose surgery at Dubrava KB, and I was wondering which department I should choose? I want both functional and aesthetic corrections.

Maxillofacial

steelangler88 said:Maxillofacial

Thanks, any other doctor recommendations?

So, I'm heading in this May for surgery with Dr. Bilic at the hospital—he’s honestly such a sweetheart, everyone says great things about him. I finally got my paperwork today with the official date, and it says the procedure is a submucosal nasal septum reconstruction. How would you say that in plain English? Like, what's the layman's version of that?
And how long does recovery actually take? Since my surgery is right in the middle of my college semester, I'm trying to figure out my schedule... will I need any special gear, like nasal tampons or anything?

brightangler18 said:So, I’m heading in this May for surgery with Dr. Bilic at the hospital. He’s actually a really lovely guy and I’ve heard nothing but great things about him. I just got my appointment paperwork today, and it specifies the procedure as sub-mucosal nasal septum reconstruction. In plain English, what exactly does that entail?
And how long does the recovery take? Since my surgery falls right in the middle of my college semester, I need to plan my schedule carefully. Will there be any discomfort, or will I need to deal with nasal packing or anything like that?

My brother actually had his surgery with him. He had dealt with a broken nose and chronic sinus issues before, and on top of the breathing problems, he wanted to fix the aesthetic side—you know, the bump and the crookedness. While his breathing is totally fine now, he isn't exactly thrilled with how it looks. His nose still tilts a bit to one side, and the tip feels way too pinched, almost like someone left a clothespin on it during healing. :/