Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Just thought I’d pop in and give you guys a little update... finally went in for my follow-up this weekend. It’s been almost five months since the surgery. My doctor seems pretty happy with how things are looking. He did mention that the tip of my nose is still a tiny bit swollen. Apparently, even the bone structure itself is still a bit puffy, but he says that'll settle down soon and my nose will look even slimmer once it does. Also, my nasal conchae are still pretty swollen—one side definitely more than the other. He wants me to keep rinsing with saline solution every single morning through the summer, mostly so I can get back to doing plenty of scuba diving 😁

rustygardener172 said:Just checking in for a bit... I went in for a follow-up this weekend. It’s been nearly five months since the surgery. My doctor is pleased with the progress—though he noted the tip of my nose is still a little swollen. He mentioned the bone structure itself is still settling, which should eventually slim the nose down further. My nasal conchae are also still quite inflamed—one side more than the other—so I need to keep up with saline rinses every morning through the summer. Once things settle, I'll be back to plenty of scuba diving. 😁

How can it stay that swollen for so long?
how long did it actually take you to get back to your "normal" daily routine? And how much pain were you in for?🙂

rustygardener172 said:Just checking in here for a second... I went in for my follow-up this weekend. It’s been almost five months since the surgery. My doctor seems pretty happy with the progress, I guess. He mentioned that the tip of my nose is still a little swollen. Apparently, even the bone structure itself is still a bit puffy, so once that settles down, the nose should look even narrower. Also, my nasal conchae are still quite inflamed—definitely more on one side than the other. He wants me to keep rinsing with saline solution every single morning through the summer, and then I can get back to doing a lot of scuba diving. 😁

So, things are actually going to look even better 😍
I’m heading in tomorrow to have the mold removed... honestly, I'm kind of terrified. 🤣

Donna Watson80 said:Seriously, how on earth can something stay that swollen for so long? It’s actually insane.
So, how long did it actually take you to get back to some kind of "normal" routine? I mean, seriously, how long were you stuck dealing with that constant, nagging pain before life felt somewhat steady again?🙂

Honestly, I didn't feel any sinus pain at all.Getting back into the swing of daily life after two weeks away was a trip... honestly, you feel the most bloated right when you get back. I’ve still got a little bit of swelling going on, but it’s nothing crazy—you can barely even notice it now. To be real with you, I didn't even think my bones would still be feeling that swollen. 🙂 Look, you clearly need an actual expert to weigh in on this one. Recovering from nose surgery isn't some quick fix; you’re looking at about a year before you can even begin to judge the final shape. And honestly? For people getting a revision—which is my situation—it can take way longer than that. It's a long, frustrating road.

Carol Diaz31 said:So basically, it’s gonna look even better 😍
I’m heading out tomorrow to pull the mold... honestly, I'm low-key terrified 🤣

Don't sweat it 😁 hit me up tomorrow once you see how it turns out. Good luck!!!!!!!

nimbleharbor14 said:I have my septoplasty scheduled for March 14th at Mount Sinai, so I was wondering (for those of you who have already gone through this) how old my lab results can be—like my EKG, blood work, urine tests, PT/INR, etc.—so that I can get them done now and make sure they aren't expired by the time I arrive. Thanks!

From what I understand, most of those results are valid for about six months, so you should definitely be able to go ahead and get them done now. Honestly, if you're using an insurance referral, I’d suggest heading in for that EKG as soon as possible, because we all know how long the wait times can be in the American healthcare system.🙄

Donna Watson80 said:Do allergies to penicillin or any other medications have anything to do with it when it comes to anesthesia?

As far as I know, it shouldn't matter, but you absolutely need to mention every single allergy to your doctor just to be safe.

@Carol Diaz31 — I am so incredibly sorry to hear about what you went through, but I really hope you end up being happy with how your nose turns out. Mine is still pretty swollen—it looks a bit rough right now, if I'm being honest—but it's already starting to look much better.😬 al već mi je sad lepi 😁

I can breathe perfectly through my left nostril, though the right one is still a struggle, but the doctor assured me that's totally normal for this stage.🤷

Sophia Hill22 said:I can breathe perfectly fine through my left nostril, but the right one? Honestly, it feels completely blocked. I went to see the doctor about it, and he basically told me that this kind of uneven breathing is totally normal. I don't know, maybe he's right, but it still feels incredibly frustrating. 🤷

I felt such immediate relief once they finally pulled those swabs out—honestly, I haven’t felt this clear since. But then, today, I started sneezing a bit, and now that right nostril is acting up again. It feels congested right at the base, near the nasal bone, and I can actually feel some blood starting to clot in there. I’m honestly a little scared to even touch it, though... I guess I'll just have to wait and hope that everything clears itself out by tomorrow. 😁

Thanks everyone for the replies. Please keep me in your prayers so I can make it through this.😁

Carol Diaz31 said:I felt such an immediate sense of relief once they removed the tampons; honestly, I've been breathing so much better ever since. But today, I started sneezing a little bit, and now my right nostril feels stuffed up again—right down by the bridge of my nose. I can feel a bit of dried blood in there, but I’m actually scared to touch it; hopefully, I can just clear it out tomorrow. 😁

It’s true what you said about being able to breathe like a dragon the moment those things come out—someone put that perfectly! It really does feel like you're finally breathing with your whole brain instead of just struggling through it. 🤣

That being said, looking back at everything, I've realized that quite a few women didn't deal with any respiratory issues at all, just concerns about how things looked aesthetically.

As for me, I definitely feel like I'm breathing easier than I was before, though I wouldn't say I'm 100% back to normal yet—fingers crossed that it happens soon. 🙂

I have a question for the group, if anyone happens to know the answer. Is it okay to get braces put on a month after nose surgery? My mother is asking about it... If someone knows, please let me know. Or, if you happen to be seeing a surgeon soon, could you ask them for me? I’d appreciate being kept in the loop since I'm completely in the dark here.🤷☕

rustygardener172 said:Don't worry about it 😁 just reach out tomorrow with your first impressions. Good luck!!!!!!!

Honestly, I look like a total little piglet right now 😂 it’s just bizarre... my nose is completely swollen, obviously, especially on the sides, and my face is the same way too... but it's still super cute 🙂
I mean, it turned out a bit smaller than I was expecting, but I'm certainly not complaining.

I don't think I can even begin to process what my new look actually is with all this swelling, plus the breakouts from the medical tape, messy hair, bloodshot eyes... 🤣

I'm a bit lost here—do I actually have to go see a doctor just to get my nose cleared out?

Kate Taylor59 said:I don't quite get it—do I actually have to go see a doctor just to get my nose cleaned out?

Look, you don't *have* to do anything if you don't want to, but honestly, it’s highly recommended. 😁 I was down in Makarska for some medical checkups myself, and seriously, just go get your nose cleared out...

Carol Diaz31 said:Well, you look like a little piglet. 😂 It’s honestly pretty bizarre—my nose is completely swollen, especially on one side, and my face is following suit—but the sweetness is just overwhelming. 🙂
It’s a little smaller than I anticipated—honestly, a bit more modest than I expected—but I'm certainly not complaining.

I honestly don't think I can even begin to make an impression with this look—between the swelling, the breakouts from the bandages, my hair being a mess, and eyes that are bloodshot... it's a bit much. 🤣

So, you broke the mold—impressions are looking good, I guess... well, that’s great.
How’s your nose feeling—any congestion or trouble breathing? Also, since I’m almost certain I’ll end up with a breakout from the patches, how long should I wait before heading to the esthetician for a facial? 🤷

How’s everyone’s sleep holding up lately—specifically, is side-sleeping actually an option for you?

Donna Watson80 said:So, you basically tore the mold apart, right? And now you're sitting there thinking the impressions are actually good... well, great. Just fantastic.
Is your nose hurting at all? I’m curious about how your breathing situation is holding up. Also, since there's a pretty good chance I'm going to end up with breakouts from the adhesive on these patches, I was wondering—how long should I wait before I can actually head to an esthetician for a facial cleansing? 🤷

How's everyone holding up with their sleep lately? I’ve been wondering... is it actually possible to sleep on your side without feeling like your whole body is being crushed?

Honestly, I’m not even a fan... looking at my face right now is just a total disaster, so I can't even bring myself to look in the mirror. And my nose? I don't even know if it actually hurts, because I’m too afraid to touch it. 🤣
As far as my breathing goes, I honestly feel like everything is totally fine. From the very first day after I had those tampons removed, I could breathe just like nothing had ever happened—and to be honest, that’s exactly how it feels today, too.
I wouldn't say they’re massive breakouts or anything, but yeah, a few have definitely popped up. Honestly, though, my skin just looks completely exhausted from dealing with that patch. It was huge—it stretched from my forehead, right over my nose and cheeks, all the way down to my chin. And let me tell you, the adhesive is incredibly strong; over this past week, it practically fused itself to my skin. 🤮

It’s the same deal when it comes to sleeping. As soon as I swapped out my tampons, I just rolled onto my side, though I did prop myself up with an extra pillow. To be honest, those adhesive pads felt incredibly secure and stayed perfectly in place, so I wasn't even worried about anything shifting around during the night.

As for the cosmetologist... I honestly don't have a clue.

redridge15 said:Hi everyone!
I had my nose surgery with Dr. Glušac about 10 days ago. Everything went incredibly smooth—honestly, so much praise for the doctor! I didn't feel any pain at all (even though I was totally expecting some discomfort once the anesthesia wore off, but wow, nothing happened). It’s almost like I wasn't even operated on. They didn't use general anesthesia, just a heavy local one, so I didn't deal with any nausea or feeling sick when I woke up. Not one bit. I just drifted off slightly and then woke up feeling fine, dreaming a little too! And the crazy thing is, I hadn't eaten or drunk anything for two hours before the procedure. My doctor explained that he uses really modern anesthesia techniques so you don't get nauseous, plus he has a great anesthesiologist... also, a huge shoutout to the whole staff, they were wonderful! 👍
Once I woke up and "came to," I just headed home.

The next day, I went back to the clinic to have the packing removed, and oh man, it was such a relief because breathing through my mouth was awful—everything felt so dry... 😠 And it's actually great that they remove the packing the very next day; for me, it was a lifesaver! If I was scared of anything regarding this surgery, it was definitely having that packing in—like two feet of gauze shoved up there, terrifying. But this doctor doesn't use those big old gauze strips; he uses a sponge that's much easier and faster to pull out. It's a little awkward, but it doesn't hurt since the sponge is only about 8 inches long (I saw it when he pulled it out). So, that part went smoothly too!
My cast was taken off after five days, though he left a few small bandages on my nose which I took off two days later.

I should mention that Dr. Glušac performs the rhinoplasty using a closed technique, meaning he doesn't open the whole nose, but works through one nostril with his instruments—it's a great method: faster recovery and less bruising.

You guys probably want to know about the bruising... you're bound to get some, but it varies from person to person. On a scale of 1 to 5, I was a 3. I had some, but nothing major! Today is day ten and I still have a tiny bit left; I can just cover it with concealer and it'll definitely be gone in a few days. My nose is still a bit swollen, too. From the profile, it looks great, but when I look straight in the mirror, I look like Miss Piggy. I'm hoping that clears up in about 10 days.
The price was 10 $0.00, and the follow-up appointments are free! I didn't even pay for the first consultation, and I don't have any special connections or anything.
If you have any questions, I'm here! Hope I helped!

Hey,

Thanks for being so detailed with the info. You might not visit this forum much anymore, but hey, I'll try my luck and see if you respond.
Now that some time has passed, how does your nose look? I hope you're happy with it. I'm actually thinking about going to Dr. Glušac myself because I've seen some of his work and really liked it.
I would be so grateful if you could send me a photo of your nose after the surgery via private message.
PS. I also hate looking like Miss Piggy :-(

Hey there.

Quick question—does anyone actually know if you can go under the knife while still wearing braces? Like, is it even a thing? 😁

I’ve been falling down some internet rabbit holes... one person says it doesn't matter at all, but then someone else says their surgeon insisted they get them off first. So, I guess it basically just depends on whatever doctor you end up with, right?

Oh, and side note—I've got a dermatologist appointment coming up next week, so I was wondering if anyone has tips on what I should actually bring up or ask while I'm there? 😁

The plan is to get a deviated septum fixed plus a little bit of cosmetic work done using my insurance... so yeah, if anyone has any actual wisdom to share, please don't hold back. 🙂

Thanks! 😉

Carol Diaz31 said:You look like a little piglet. 😂 It’s honestly pretty weird... my nose is completely swollen, especially on one side, and my face is just as puffed up. But man, I feel incredibly sweet right now. 🙂
Honestly, it's a little smaller than I was expecting, but hey, I'm not complaining.

I don't think I can even get a decent look at my new style through all this swelling, acne from the bandages, greasy hair, and bloodshot eyes... 🤣

I'm honestly glad you're happy with how things look right after the mold comes off. Just hang in there—it only gets better from here. You've already survived the hardest part.👍

Sandra Anderson61 said:Hey,

thanks so much for being so incredibly thorough with all the info... maybe you don't hang out on this forum as much as you used to, but hey, I'll try my luck, hopefully you see this and reply...
So, now that some time has actually passed, how's your nose looking? Really hoping you're happy with the results. Honestly, I'm seriously considering going under the knife with Dr. Glušac too, mostly because I saw a few of his before-and-afters and they looked amazing...
If you wouldn't mind sending me a photo of your nose after the surgery via DM, I would be so grateful...
PS. ugh, I swear I look like Miss Piggy right now :-(

Can I get some pics too, pleeease? 🙂
Anyway, I'm planning on seeing Glušac toward the end of summer... it just doesn't make sense to do everything at once, especially since I'm already scheduled for a boob job around Easter.
He calls himself the "King of Rhinoplasty," so I am really, really crossing my fingers that he lives up to the title when it comes to my face... 😉

rustygardener172 said:You don't strictly have to, but it’s definitely a good idea 😁 I actually headed down to Makarska for some checkups myself, so maybe try cleaning out your nose too...

Would you mind sharing those photos if it's not too much trouble? Thanks so much in advance 🙏