Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

It’s been about six months since my surgery... and I still have this weird little lump right by my belly button on the left side. My doc told me he isn't going to touch it yet—he wants to wait until at least a full year has passed since the operation. He said the plan is basically just to use a needle to drain it out or whatever.

Maria Diaz79 said:Hey everyone! I have some great news for those of you stressing over bumps on your nose!! I had my nose fixed up 🙂 about four and a half months ago. I am completely satisfied—especially since I had this noticeable bump right at the bridge of my nose. Today, the Doc just pulled it out with a needle, and it’s gone—poof, nothing left :-). Apparently, a tiny piece of cartilage or bone breaks off, and during the healing process, fluid collects around it, creating that bump. It turns out it can be removed very simply 😉 .

Just tell me—does it hurt? Should I ask for some kind of anesthetic?

What’s the typical timeline from surgery until you can actually show your face in public again?😁
If anyone could give me a rough estimate—like a minimum and maximum number of days—that would be great.
Also, how long does it take before any bruising can be reasonably covered up with makeup?
And what’s the deal with sunlight? I’m assuming sunglasses are a no-go for a while, but how long should you wait before putting anything on the bridge of your nose?

A relative of mine is looking into getting this done because her nose has a slight curve. She’s just starting to look into the details, so if you could answer even just a few of these, I’d appreciate it.

Brian Garcia61 said:What’s the typical timeframe from surgery until someone can go out in public? 😁
If anyone knows a minimum or maximum number of days...
How long does it take before bruising can be covered up with makeup?
And what about sun exposure? I assume you can't wear glasses—how long should you wait before putting them on your nose?

A relative is considering the procedure because her nose is slightly crooked. She’s just starting to look into things, so if you could answer even a few of these questions...

It all depends on the specific technique and the individual patient, but I’d say 15 days is the upper limit. You shouldn't wear glasses for a month; at least, that's what my surgeon told me. My nose looked great by day eight, but for some people, the swelling lasts a full month...

Laura Castillo7 said:Just tell me one thing—does it hurt? Should I be looking into some kind of local anesthetic?

It doesn't really hurt.🙂 I am well aware that you shouldn't go removing a lump too soon after surgery, given the risk of inflammation.

Brian Garcia61 said:What’s the typical timeframe from the surgery until someone can actually go out in public again? 😁
If you could just give me a rough minimum and maximum number of days.
And how many days does it take before any bruising can be covered up with makeup?
Also, how do you deal with the sun—I'm assuming sunglasses aren't allowed right away? (How long should you wait before putting glasses on your nose?)

A relative of mine is thinking about getting this done because her nose is a bit crooked, but she's just starting to look into things, so if you could answer even a few of these questions, I'd appreciate it.

Honestly, it really varies from person to person...
In my case, one eye was a little red... while the other was almost completely fine, so I was already out and about with my nasal cast, doing things like hitting the shops. 😂
And honestly, the best part? I actually ran into three different people on the street who were also wearing nasal casts—we all just shared a laugh. 😂😂
Some people experience some pretty intense swelling, depending on the specific type of procedure they undergo. Mine was definitely on the simpler side.

I noticed a little bump about three or four months after my surgery. It’s nothing major—just a tiny protrusion at the bridge of my nose. You can't really see it, but you can feel it if you touch it... It doesn't bother me, but if there's an easy way to get it removed, I'll probably head in to see what Doc thinks about it.
It’s been six months since the procedure now, and everything is perfect, aside from that small lump.

I also went out in a mold as soon as my bruising started to fade... I just didn't want to take any chances.🤷

Can anyone give me a realistic timeline on when my nose will actually start feeling normal again after surgery? Also, when am I cleared to hit the beach, wear makeup, and stuff like that? Thanks. 🙂

vividfox said:Can anyone tell me how long it takes before my nose starts feeling normal again? Like, when can I actually head to the beach, wear makeup, and all that? Thanks! 🙂

You can get back to wearing makeup as soon as those dressings come off, but honestly, the sensation returns pretty gradually—usually over a month or two. Just keep in mind that you really need about six months for everything to settle down and for the final shape to actually show up... at least, that’s what Doc told me during my follow-up. 😉

Adam Johnson said:Sure, you can put on makeup right after the mold comes off, but that actual sensation starts returning gradually over a month or two. Honestly, it takes about six months to fully heal and settle into its final shape—at least, that’s what Doc told me.😉

Thanks! 😉 I only had the mold removed a few days ago and just got my stitches out today... and honestly, it looks huge and ugly. 🙂 Even though they promised me the swelling would go down, I'm just sitting here thinking, "Great job, self..." 🙂

Get lost, nose!!! 😢(

Hey there,

I’ve been scrolling through this thread for days now and I think I’ve finally reached the end of my research! 🙂
I’m seriously considering rhinoplasty and am basically planning to pull the trigger this fall. It seems like everyone has such different takes—some people swear by certain surgeons while others completely bash them—but from what I can gather, there are actually quite a few glowing reviews for the specialists working at the major public hospitals.
So, what I really want to know is, what does the actual process look like with those doctors?
To be honest, my main motivation is aesthetic (my nose is straight and pretty symmetrical, just a bit too large for my face), but the more I sit and think about it, the more I realize I have trouble breathing. My nose gets stuffy every single night, forcing me to breathe through my mouth, and I suspect my sense of smell isn't quite as sharp as it used to be.
What I’m trying to figure out right now is how the logistics work.
Do I need to book an appointment with a surgeon at the hospital first and then go grab a referral from my doctor afterward? (I’m not sure how long the waitlists are, and I’ve heard referrals expire after a certain amount of time—does anyone happen to know how that works?) Or should I get the referral from my primary care physician first and then call to schedule the consultation?
The big hurdle for me is that my GP is incredibly stingy when it comes to writing referrals or offering any real medical advice, so I’m honestly not even sure if she’ll agree to give me one.

Thanks so much, and have a lovely day! 😉

Whether she’s being stingy or not shouldn't even be the issue here; if you're struggling to breathe, she needs to give you that referral. If she refuses, honestly, just find a new doctor—you can even file a formal complaint. My take is that you need that initial referral for the consultation first. Those appointments usually don't have a massive waitlist, and you'll definitely need it on hand when you're trying to schedule anything else. Once that's settled, you can follow up regarding the referral for the actual surgery. You might also want to just call the admissions office or the specific department at the hospital you've chosen right now to ask how they handle the paperwork.

So, I finally had my surgery last Friday—did both the septum and the cosmetic stuff—and honestly? It didn't hurt nearly as much as I expected! I mean, after reading through all these posts here (people sure do say some wild things!), it wasn't nearly as scary as everyone makes it out to be. My nose is still super swollen right now, though. The profile looks okay, but the whole thing feels a bit lopsided, like it’s leaning to the left... but I guess that’s just the swelling doing its thing since I only took the splint off yesterday.

vividfox said:Thanks! 😉 I took the splint off a few days ago and the dressings today... and honestly, it looks huge and ugly 🙂 even though they promised me all the swelling would go down. I'm absolutely terrified right now....🙂

Get lost, you nose!!! 😢(

amberwolf19 said:I had my surgery last Friday—septoplasty and aesthetics—and I have to say, it didn't hurt at all. Reading these posts (people write such wild things) made it seem way worse than it actually was. My nose is swollen right now too—the profile is fine, but it feels like my whole nose is leaning to the left, probably just from the swelling (I took the splint off yesterday).

Can you even go outside if you put on a little makeup? And when people say "swollen," does that mean it's actually bigger than it was before the surgery, or what...?

Brian Garcia61 said:Can I actually go out if I wear a little makeup? And is this swelling supposed to be more intense than it was before the surgery, or am I just overreacting...?

In my case, it looks bigger than before because I had some cartilage added, but honestly, the whole area just feels swollen overall😠 apparently things will settle down quite a bit soon, so I’m counting down the days... even though it's only been about ten days since the procedure! As for the makeup, it's a lost cause right now—I have these dark purple crescents under my eyes that just punch straight through concealer and foundation...👎 hopefully they fade in the next couple of days so I can finally rejoin society... and once the nose actually deflates... yay me.🤣😍🙏

Of course it looks bigger, but that’s just gonna settle down. I mean, mine was pretty swollen too 🤣
after about a month, it looked basically brand new—and that's even if you were actually being diligent with the aftercare

Brenda White45 said:with the right care

But what does that actually entail? Does the doctor just give you a vague warning about everything...?

Brian Garcia61 said:What does "all that" actually mean here? Like, does the doctor just give you a general warning about everything?

I used chamomile rinses; my doctor suggested that.
I think there are some creams you can pick up too, and I’ve been using some thermal water spray. Maybe it's all just a placebo effect, I guess, but it feels like my nose settled down a bit faster.

I think my profile looks pretty great! It’s still a little swollen around my eyes and the bridge of my nose—since my bone was actually broken, you know? My girlfriends were reminding me about it yesterday and they all said I look awesome. I’ve still got a little bandage on my nose, too; I guess I might need it for another day or two. I don't really have any bruising, just this yellowish tint under my eye, and my whole face feels a bit puffy, but honestly, nothing too crazy. It’s just that I can't stop staring at myself in the mirror! One minute it feels like my nose is leaning left, then the next it's right... I mean, I'm sure it's just still settling in since it's only been ten days since the surgery. (I should probably mention that I can breathe perfectly fine!)

jadecrane3 said:It’s been about six months since my surgery... and I still have this little lump on the left side of my scalp. My doctor told me he won't touch it until a full year has passed since the procedure. He mentioned the only way to deal with it would be to just drain it with a needle...

Is that lump soft or hard? Mine feels incredibly hard, almost like bone.🤷