After rhinoplasty, it’s time for relaxation. Sit back (with your head elevated, of course), and wait for things to heal. But with this relaxation comes a few adjustments to ensure your best results. Your healing nose will be fragile for the first few days and weeks after surgery. Handling it with care means avoiding some common activities, at least until your surgeon gives you the all-clear.
Working Out
How you react to the news that you’ll need to take a month or so off from the gym after nasal surgery depends on how you feel about exercise. If you prefer the couch to the treadmill, the news that you can’t hit the gym for several weeks after surgery might not be that earth-shattering. But, if going to the gym is part of your daily schedule, you might find this shake-up annoying.
Don’t worry too much about your exercise restrictions, though. While you should steer clear of activities that involve bending, lifting heavy things, or raising your heart rate, you aren’t confined to a recliner for a month after rhinoplasty. In fact, most surgeons recommend taking walks starting a few days after surgery.
Go for a walk around your block a couple of days after your rhinoplasty, and gradually increase the distance each day. Walking will help you avoid muscle stiffness and can help keep your digestive system regular.
When your surgeon does give you the go-ahead to return to the gym, take things easy at first. You’ve just taken a few weeks off, so you might not be ready to pick up right where you left off in your workout.
Blowing Your Nose
Your nose will still be healing for some time after surgery and any sort of pressure or force can disrupt the process or alter your results. That includes the force of blowing your nose. It might sound difficult, but you’ll want to avoid blowing your nose for several weeks after nasal surgery.
Don’t worry, you won’t be stuck with a nose that feels clogged or congested for weeks after surgery. If things do feel backed up, you can sniff, just don’t place anything on the nose or blow outwards with force. If your nose is running, you are welcome to gently dab at it with a tissue or to place a piece of gauze just beneath it to catch any runniness.
Wearing Glasses
Since you want to avoid putting any weight or pressure on the healing nose, you’ll want to avoid wearing glasses for several weeks afterward. If you depend on your glasses to see, you have several options after rhinoplasty. The first, and perhaps easiest option, is to switch to contact lenses for the time being. But not everyone is comfortable putting in contacts. You can also try taping your glasses to your face, so that they are suspended above your nose. If you only need your glasses occasionally, such as to read signs in the distance, you can try holding them to your face when needed, instead of placing them on your nose.
Going Tanning
Tanning or any other prolonged sun exposure is best avoided at all times. It becomes particularly important to skip it after rhinoplasty, since the sun’s rays can darken the incision areas or increase swelling in the still delicate nasal area. Try to limit your time outdoors while healing after surgery. If you do go outside, use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Since wearing sunglasses in the weeks following surgery is off limits, you might want to try wearing a hat with a wide brim when outdoors. You can also try taping the glasses to your face if you are very concerned about protecting your eyes from sunlight.
Wearing T-Shirts
This last item may seem silly, but pulling T-shirts or any other pullover top on and off can bump your nose and impact your results. Protect your nose from accidental bumps by switching to button-up shirts for a few weeks after surgery. Your surgeon will let you know when it’s fine to return to wearing your favorite T-shirts again.
Dr. Shervin Naderi, a board certified facial plastic surgeon in Northern Virginia, wants your rhinoplasty recovery to be as comfortable as possible. He’s happy to discuss ways to enjoy your recovery and your options after surgery with you. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Naderi, call (301) 222-2020 or (703) 481-0002 today.
