Rhinoplasty recovery, week by week

The first week

An external splint stays on, and there is swelling around the eyes and nose with bruising that varies considerably between individuals. Nasal congestion is normal and breathing through the nose is limited.

Sleep elevated, avoid bending and lifting, and take the prescribed medication as directed. Most people are not socially active in this week and do not want to be.

Splint removal to three weeks

The splint is removed at around a week, which is when most people return to desk work. The nose looks swollen and the tip feels firm and numb. Bruising continues to fade over the second and third weeks.

Glasses cannot rest on the nose yet. Light activity resumes; contact sport does not.

One to three months

Obvious swelling settles and the nose starts to look like itself. The tip remains the slowest area, particularly in thicker skin, and can feel firm for months.

Most patients are comfortable in photographs by this stage, though they are still seeing a swollen version of the final result.

Six months to a year and beyond

Definition continues to emerge as residual swelling resolves unevenly. The nose can look slightly different from month to month, which is normal.

Final assessment is generally made at a year or later. Revision, where it is considered at all, is not undertaken before the tissues have settled.

What slows recovery down

Smoking, sun exposure on healing tissue, early return to contact sport, and pressure from glasses. Thicker skin also takes longer to reveal underlying definition, which is a matter of anatomy rather than anything you did.