After the Rhinoplasty Procedure: Recovery & Post-Operative Instructions

• The patient is allowed to get out of bed as soon as the rhinoplasty is over and can be discharged just 6 hours later – or very rarely the next morning in severe cases of revision surgery.
• A very small amount of ointment is applied inside the nose – avoiding the need to use gauze packing, which is uncomfortable for the patient, especially during removal.
• After cosmetic or functional rhinoplasty, it is necessary to keep washing inside the nose with a saline solution (or similar preparation) and applying nasal ointment three times a day for about a month.
• No painkillers are necessary, as you will not be in any pain after the procedure.
• Antibiotics are prescribed for three days as a precaution.
• The small plastic cast placed on the nose for protection in the operating room is removed just 4-6 days after the procedure. This is entirely pain-free and takes less than a minute.
• The nose is very gently cleaned, and three tiny external stitches are removed (if used). None of this causes the slightest pain and the entire process lasts no more than five minutes.

Although the time required to heal completely can vary greatly from person to person, the general instructions are the same for everyone.

• It will be some weeks before you are allowed to take part in physical exercise or sport, as your nose must not get injured in any way. The time depends on the kind of activity. For example, you can return to gentle cycling sooner than you can go jogging, which sends vibrations through the body.
• At the VIP-Rhinoplasty Center we have specially-made masks for wearing during contact sports such as basketball or soccer, so that athletes can return to training or competition as soon as possible.
• For one month you will have to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun or extreme cold.
• The procedure can be performed at any time of year as long as you avoid exposure to high temperatures.
• You can return to swimming once the cast is removed and can even put your head in the water. However, in outdoor pools or the sea, avoid the hottest part of the day during the summer, and don’t jump or dive into the water.
• So, by all means go for a swim in the morning or the evening, but you must prevent your nose from getting injured.
• It is best to limit alcohol consumption and tobacco use for a while.
• Contact lenses can be worn immediately after the procedure.
• Because glasses and sunglasses put pressure on the operated area, you shouldn’t wear them for some weeks. Lightweight frames that sit gently on the nose can usually be worn comfortably about a month after the procedure.
• At the VIP-Rhinoplasty Center we can provide you with a special device so you can wear your glasses immediately after the procedure if you either cannot or do not wish to wear contact lenses, or if you want to wear sunglasses. The device fits easily on the forehead and is very discreet. Manufactured in the US, it is suitable for all types of glasses and can be used for as long as pressure on the bridge of the nose needs to be avoided.

Patients can return home as soon as Dr. Mireas has removed the cast and made a final check on the nose.

There are no restrictions on how those residing outside Athens can travel – even trans-Atlantic plane journeys are allowed.

Post-operative care is very simple – washing of the nasal cavity should continue for a month and knocks to the nose should be avoided for some months.

Medically speaking, there is no need for a further visit to the VIP-Rhinoplasty Center because the results with Diamond Piezo Rhinoplasty are safe and guaranteed.

However, we always maintain a strong relationship with our patients and recommend another visit one month after the procedure, and once again three to five years later.

This is somehow difficult for patients outside Athens – and especially outside Greece – but they often send us photographs, which we are delighted to receive.