After the Rhinoplasty Procedure: Patients’ Post-Rhinoplasty FAQs

At the end of the procedure, Dr. Mireas will place a small plastic cast on the bridge of your nose, which he will remove 4-6 days later.

Removing it takes just a few seconds and is entirely pain free.

In addition, he does not place packing inside the nose, so you will not have to go through the process of having it removed.

No, not at all.

When rhinoplasty is performed correctly - by a rhinoplasty expert using the piezo ultrasound system - there is no post-operative pain.

For this reason, after Dr. Mireas performs a rhinoplasty procedure – even in severe cases such as a major revision – you will not need to take any kind of painkiller.

After rhinoplasty there is usually a small amount of swelling and redness, but only around the nose.

About ten days after the procedure, any swelling is hardly noticeable

This is true for all types of nose surgery, whether cosmetic or functional, even with correction of a deviated septum and taking any complications into account.

It is also true for every kind of revision surgery correcting the unsatisfactory results of previous procedures.

In the case of a cartilage graft from the ear – as in some revision surgeries – there is no swelling around the ear.

You can get out of bed as soon as the rhinoplasty is over and will be discharged just six hours later.

This applies equally for aesthetic and functional surgery, for primary rhinoplasty, and for revision procedures. An overnight stay is required only very rarely, in the case of severe revision surgery involving a rib graft, when you can leave the next morning.

If it is more convenient for you to stay in the clinic overnight, you can choose to be discharged the following day.

In line with the latest rhinoplasty techniques, Dr. Mireas does not place packing inside the nose after the operation, so there is no need for you to return the next day to have it removed, which is quite an unpleasant experience for the patient.

Four to six days after the procedure, Dr. Mireas will remove the small plastic cast from the bridge of your nose and you will immediately be able to see the result of your operation.

• The removal of the cast is entirely pain-free and takes less than a minute.
• It is followed by a gentle cleaning of the area and the removal of three small stitches (if used)
• None of this causes any pain whatsoever and it lasts less than five minutes in total.

After the removal of the cast, you can return home however you like (by plane, train, ship or car) and no further visits to the doctor are required

The cast is removed just 4-6 days after the rhinoplasty, and you will immediately see the difference in the shape of your nose.

Especially from the side, it will immediately be obvious that a bump has been removed or that the tip of the nose has been lifted, for example.

Over the next seven days, the swelling will quickly subside, and the effect will be about 80% complete, rising to almost 100% after about three months.

Because the tip of the nose is very soft, it needs more time for any swelling to subside, and it is the last part of the nose to achieve its final shape.

After one year the nose will be strong and resilient and the result permanent. The recovery period is complete.

Dr. Mireas, in line with the most advanced rhinoplasty techniques, does not place packing material inside the nose after the procedure, so you will be able to breathe normally as soon as the surgery is over.

Over the following days you will follow the instructions for washing inside the nose and applying lubricating ointment. You will notice a further improvement as the nasal airways open up.

After the first two weeks your breathing will be quite satisfactory and you will now be able to breathe normally.

The effect in terms of nasal function is of course permanent.

The results are permanent, as is the straightening of the septum.

Dr. Mireas uses the most advanced surgical techniques to add strength and stability to the nasal framework, so the improvement to your breathing is permanent and the appearance of your nose does not change over time. Where a previous rhinoplasty “goes wrong” some years later, for example with the “collapse” of the nose, this is because the surgeons who performed the original procedure did not ensure the necessary support and reinforcement to strengthen the nasal framework, with the result that it gradually becomes deformed, often accompanied by a deterioration in breathing function. These patients account for a large number of the revision surgeries performed by Dr. Mireas, often many years after the initial operation.

All you have to do is follow some simple instructions.

Wash inside the nose with a saline solution (or similar preparation) and apply a lubricating ointment 2-3 times a day for 3-4 weeks.

You must also avoid strenuous activity and heavy lifting for about a week.

For your convenience, you will be given the instructions in writing during your consultation.

Every patient is unique.  The goal after rhinoplasty is facial harmony, with natural movements when speaking and smiling. The nose should also match the person’s sex, age, and personality.

The most important thing is that the result of your surgery should not look fake. It should look absolutely natural, so that no one meeting you for the first time would even suspect that you have had a nose-job.

It is true that operations on ​​the nose, mouth and larynx can very slightly change the anatomy and the volume of the cavities in the area. In theory, this could have a tiny effect on the tone of the voice, but in reality, any change would be noticeable only in an extremely small number of cases, for example if you are a professional opera singer.

It is absolutely impossible for a man’s voice to become feminine or a woman’s voice to sound masculine.

Sometimes as a result of the surgery itself or sometimes owing to an unexpected event such as a post-operation injury to the nose, the question of a possible revision surgery arises. In such an event there are two issues: when to assess the situation and, if there is a problem that needs to be corrected, when and how will this be done.

The timing of the assessment depends on the type of problem. For example, any injury needs to be evaluated immediately, while any asymmetry resulting from slightly more swelling on one side than the other should be assessed later, in order to give the body the required time to heal.

The timing of a new operation also depends on the type of problem. For example, a problem caused by an injury can often be rectified immediately with a small procedure. In the case of more delicate corrections, it is better to wait so that the assessment will be more accurate.

After surgery with conventional equipment, the waiting time usually used to be 6-12 months because the bones had to be “knit”, whereas with piezo, no delay is necessary and the surgery can be performed as soon as the assessment has been performed. The same is true after major nose injuries, where the operation can be performed with piezo ultrasound on the very same day of the injury, whereas in the past we had to wait several months before proceeding.

Facial movements such as laughing or yawning cannot cause any permanent damage that would spoil the result of your rhinoplasty. However, it is generally best to avoid them in the first few days after your rhinoplasty, so that the splint that your surgeon has placed on your nose doesn’t move.

After your rhinoplasty you must be careful to avoid activities, sports and movements that might injure your nose.

Dr. Mireas always ensures that the nose has the proper internal structure to prevent damage from minor knocks, but a strong impact can certainly cause problems.

As a precaution, it is also recommended not to pick up small children.