Important

Description

Lakeland Rhinoplasty – Tips to Recovery

The day After Surgery:

The day after your lakeland rhinoplasty procedure, the drip dressing is removed, the internal packing or splints are removed, and the external incision, if present is cleaned up. The inside of the nose is checked for blood collections or persistent bleeding. The alignment of the external splint is checked and adjusted as needed.

Internal packing or internal nasal splints prevent hematoma (blood collection) in the septum (the partition between the two nasal passages. Channeled splints or flat splines like the Denver type splint, maintain pressure without completely occluding the nasal airway and are easier to tolerate. Both forms, however, are somewhat uncomfortable and only stay in overnight.

The third week of rhinoplasty-recovery:

External nasal splints to maintain the fractured nasal bones in the desired position will be present for two weeks. The nose, especially the nasal tip will be swollen. The swelling will not only depend on the patient’s inflammatory response but also on the thickness of their nasal skin. This swelling will get considerably better in the coming months, but in thicker skinned noses, the process can take up to one year. Black eyes will have turned faded green and yellow, and by the third week, the color will start to disappear. Makeup can be used to cover any remaining discoloration.

Sixth week and out:

The tell tale signs of nose surgery will disappear but numbness can persist as nerves that supply the nasal skin continue to grow. Direct sun exposure should be avoided for at least six months so as not to damage the newly undermined skin. The blood supply to the nasal tip should have been re-established, but it not uncommon to have persistent hyperemia or cyanosis in cold temperatures; this too can take a year to disappear.