There will be mild to moderate pain and discomfort immediately following your nose job surgery. This should be easily controlled with oral medications. The discomfort and pain should begin to decrease within 72 hours after surgery. 

Bruising and swelling are not unusual after a nose job. These symptoms often worsen on the second day following surgery and then steadily improve thereafter; this is completely normal. The amount of bruising that occurs varies significantly from one patient to the next. Most swelling occurs around the eyes, but some bruising may move down and discolor the cheek area. If only the septum and/or nasal tip are operated on, only slight, if any, bruising will normally be expected to occur. Although much of the swelling will have resolved within a few months, your nose will continue to improve for up to one year after surgery.

Nasal stuffiness and bloody nasal discharge can be expected after nasal surgery. It is most difficult in the first week after surgery. Any residual stuffiness can be expected to gradually improve over a period of several weeks thereafter.

Numbness in the tip of the nose, upper front teeth or roof of the mouth following surgery is to be expected because nasal surgery typically causes a temporary disruption of some of the nerves in the area. Sensation will generally return slowly over a period of several weeks, and rarely, months.

Some temporary decrease or alteration in the sense of smell or taste is typical after surgery. This is, again, due to the disruption of some nerves in the nose during surgery. These changes will begin to improve within the first couple of weeks after the procedure.

To learn more about what you can expect after a nose job or to schedule a surgery consultation with Dr. Nickodem, contact Anne Nickodem, MD at 703-560-8711 or website today.