In this article, we have compiled frequently asked questions about rhinoplasty operation for you. We hope it will be a good guide for you. Do not forget that you can always consult us with any questions you may have.
Here are frequently asked questions and answers about rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty is a painful operation or not
Since you will be under the influence of anesthesia during the operation, you will not feel any pain during the operation. Painkillers are given to all patients for the first few days. While there is not enough pain to require pain medication in general, there may be people who want to use a stronger painkiller for the first night, although rarely. The most common complaint we encounter is difficulty in breathing through the nose on the night of the operation. You will start to breathe more easily when you remove the intranasal dressings that we placed on the first night the next day. Most of our patients who come to the post-operative examination state that they did not experience any problems during the week.
Rhinoplasty operation’s complications or risks:
Every surgical operation has a certain amount of risk and potential for complications. Your surgeon’s job is to anticipate them and inform you. We usually inform our patients about the risk of infection and bleeding. Although excessive bleeding after rhinoplasty is extremely rare, it is our duty to inform our patients of this possibility. If such a situation occurs, it will occur within a few hours immediately after the operation. In this case, the person should not worry, he should immediately inform his doctor about the situation.
Aesthetically correcting the shape of the nose while correcting the breathing problem
Yes, this is a very common occurrence. In the operation you will undergo, both the problems that cause breathing difficulties and your visual dissatisfaction can be eliminated. The image of your nose can be made into a form suitable for your face.
Combine rhinoplasty with another facial surgery
In short, yes. Most patients have rhinoplasty in conjunction with another facial surgery, or even a body surgery. For example, it is quite common for patients to have rhinoplasty combined with eyelid surgery or breast augmentation. In such cases, it is useful to have a detailed interview with the doctor or doctors who will perform your operations.
Medical conditions that will prevent a healthy recovery after rhinoplasty:
Conditions that threaten a successful nose operation are usually related to the internal structure of the nose and are very rare. For example, someone with Wegner granulomatosis (WG) syndrome, which affects the cartilage tissue of the nose, is not a suitable patient for the operation in our opinion. Since the risk of complications will be very high and we care about the health of our patients, we should not do the surgery. Other than that, there are few medical conditions that will prevent a healthy recovery.
Will I have obvious surgical scars after rhinoplasty?
Every cut on the skin leaves a scar. When the word “surgical scar” is mentioned, big, ugly stitches come to mind. However, since the incisions and stitches opened in aesthetic nose operations are made in a much more controlled manner, they are very difficult to see with the naked eye. In open nose operations, a small suture scar remains at the base of the nose. In endonasal, that is, closed operations, since the incisions are already inside the nose, all traces remain inside. If there is a situation that requires us to perform an open operation, we share this with our patient beforehand and inform him.
Open technique or closed technique?
Nose aesthetic surgeries are performed in two different ways as open and closed techniques. With the open rhinoplasty technique, the cartilage and bone structures of the nose can be shaped in more detail. It is more appropriate to use open technique nose surgery, especially in people who have problems at the tip of the nose. In closed technique rhinoplasty; While shaping the nose, all the incisions are hidden inside the nose, so there is no visible scar on the nose. This technique is preferred if there is no serious deformity in the nose. Although there are differences of opinion among today’s doctors about the benefits and harms of these two methods, we think that it is a more correct approach to decide on the technique we will use in line with the needs of our patients.
Does smoking affect my recovery after rhinoplasty?
In most surgical operations, smoking affects recovery. Since the nasal skin is the main structure that shows the result, especially in nasal aesthetic surgeries, heavy smoking after the surgery will negatively affect the recovery and the result of the surgery.
Is it true that the nose flows more after the rhinoplasty operation?
No. Maybe this may be valid for 1-2 weeks immediately after the operation, but we have not had a patient who has made such a complaint to us yet.
What kind of material do you use if you need a graft when reconstructing the nose?
In our method, the primary graft is the patient’s own cartilage tissue. The nasal septum is very suitable for removing septal cartilage when necessary, this is done during the rhinoplasty operation. However, in some cases, additional grafts may be required. In such cases, non-structural parts of the ear or a piece of rib bone with a flexible structure can be used.
Is rhinoplasty surgery performed under general anesthesia?
Yes. Rhinoplasty operations are performed under general anesthesia. Usually the surgery takes 2-3 hours.
Can I eat anything on the morning of surgery and after waking up from anesthesia?
As with all other surgical operations, you should not eat anything the night before and after midnight. Your stomach should be empty to avoid any complications. You can start eating and drinking with light foods approximately one hour after you wake up from anesthesia after the operation.
Can I leave the clinic right after my operation?
We recommend that you stay in the hospital on the first day and bring a relative with you who can help you in this process.
When will the stitches be removed after my rhinoplasty operation?
Depending on the type of our operation, if you have stitches that need to be removed, it will be appropriate to remove them after 5-6 days. The stitches placed in the nose do not need to be removed as they dissolve on their own over time.
If these dissolving stitches cause allergies
It is possible, but very unlikely. It is more common for them to itch slightly. Although allergy is not seen much, sutures are removed if seen.
Giving cortisone
Usually not given. A very small amount can be applied to the top of the tip of the nose in patients with very thick skin or if the face is very swollen.
Removal of the splint after surgery
The light metal splint that we will put on the outside of your nose will be removed approximately one week after the operation.
To breathe easily
You can breathe thanks to the thin silicone layer we place in the nose immediately after the surgery. We recommend our patients not to blow their nose during the week after the operation. After the first week, you can start to clean your nose by rinsing it with salt water and blowing your nose lightly. This will allow you to clean the crusts that form inside in the future and allow you to breathe more easily.
Wear glasses after operation
Yes. However, it should not put pressure on your nose. Sometimes, patients fix their glasses on their foreheads with a piece of tape, as it will be difficult to put on the glasses in this way. Your doctor or assistant can show you how to do this in the sensitive period after the operation.
Start sports after rhinoplasty
You can start walking briskly a few days after the operation. It would be better to stay away from weight training or other active activities for a month. At the end of a month, you can resume all your sports activities from where you left off. There is only one point you should pay attention to; Even though your bones have healed and fused in the first month, you can still break your nose if you get a hard blow. You should also consider this when considering the sports activities you will continue.
Is it true that it is necessary to wait a year to see the effects of rhinoplasty operation?
Yes. Although the swelling decreases to a great extent in the first month, there is a slow healing process during the first year. This is the unchangeable nature of the nose. 80% of the changes are evident in the first three months, this rate increases to 90% in the sixth month, but it takes a year to reach 100%.
If not satisfied with the results of the rhinoplasty operation?
The secret of getting happy patients is; It is the honest, open and effective communication we establish during the examination. Most competent, reputable surgeons do their best to keep patients’ expectations realistic and show them possible outcomes. However, if the patient is not happy, it is very important to report this in the post-operative period. What is often dissatisfied is that the tip of the nose is still swollen after the operation or the bridge of the nose is still a little in the air. Unhappiness here can be relieved by talking to the surgeon and showing photos of the healing process.
If the patient has occasional skewness, which can be seen infrequently, there are simple procedures that the surgeon can perform. These can often be corrected directly in the exam room. If healing occurs unexpectedly, we offer the patient a correction operation.