While most patients get nasal surgery for elective cosmetic considerations, that is not the only reason. Rhinoplasty can fix major traumas to the nose, which cause it to deviate and pinch off the airway. Certain genetic conditions, most notably a cleft lip and palate, can end up reshaping the nose, which ultimately decreases the size of the airway.
Our rhinoplasty surgeons can work with you no matter what the issue may be. This is a very involved process and there are several important things to know about rhinoplasty in Fort Worth if you want to maximize your results.
The best candidate for rhinoplasty surgery is fairly healthy and has a realistic view of the changes they want to their nose—someone who has thought about what they want done, and are looking for results that match the rest of their face. Simply transplanting someone else’s nose onto your face is not going to work. We want you to have a nose that matches the rest of your natural beauty.
When preparing for your rhinoplasty, you should study photos of other noses. You should have a clear understanding of what changes you want in your nose so that you can accurately communicate them to your plastic surgeon. Ideally, the people in those images have the same facial shape and ethnicity as you.
Once you schedule your procedure, you should arrange your life so that you can avoid the public eye for about 10 days. While you should feel fine in a day or two, if you have a job that allows you to work from home, you should take advantage of it, so you do not have to be face to face with your friends or coworkers for at least 10 days. We also highly suggest you eat a healthy diet and do not take any supplements without clearing them with us first.
You should have someone at home to take care of you for the first couple of days, to help with daily activities. Prepare your room so that you can sleep with your head elevated comfortably. This may mean sleeping in a recliner or lying in bed with your head propped up by a bunch of pillows. The swelling will decrease if you can keep your head elevated higher than the level of your heart for the first 10 days after surgery.
The big thing to know about your Fort Worth rhinoplasty is that you will have three splints on your nose when you wake up: two on the inside and one on the outside. Those splints will remain in place for a week; please keep that area dry during that time. So, you can take a shower (but only from the chin down) and be sure to wash your hair separately in the bathtub or sink. You need to sleep with your head elevated as much as you can for those first 10 days.
Sometimes, there will be a little bit of bleeding on the inside of your nose. Dip a cotton swab—a Q-tip—in a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and saline; this incredible potion will help dissolve any dried blood, very easily clean up that area and open your breathing passages.
You should also stay away from the gym for about three weeks, at which point should be cleared to do cardio workouts; at six weeks, you should be able to return to lifting weights and practicing yoga.
In about one week after your rhinoplasty, we will perform the simple and nothing to worry about tasks of removing the stitches and splints. By that point, you will already have noticed a huge improvement in your nose—an improvement that is going to continue with time. You will see a fantastic result in a year’s time, and the ultimate result after two years.
Nasal surgery is a specialized and delicate process. There are several things you can do both before and after the procedure to make everything go smoothly and limit any complications. Give us a call and set up a consultation to learn more.
