How to take care of your skin after rhinoplasty

When comes to rhinoplasty, it is not always the cartilage that causes aesthetic issues, but also patient’s skin, which is a big part of a surgical plan. Skin problems may limit the effectiveness of surgical procedures of a certain kind before and after nose job is done. That is why skincare after rhinoplasty is so important, especially as it will help you avoid the irritation of the wounds and even speeds up the healing process. In general, you need to adjust your habits during convalescence, i.e. change your workout schedule, your diet and even ensure that the outfits you are wearing will not cause you bumping or touching your nose; however, the proper skin care will be on top of that as it will ensure the minimal scarring of your nose.

Recovery after rhinoplasty

Having the procedure done will require some time to heal. It is of course very individual, but usually, it takes 1 to 2 weeks to recover and until the 3rd week most of the swelling should be gone. Straight after the surgery, you can expect bruising, swelling of the nose area and the eyelids and redness around the nose, as some of the cartilage tissue will be added or removed during the procedure. Depending on the surgery, you will wear stitches, sometimes bandages, splints or even cast in case the hump of your nose is operated.

To alleviate the pain and swelling it is a good idea to prepare ice packs in advance. Sometimes your tongue and interior of the mouth, in general, can be sore, so you may put some spoons in a freezer to use them in that case. During the first week, you should avoid any strenuous activity and sleep with your head propped to ensure proper blood and mucus drainage. You should also avoid blowing your nose and refrain from wearing make up for one week after the rhinoplasty.

How to take care of your skin after the procedure

Part of the recovery involves skin care and you will heal faster and enjoy better rhinoplasty results if you take proper care of your skin.

Cleansing

First few days may be difficult – you have to be very gentle while washing your face to avoid breaking your skin and you should make sure not to get your splint or cast wet. Do not apply unnecessary pressure on your skin and try to wash carefully around the nose while you are still wearing stitches or cast. Remaining debris and crusty discharge from the wound may cause irritation as well as bacterial infection, however, be extra gentle not to pick at scabs or peeling skin, as the wound will heal on its own. The cleanser you will be using should be mild or gentle, preferably hypoallergenic and without soap. For cleaning your nostrils, you should use cotton buds.

Sun protection

If you think about sunbathing after rhinoplasty, you will be disappointed, as you should avoid the sun exposure up to one year after the surgery. The healing skin is very sensitive to sunlight and may easily get sunburned. UV rays will definitely make the scar tissue darker and thicker and this discoloured skin may never brighten enough to match the hue of the healthy tissue around it. What is more, your nose may be numb after the surgery which will make it easier to get a sunburn as you will simply not feel it.

When outdoors, you should ensure to use a sunscreen with the highest filter available and wear a hat to protect your nose. Make sure that the cream will not clog your pores, to avoid breakouts that may cause bacterial infection.

Avoiding irritants

Your new skincare routine should include not only gentle, hypoallergenic cleanser without soap, but also a mild, fragrant-free moisturizer. Proper moisturizing of the incision area will speed the healing process and help to protect the skin and appearance of scars. You should refrain from using cosmetics with retinoids and alpha hydroxyl acids, which can irritate your skin and make them more susceptible to sunburns. Hydrating your body from the inside is also a good idea, so drink at least 2l of water.

Wearing makeup

In general, you should avoid wearing makeup for one week after surgery. Afterwards, it is a great solution to cover healing bruises and redness around the nose. Mineral-based concealers and powders are especially recommended, as they are much gentler than other types of cosmetics and will not cause breakouts while providing good coverage. You should be very careful though when applying the cosmetics – use gentle strokes and do not touch your nose too forceful. Also, try to avoid getting makeup into the incisions. Yellow concealer will cover bruises while green is good to cover the redness.

Tackle hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation after the nose job is rare, it occurs mostly due to the sun exposure. Moreover, you might notice broken capillaries, which is called telangiectasia. Those can be treated with natural skin bleaching creams, especially those creams with green tea extract are good for treating both conditions.

Using vitamin creams

To ensure that your skin is healing properly, we recommend using creams with vitamins. Those creams are a great option for your skin even before rhinoplasty.
Vit C helps in the healing process by boosting collagen production and lightening the skin tone, it also contains antioxidants protecting the cells from damage. Vit A is very important in forming collagen and it is essential in recovery from a cosmetic surgical wound. It helps in initiating reparative behaviour of the skin and boosts the immune system. Also, it protects against bacterial and viral infections. Vit B complex speeds up the healing process by helping in collagen linkage. It also fights against infections along with the assistance of red blood cells production, which are important in the distribution of oxygen to cells.

If you are looking for cheap rhinoplasty, you should consider having done your nose job abroad. Our advisors in Beauty Poland will be delighted to assist you with organising your rhinoplasty in Poland.

Klaudia Grabowska

Klaudia has been working for a medical tourism company as a patient advisor for years. She has been helping a lot of patients from the UK, the USA, Scandinavia and many other countries. She knows very well foreign patients needs and she does her best to help them.
+44 748 315 53 11