Most patients do not find their nose painful after their rhinoplasty, although you may experience some discomfort for a week or two. You will be given painkillers to take if you need them.

It is normal for your nose to feel blocked as if you have a cold for a 2-3 weeks after your rhinoplasty.  You may also experience some crusting and occasionally small nose bleeds for 1-2 weeks. A fine watery spray is provided to make your nose more comfortable while it is healing inside.

It is also normal for the nose to be swollen after surgery and this is rather variable. Most of the swelling will settle over two weeks, but some swelling may persist for a number of weeks. If an open rhinoplasty has been performed it is recognised that swelling of the nasal tip takes many months to completely settle and you will be encouraged to be a ‘patient patient’!

You may have some bruising around the eyes, although this is generally minor and settles over 7-10 days. The nose (particularly the tip of the nose if you have had an open rhinoplasty) can feel rather stiff and numb after your surgery. This generally settles over 2-3 months and is very rarely a long term problem.

Although you can generally get a good impression about the result of your rhinoplasty after 3 to 4 months, it is not possible to judge the final result of your operation until healing is complete until after 12 months.  The nose may actually continue to undergo further minor changes for a number of years after surgery.