Necessary Maintenance After Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty, sometimes called “nose job” here in Montreal, is the safest and least invasive of cosmetic surgeries, but it is still a surgery. Like all surgeries, it will cause a fair amount of swelling, inflammation, and some pain. It will also tax your body as the incision develops into a scar. How fast you heal, and how visible an open rhinoplasty scar becomes, is in large part up to you. Follow these tips to recovery quickly and fully.
- Drink Lots of Water
Your body will try to flush out inflammatory particles and debris from the incision. The more water you have, the faster this will happen, allowing your body to get on with the process of healing.
- Eat Lots of Protein
Eat at least 70 grams of protein a day. For reference, that’s 6-7 egg whites, 9 cups of milk, or 2 large chicken breasts. If you have a lot of muscle to maintain, you might consider going up to 90 grams. This protein will help your body build the new collagen that will stitch your incision together.
- Elevate your Head
Even while sleeping or cuddling up with some Netflix (which we highly recommend), you should use pillows to prop up your head. This will help bring the swelling down.
- Sleep a Lot
Let’s not mince words: sleep is the absolute best. After surgery, your body will want much more of it. This is for a very good reason: sleep helps you heal faster. Listen to your body, not your alarm clock.
- Give your Body a Break
Caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, processed sugar, and very salty foods are all tempting, but they stress and dehydrate the body. This is the exact opposite direction that you want to go. Treat yourself with blankets and movies, not with booze and sugar.
- Keep Out of the Sun
Sun damage and heat makes it harder for swollen areas to come down, and much harder for incisions to heal properly. Buy a big old hat for when you have to go outside, at least for the first few months.
- Take at Least a Week Off Work
While we’ve heard of patients going to work two or three days after the procedure, they were probably pretty miserable. Your body wants to rest, and fighting this urge is hard work. We’d recommend two weeks off if you can get it, and one week if you can’t.
- Be Nice to Yourself
Part of the inflammation response is feeling a little down. This is just a chemical reaction your brain uses to make you stay at home and get some rest, not a permanent or important emotional change. Just give yourself permission to feel down for a bit, get spoiled, and wait to heal.
