Rhinoplasty Procedure

What to Expect

Depending upon what you would like done, nose shaping usually takes only 1-2 hours. If you have difficulty breathing through your nose the first part of surgery is a septoplasty. The septum is a structure in the middle of the nose which separates the nose into two sides (left and right). If the septum is twisted or “deviated” it can reduce airflow through one or both sides of your nose. Working through your nostrils I can straighten the septum which should allow you to breathe much more easily. By doing the procedure through your nostrils there are no visible scars from septoplasty. You may experience a bloody nose for a short while, and because of swelling inside the nose, many people find it takes a week or more until they notice that they breathe better.

To reshape the nose a small fine incision may be necessary on the bottom of the nose (an area called the columella). Depending upon what you wish to change about your nose, you may or may not have some bruising and swelling around your eyes (which are, of course, directly next to your nose) afterwards. In all cases you can expect to wake up from your surgery with a small “cast” on your nose. This piece of plastic stays on your nose to protect it after surgery and to help hold your nose precisely where we want it during the initial period of healing. For the first day or two I’ll want you to take it easy and use some ice to help keep the swelling to a minimum. The “cast” typically comes off after one week.

If you know somebody who had Rhinoplasty surgery in the past, or from a surgeon other than Dr. Spiegel, they may have told you about having their nose “packed”. These people had their nose filled with gauze or another material after surgery, and this can be very uncomfortable. Dr. Spiegel’s patients almost never need any packing in their nose, which makes the recovery period from nose surgery easier and much more comfortable.

When Surgery is Over