A rhinoplasty procedure doesn’t have as nearly as an intimidating recovery period as some would have you believe. The intense bruising immediately afterward looks much more painful than it is. However, the rhinoplasty recovery timeline will require some adjustments to your daily life.
One question we frequently hear regarding rhinoplasty surgery concerns the senses of smell and taste after the procedure. If you’re interested in how nose surgery might affect your sense of smell, we’ll sniff out some answers for you here.
The rhinoplasty recovery timeline
Before we can cover how your sense of smell is affected by a nose job, we should probably give a clear idea of what the rhinoplasty recovery timeline looks like. The actual rhinoplasty procedure should only take from one to three hours, depending on the complexity of the process.
The first stage of the healing process occurs immediately post-surgery. You’ll be required to remain at your plastic surgeon’s office for two to three hours to rest, and so your rhinoplasty surgeon can monitor you for any complications.
When you’re sent home, you’ll generally have to wear splints and bandages for up to a week after the procedure is completed. After these are removed, expect another two weeks or so of visible bruising and swelling.
After this point, your nose should be mostly back to looking as normal, though you’ll likely want to avoid strenuous physical activities for up to six weeks after the procedure to avoid damaging your nose.
Beyond this, life should return to normal. However, it should be noted the recovery process can continue for up to two years, as your nose slowly settles into its final shape.
Rhinoplasty recovery and smell
As one might expect, the rhinoplasty recovery process can have a notable effect on your sense of smell, though not as dramatically as some assume. Reports of people permanently losing their sense of smell after rhinoplasties in Toronto are certainly rumours and exaggerations. The actual chance of this happening is minimal.
However, in the weeks after rhinoplasty, your sense of smell will be affected. In the days after surgery, the bandages and gauze will directly block your nose. There will also likely be a good deal of congestion, along with swelling and bruising. These all prevent the olfactory receptors in your nose from picking up smells.
In turn, this will tend to curtail your sense of taste, since scents are a huge part of how we “taste” food. You might be tempted to indulge in spicier food during this recovery time, but it’s best to avoid the hot stuff until your nose has had some time to recover after the surgical procedure.
Even after the gauze and bandages are gone, you might still notice a loss of smell. This is perfectly normal. Even after the bandages are removed, inflammation within the nose is quite common. This inflammation can also prevent your smell receptors from working correctly, so continued difficulties with taste and smell are normal. It might take up to six weeks for your nose to fully recover.
Get all your rhinoplasty questions answered
Have more questions about smell post-rhinoplasty surgery? Wondering if you’re a good candidate for rhinoplasty? Looking for more information on a nose job cost in Toronto? If so, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re always happy to help walk you through the process, and help you get the best rhinoplasty experience and results possible.