Frequently Asked Questions

How much time will I need to recover from rhinoplasty?

After rhinoplasty, patients can experience some generalised discomfort if packs are in place for the first 48-78 hours (in most patients, Mr Greensmith does not use packs). Bruising and swelling around the eyes peaks at about 48 hours and then begins to subside. Bruising and swelling generally subsides by about day five to seven, with the aid of ice packs. A topical bruising cream and sleeping with the head slightly elevated can also help bruising and swelling to subside faster. Once the stitches and splint are removed by day seven to 10 post-surgery, most people are able to go back to work. At this point, there is some residual swelling that will settle over the next six to 18 months (or potentially faster in patients with thin skin, more slowly in patients with thicker skin ).

When can I exercise after my rhinoplasty?

Around two weeks after rhinoplasty, you can generally start getting back into light exercise, but strenuous exercise should be avoided for about three to four weeks. Within the first three months after surgery, it is common for your nose to feel more congested during exercise. Patients who have had rib grafts should not undertake exercises that increase pain in their donor site/chest area for at least four to six weeks post-surgery, but may walk or jog gently.

When can I blow my nose after rhinoplasty?

As your nose will feel more congested after a rhinoplasty, many patients feel they frequently need to blow their nose. This should be avoided as much as possible for the first two to three weeks after surgery. The regular use of salt water nasal spray and Nose Oil drops ( sesame seed oil drops) may help to reduce the feeling of congestion and may be recommended for up to three months after rhinoplasty.

How long does it take to see my final result?

Once the splint has been removed, it is important to remember that the nose will only be at 80-90% of its final result. This is because some residual swelling can still be present for about six to 18 months after the procedure, and will need to fully subside before final results can be visible. 

Mr Greensmith may recommend the use of light tape on the bridge of the nose for a further three to five days, followed by the application of anti-inflammatory gel to the bridge. This may help to prevent the formation of a bump on the bridge area, which can occur as part of a healing response to surgery.

Will people notice that I have had my nose done?

Results will always vary from patient to patient. After your surgery, you may experience residual swelling, but your full results should be visible once this subsides. In general, about one year is needed for your nose to assume its final shape. 

When can I fly on a commercial flight after surgery?

It is preferable to wait 48-72 hours before travelling in a plane after rhinoplasty surgery. Most patients coming from interstate and overseas arrange to stay 10 days in Melbourne after surgery.

Are finance or payment plans available to pay for surgery?

Mr Greensmith does not endorse the use of finance companies for patients to fund their surgery. Rhinoplasty surgery may be a significant investment in the short term but a small one over the long term. We recommend deciding to undergo surgery when a patient can comfortably pay for the surgery rather than add financial stress to the anxiety of the recovery period. Patients are welcome to source help from finance companies at their own discretion. Our office does not offer payment plans.

What are the chances of needing another operation /some sort of revision?

The revision rate in the hands of an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon should be very low. In Mr Greensmith’s experience this is currently around 2-3 % over the last 10 years. However, as these same patients get older and their noses grow and change over time, this rate may climb a little to around 5-10% in the 20-30 years after rhinoplasty. This means there will be a very small chance that minor revision or “touch-up” is required in the years after a rhinoplasty. All experienced rhinoplasty surgeons have the need to perform this small number of revisions on a few patients as over the years with a nose ageing and growing, internal scar tissue can shift structures or bumps can reform on the bridge however the chances are remote. Most experienced surgeons spend a lot of their time performing revision surgery on patients who have had rhinoplasties performed elsewhere by other surgeons.

If I need a small revision, how much will it cost?

If you are previous patient of Mr Greensmith his policy is to try to minimise any costs involved in performing revision surgery. If you are uninsured and a minor revision is required then we will work to advocate as much as possible for you to reduce hospital and anaesthetic costs but in any case minor revisions involve costs that are a fraction of what you will pay for your original surgery.

If I think I need a revision, how soon after surgery can I have it done?

As most minor asymmetries are simply due to asymmetrical swelling in the first six to 12 months after surgery, Mr Greensmith will very rarely revise a nose in the first 12 months after surgery. By waiting for this amount of time, most minor asymmetries settle without surgery. It is important to remember that subtle asymmetries even persisting at 12 months after rhinoplasty may be so subtle that Mr Greensmith cannot guarantee they can be addressed. 

Will my nose be weaker after a rhinoplasty?

This is a common misconception – modern rhinoplasty should leave the patient breathing the same or potentially with improved breathing, and with good structural integrity. Patients will often notice their noses feel stiffer and firmer than before because Mr Greensmith does not want to weaken the nose. Patients often are fearful that their nose may “collapse” after surgery, having seen such things occur in media horror stories. This would only occur with excessively aggressive surgery or multiple surgeries removing too much weakening of the nasal structure. If a patient is requesting their nose to be made too small or narrow, Mr Greensmith will not agree to perform such surgery if structural integrity or function will be compromised.

If I wear glasses, when can I use them after surgery?

It may be helpful to use contact lenses as an alternative while you have the splint on, but if you prefer not to wear contact lenses, you should be able to rest your glasses on top of the splint on your nose. Once the splint is off, you can use reading glasses or sunglasses straight away but since there is a little bit of swelling in the skin at this early stage the glasses may leave a small depression /hollow in the skin if worn for prolonged periods. However, this will not be a permanent problem and will not occur so much as the swelling settles in the following six weeks or so.

What are the possible complications of rhinoplasty?

All surgeries can be linked to potential complications. The possible complications of rhinoplasty (and other plastic and cosmetic surgery) are extensively explained under the procedure section of the Australasian Society of Plastic Surgeons at the following link. 

Please visit the link and select “rhinoplasty” for extensive information on potential complications of rhinoplasty.