When Will I Be Ready for A Public Appearance After Rhinoplasty?
Whether it's a company-wide meeting, TV interview or awards gala, public appearances are par for the course for many people these days. If you're wondering how long it will take for all signs of rhinoplasty surgery to dissipate so you can get back to the stage, the set or the red carpet, the following information can help.
Timing's Everything
If you know ahead of time that you'll be required to make a speech, presentation or appearance at a public event, be sure to schedule your rhinoplasty so it doesn't conflict with that date. Surgery can be booked months in advance, so you'll be able to get your timing just right.
Physical Effects: Week 1
While pain isn't a factor for most rhinoplasty patients, you may experience some swelling/bruising in the first week of recovery. You'll also have a cast on your nose for seven days. Unless your physical appearance doesn't faze you one bit, you'll likely want to avoid booking any important public appearances in the week following your surgery.
Physical Effects: Week 2
After your cast comes off, you can expect most of the swelling/bruising to have dissipated (some light marks may linger around your nose/eyes; these are easily covered with makeup). If it's very important all signs of surgery are gone before you make your public debut, however, you may want to wait another week - just to be on the safe side. Ninety-five per cent of patients see all of their bruising disappear by two weeks post op.
Please note: it may take six months to a year for your nose to ''settle'' into its final iteration. While you'll likely be very pleased with the result when your cast is removed, it will take some time before the last tiny amount of swelling that could be camouflaging the refined features of your nose disappears. Again, this swelling should only be obvious to you.
In Demand
Before you submit your RSVP, ask yourself how physically/emotionally demanding the event or appearance will be. In the first week of recovery from rhinoplasty you'll need to take it easy and avoid doing strenuous activity. Though you can work on a computer and walk around your neighbourhood during this time, an all-night gala may be out of the question. Additionally, any medications your surgeon prescribes are not to be mixed with alcohol - consider this factor when making a decision to attend an event.
While you'll be feeling back to your old self at two weeks post-op, it's still important to refrain from strenuous physical activity until at least the three-week mark (or whenever your surgeon deems it safe). If your public appearance requires you to exert yourself in a physically demanding way, ask your surgeon when it will be safe for you to do so. You don't want to run the risk of bumping or injuring your new nose!
Makeup Magic
As mentioned, any physical effects from your rhinoplasty will dissipate as follows:
- First week post-op: cast on nose, bruising/swelling at worst
- Second week post-op: cast removed, some bruising/swelling may remain
- Third week post-op: slight swelling may remain, most likely only noticeable to you
- Up to one year post-op: very slight swelling (only noticeable to you) may continue to camouflage the refined features of your nose
We can't overemphasize the magic of makeup, particularly to patients who need to make frequent public appearances after their rhinoplasty. While you can likely hide any slight bruising yourself with concealer and/or powder at home, hiring a professional makeup artist will certainly ensure your physical appearance is flawless (as long as it is not in the very first week of recovery, when the bruising/swelling will be at its worst).
