Rhinoplasty Bruising Timeline By Nimit D on May 12, 2021

The nose is one of the most prominent features on a person’s face. Unfortunately, this means that if the nose has any imperfections, they can have a significant impact on overall appearance. It is not surprising, then, that rhinoplasty is such a popular plastic surgery procedure.

Rhinoplasty alters the size and/or shape of the nose, while correcting blemishes, to give patients the uniform nose they desire. Rhinoplasty provides highly successful results, but patients need to be prepared for surgical side effects, including bruising. Here, Dr. Peter Brownrigg provides an overview of the typical rhinoplasty bruising timeline, so that his Ottawa, Canada, patients know what to expect in the days and weeks following surgery.

The Day after Surgery

It is important to note that not all rhinoplasty patients experience bruising after their procedure. However, for those who do, rhinoplasty bruising develops pretty quickly after surgery. Each person heals at a different rate, but most of our Ottawa patients wake to significant bruising the morning after their rhinoplasty procedure. There may be some bruising around the nose, but most often rhinoplasty bruising affects the under eye area. The severity of bruising varies from patient to patient, but bruises are likely to be deep blue or purple at this early stage of rhinoplasty recovery.

Three to Five Days after Surgery

Fortunately, it does not usually take long for rhinoplasty bruising to start to fade. Within just a few days of surgery, bruises should appear markedly lighter. Usually, around three to five days after treatment bruises have faded from blue or purple to a light green or yellow. 

One to Two Weeks after Surgery

Between one and two weeks after surgery, bruising will continue to fade. By about a week after surgery bruises will most likely be very light in color, and any remaining bruising should be completely resolved two weeks post-surgery. If our Ottawa patients feel well enough to go out in public a week after their rhinoplasty procedure, and bruises still remain, they should be light enough to be easily concealed with a thin layer of makeup. However, patients must be careful to keep makeup away from rhinoplasty incisions until they have completely healed. It is important to keep incision sites clean to minimize the risk of infection.

Promoting Healing

Rhinoplasty side effects are inevitable, but there are steps that patients can take to promote healing and encourage a quick surgical recovery. The following are some important rhinoplasty recovery tips:

• Carefully follow all provided post-surgical care instructions
• Give your body time to heal; don’t push yourself beyond comfort limits
• When resting, keep the head slightly elevated to encourage blood flow (this is especially helpful for reducing bruising and inflammation)
• Apply ice packs or cold compresses to the cheeks and under eye area (ice packs can be applied 15 minutes at a time, as needed throughout the day)
• Eat a healthy diet that is rich in vitamins and nutrients

Schedule a Personal Consultation

If you are considering rhinoplasty treatment and would like to learn more about the procedure or what to expect during recovery, Dr. Peter Brownrigg would be happy to provide you with some information. To schedule a personal consultation, contact us online at your earliest convenience, or call (613) 706-4495.

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