Brushing your teeth shifts your mouth in a way that causes both the upper lip and nose to move. Because of this, patients must be very careful when brushing their teeth during their nose job recovery. Avoid aggressive movements and be sure to slow down if you can feel your nose moving while brushing.
It’s extremely important that patients avoid the use of both tobacco and alcohol before and after surgery since these substances inhibit the recovery process. You should not smoke or drink in the three weeks leading up to the nose job operation and for another three weeks afterward. Patients are also advised not to take vitamin E, any aspirin-based medications, and garlic or fish oil tablets for two weeks before surgery.
The body needs time to recover after surgery. Patients should do their best to relax while they heal. This involves avoiding any strenuous movement—including aggressive exercises—for at least six weeks. Sports that may lead to nose injury (like volleyball, baseball, or basketball) should be ceased for longer. Speak to your surgeon to find out when you can start playing sports again.
Swimming affects the nose and can interfere with the recovery process. Diving and other movements through the water will shift the nose’s position before it’s resilient enough to handle this. Exposure to chlorine can also lead to a stinging sensation. For all of these reasons it’s recommended that patients avoid swimming for six weeks from the time of surgery.
Putting on or taking off clothing items like t-shirts and pullover sweaters can bump or tug on the nose while its healing. Patients should wear buttoned shirts or zip-ups to prevent this.
The skin of the nose is very sensitive during recovery and should be protected with sunscreen. It’s also a good idea to limit the amount of time you spend in direct sunlight while the nose heals. Excessive exposure to UV rays can lead to permanent skin discolouration.
The nose becomes very sensitive after treatment. It swells for much longer than many other parts of the body (its healing process isn’t fully complete for as long as a year) and should be treated extremely carefully. Common actions like nose blowing cannot be performed for at least two weeks.
Since glasses put weight on the nose it’s best to avoid wearing them while healing. If contact lenses aren’t an option anyone who requires prescription glasses should use a nasal splint that is taped onto the nose before wearing them. This splint will help absorb the weight of the glasses and reduce the risk of permanent nasal bone damage.
Chewing tough food causes the nose to move just as much as aggressive tooth brushing. Any meal that involves a lot of chewing should be avoided until the nose has had a chance to properly heal.
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