Contents
Your recovery at a glance
- Off work
- Return to work: 1–2 weeks (when splint removed, usually desk jobs)
- Exercise
- Light exercise at 3 weeks (walking only)
- Your garment
- Return to work: 1–2 weeks (when splint removed, usually desk jobs)
- First review
- Week 1 (around Days 7–10) – Nurse Appointment
- Full recovery
- 2 weeks initial recovery, 6–12 months for final results
This is a general guide for the average patient. Your own instructions come with your discharge information and in your recovery guide in the Waterfront patient app, and they come first.
Before you leave the hospital
- Painkillers: Make sure you have your painkillers before you leave, the nurse looking after you will go through them with you.
- Saline spray: A saline nasal spray will be provided to help irrigate your nasal passages gently.
- Drip pads: Gauge drip pads will be given to absorb blood-tinged oozing. Change as needed.
- Follow-up appointments: You will be given a card with details of your first appointment (usually around 1 week for cast removal) and contact details for the ward if you have any concerns once you get home.
- Getting home safely: You must have someone to take you home. Arrange transport in advance.
Week by week
Days 1–3 Early recovery
What is normal
- Blocked nose (you’ll breathe through your mouth)
- Swelling and bruising around eyes
- Mild pain or discomfort
- blood-tinged oozing
- Feeling tired
- Dry throat
What to do
- Many patients find it comfortable to keep the head raised, pillows, a wedge, or a recliner all work
- Ice packs (20 minutes at a time) are most helpful in the first 2–3 days
- Change drip pad under nose as needed
- Take pain medication as directed
- Use saline spray gently
Days 4–7 Improving daily
What is normal
- Less oozing from the nose
- Bruising may look worse before better
- Energy returning
- Cast must stay dry
What to do
- Continue head elevation
- Gentle walks around house
- Soft foods only
- Brush teeth carefully
- Keep appointment time handy for first follow-up
- List any concerns to discuss with nurse
Week 1 Cast removal
What is normal
- Nose will look swollen after cast removal
- Skin may be oily
- Some numbness is normal
What to do
- Attend week 1 nurse appointment for cast removal
- Stitches will be removed
- Gentle cleaning will be performed
- First look at your new nose
- Continue gentle care instructions
Week 2 Progressive healing
What is normal
- Bruising mostly gone
- Able to return to work
- Swelling decreasing
What to do
- Return to work (desk jobs)
- Continue protecting nose
- No glasses on nose yet
- Gentle nose blowing when needed
- Can resume light makeup
Weeks 3–4 Increased activity
What is normal
- Light exercise okay (walking)
- Swelling decreasing steadily
- Sensation returning to nose
- Most daily activities resumed
- Makeup okay (not on scars)
What to do
- Most daily activities resumed
- Light exercise (walking, gentle yoga)
- Swimming pool still avoided
- Protect nose from accidental bumps
- Wear nose protection if needed for activities
Weeks 4–6 Return to normal
What is normal
- Most healing done
- Resume normal activities
- Final shape becoming apparent
- Nose functioning normally
What to do
- Can wear glasses on nose (use tape or special support for comfort)
- Resume normal exercise (avoid contact sports)
- Swimming okay (avoid chlorinated pools initially)
- Normal daily activities without restriction
- Protect nose from sun exposure
Month 3+ Final settling
What is normal
- Final shape visible
- All healing complete
- Breathing normal through nose
- Complete return to all activities
What to do
- Can wear glasses normally
- Full exercise including contact sports (after 6–8 weeks)
- Flying safe (may cause temporary swelling)
- All water activities permitted
- Continue long-term care as advised
Wound care and scars
- Keep splint and dressings dry for first week
- Change drip pad under nose as needed
- After splint removal, gentle cleaning as instructed
- Do not pick or touch incisions
- Protect from sun exposure
- Use saline spray gently for irrigation
Comfort and pain relief
- Take your painkillers as directed on their labels, every medicine you go home with is labelled with its dose and frequency, and your nurse will go through them with you before you leave. Paracetamol and ibuprofen can safely be taken together
- Take paracetamol every 4–6 hours (maximum 4g daily)
- Ibuprofen if prescribed by your surgeon
- Avoid aspirin
- Mild to moderate discomfort expected in first few days
- Cold compresses to the eyes help reduce swelling, most helpful in the first 2–3 days
- Bruising and swelling peak at 48–72 hours
- Most discomfort resolves within first week
Lifestyle guidelines
✓ DO
- Sleep with head elevated
- Use ice packs regularly
- Take medications on time
- Eat nutritious foods
- Drink plenty of water
- Protect nose from sun
- Be patient with healing
- Keep follow-up appointments
- ✗ AVOID
- Blowing your nose
- Wearing glasses on nose
- Very hot showers or baths in the first week (heat increases swelling; keep the splint dry)
- Bending over
- Heavy lifting
- Strenuous exercise
- Smoking and alcohol
- Swimming pools and contact sports
Activity, driving and work
- No strenuous activity for 6 weeks
- Avoid bending over or lifting for 2 weeks
- No blowing nose for 2 weeks
- Sneeze with mouth open if needed
- No glasses on nose for 4 weeks
- Return to work: 1–2 weeks (when splint removed, usually desk jobs)
- Gentle walking is encouraged from the first days; build up pace from week 2
- Light exercise at 3 weeks (walking only)
- Contact sports at 6–8 weeks (with nose protection)
Follow-up appointments
- Week 1 (around Days 7–10) – Nurse Appointment: Your first post-operative appointment to check healing and remove the protective cast. Cast removal; Stitch removal; Gentle cleaning of incisions; First look at your new nose; Assessment of healing progress
- Further nurse reviews, as needed: Some patients need further nurse reviews. If so, the nurses will arrange these with you and will discharge you from nurse-led care once they are happy your wounds have healed.
- Around 6 months: surgeon review (final follow-up): Your surgeon will usually see you at around 6 months to assess your final result. Your surgeon is always available to review you sooner if required, and in some circumstances may wish to see you before your final follow-up.
Common questions
Why can’t I breathe through my nose?
Swelling inside your nose blocks airflow. This is normal and improves over 2–4 weeks.
How do I sleep comfortably?
Use 2-3 pillows or a wedge pillow. Many patients find a recliner chair helpful for the first week.
When will I look normal?
Most bruising fades in 10–14 days. You’ll look presentable for work at 2 weeks. Final results take up to a year.
Can I wear my glasses?
While the splint is on, glasses can rest on it. After splint removal, avoid resting glasses directly on the nose for about 4 weeks, the bones are still setting. Taping glasses to the forehead, cheek-resting supports, or contact lenses all work well. Your surgeon will confirm at follow-up when normal wear is fine; if your surgery didn’t involve breaking the bones, they may clear you sooner.
When can I exercise?
Gentle walking is encouraged from the first days. Build up pace from week 2, gentle exercise at 3 weeks, and full workouts at 6 weeks.
When is the splint removed?
The nasal splint is typically removed 5–7 days after surgery during your first follow-up appointment.
Your guide in the patient app
Your recovery guide in the Waterfront patient app is the personal, dated version of this page, with your own instructions, your appointments and the hospital’s contact details.
Download the printed leaflet (PDF)
Your discharge information and your recovery guide in the Waterfront patient app tell you who to contact and when. If you have any concerns about your recovery, contact the hospital using the details you were given.