Bruising after Rhinoplasty Surgery: What to Expect
The nose is a major focal point of the face so its appearance can affect how many people perceive themselves. Rhinoplasty can help balance the facial features and enhance your entire appearance through slight or moderate adjustments to the nose.
After rhinoplasty, patients are often eager to see the changes to their nose and face. Although some changes may be immediately noticeable, final results won't be seen until swelling and bruising resolve. Many patients at our Philadelphia, PA, office have questions about how severe their bruising will be after rhinoplasty, as well as how long it will last. Our plastic surgeon, Dr. Christopher Hove, is careful to educate patients on what to expect after surgery.
Bruising Is a Common Side Effect
After rhinoplasty surgery, it's common for patients to see some bruising. Bruising may be seen around the nose which may extend beneath the eyes. Bruising is one of the body's natural responses during the healing process. Bruising develops as blood leaks into the top layer of the skin. The amount of bruising varies based on each patient's individual likelihood of bruising, the extent of surgery, and the surgeon's experience.
A General Timeline for Bruising
Although some bruising is to be expected after rhinoplasty, the amount of time it takes to resolve depends on several factors, including the severity of bruising and how well you heal.
Because of this, there isn't one set timeline for patients recovering from rhinoplasty at our Philadelphia practice. With that said, we can offer a general timeline of what to expect.
The First Few Days of Recovery
Immediately after rhinoplasty surgery, patients may begin to develop bruising. At this point, bruises will appear reddish due to oxygen in the blood. For this reason, the full extent of bruising may not be seen until the next day. This is because it can take some time for blood from rhinoplasty incisions that has seeped into the tissues to lose oxygen and change color.
Once bruising becomes more apparent, after one to two days, the discoloration will be fairly dark, usually purple, blue, or sometimes black. Bruises generally remain dark for a few days.
Five Days Later
As the body heals, bruising will fade. Fading may become noticeable around fives days after surgery but may take a little longer if bruising was more extensive.
A fading bruise will begin to look greenish and less purple. As the bruise fades, it will continue to lighten in color.
One Week Later
After about a week to 10 days later, bruises may begin to fade from green to a yellowish-brown color. Bruising will continue to fade as the body heals.
Two to Three Weeks Later
After about two to three weeks, most patients will find that their bruising has completely resolved. Those with mild bruising may see complete fading of their bruises sooner than two weeks, while those with more extensive bruising may take a little longer to see complete recovery from their bruises.
Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Hove
Choosing a facial plastic surgeon who has extensive experience in rhinoplasty, like Philadelphia plastic surgeon Dr. Hove, can help lower the risk of bruising and help you achieve superior results. For more information about rhinoplasty, or to find out if the procedure is right for you, please call (610) 647-3727 or you can also schedule a consultation online.
