What is the typical rhinoplasty recovery like?  What can I expect?  How long after a nose job does it take to heal and how long before you can go back to work, the swelling goes down, etc?

A: Rhinoplasty

After rhinoplasty, most patients will require one week off work; primarily because of the obvious swelling and bruising around the eyes/nose, in addition to the splint which is removed at one week. From a pain standpoint, most patients will take narcotics for 3-4 days, but will likely stay away from most social/public interaction for 1-2 weeks due to the residual bruising/swelling that occurs.

Patients are also instructed to avoid strenuous activity in the first several weeks following a rhinoplasty to avoid any undue bleeding or swelling.

Most of the major swelling resolves within the first 2-4 weeks, however it can take up to one year to see the final contour.