Rhinoplasty

You may be a candidate for rhinoplasty if you would like to change the size, shape, or proportions of your nose, correct issues from an injury or a birth defect, or improve certain breathing problems. Having realistic expectations about what surgery can and cannot do is just as important.

During your consultation, the surgeon reviews your medical history — including nasal blockages, previous surgeries, and the medications you take — since some conditions, such as bleeding disorders, may mean rhinoplasty is not advisable. Depending on your case, the specialists at Healthcare by the Sea will help you decide whether this procedure is right for you.

Rhinoplasty is performed under anesthesia: either local anesthesia with sedation — the usual choice in an outpatient setting — or general anesthesia, depending on how complex your surgery is and what your surgeon recommends.

The surgeon works inside the nose or through a small incision at the base of the nose, between the nostrils, reshaping the bone and cartilage beneath the skin. Small adjustments may use cartilage taken from deeper inside the nose or from the ear; larger changes may call for rib cartilage, implants, or bone from other parts of the body. If the septum is deviated, it can be straightened during the same surgery to improve breathing.

Afterward, you rest in a recovery room under close observation by the medical team. As an outpatient procedure, most patients return home later the same day, with clear instructions and the attentive support of our team.

Everything starts with a consultation: your surgeon reviews your medical history, examines your face and your nose inside and out, and takes photographs from several angles to plan the surgery and talk through your goals and expectations with you.

Avoid medicines containing aspirin or ibuprofen for two weeks before and two weeks after surgery, as they can increase bleeding; take only medications approved by your surgeon, and skip herbal remedies and over-the-counter supplements. If you smoke or vape, stopping is important because it slows healing.

Arrange for someone to drive you home after the procedure and, if possible, have a family member or friend stay with you for a night or two. Our team in Puerto Vallarta can help you coordinate these details — especially if you are traveling from the U.S. or Canada.

After surgery, you will need to rest with your head raised higher than your chest to reduce bleeding and swelling. Your nose may feel congested from swelling or from the internal splints, which usually stay in place for 1 to 7 days; an external splint typically protects the nose for about a week, and a small gauze drip pad may be placed under your nose to absorb drainage during the first days.

For several weeks, avoid strenuous exercise, don't blow your nose, sneeze with your mouth open, keep glasses off your nose for at least four weeks, and use SPF 30 sunscreen outdoors. Most patients find that bruising around the eyes fades within two to three weeks; nasal swelling goes down gradually, and most of it resolves within the first year.

Go to the emergency room right away if you develop a high fever, heavy bleeding that does not stop, or pain that gets worse instead of better, and notify the doctor who performed your procedure as soon as possible.

Medical reference source: Mayo Clinic.