Rhinoplasty surgery: Side effects and potential risks

As with all operations involving general anaesthetic there is a very slight risk of adverse reaction to the medication, bleeding (haematoma) and breathing difficulties. Many people feel dizzy and unwell after surgery due to the anaesthetic, although the drugs used today are making this less and less common.

More specific risks of rhinoplasty surgery include nose infections, a temporary loss or reduction in sensitivity to smell (although this is rare), a slight reddening of the skin (but this is very rare and usually only happens if you’ve already had previous nose surgery). Sometimes swelling around, or on, the nose at the time of surgery, disguises underlying irregularities or deformities. These can be missed by the rhinoplasty specialist during the operation and only become apparent some time later. This is more likely if you’ve had an accident or injury and require rhinoplasty surgery quickly.

If your nose surgery has required a graft from a site on your body you may be sore and tender at the graft site for up to two weeks. You may also have a slight scar.

After rhinoplasty surgery it is not unusual that you’ll experience difficulty breathing through the nose, and you will be advised not to cough or stifle sneezes for a week after your nose surgery. Difficulty breathing through the nose is most noticeable when the nose has been made smaller and while swelling persists, but as soon as this settles down and you are used to the new shape and size of your nose, breathing becomes easier.

It’s important to realise that rhinoplasty cannot guarantee a perfect result, and unpredictable cartilage or bone healing could cause irregularities which are either felt and/or are visible on the outside. Only 5% of patients undergoing rhinoplasty will need a revision. Most people undergo the procedure without any complications at all.

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