Septorhinoplasty

Need to know

• What happens icon plus

  Exactly what happens during your procedure will depend on what you've agreed with your consultant, what you want to achieve, and what symptoms, if any, you are displaying. All our nose reshaping and corrections are carried out under general anaesthetic, which means you'll be asleep. You'll also need to stay in hospital for a night or two. Your surgeon will either make cuts inside your nostrils (closed rhinoplasty) or on the outside of your nose (open rhinoplasty). They'll then reshape, add or remove some of your bone and cartilage (this might include your septum) before closing any cuts with dissolvable stitches.

• How to prepare icon plus

  Like all procedures, there may be some risks and side effects involved. Your consultant will explain these to you, and answer any questions you may have. Because you'll need to have a general anaesthetic, your consultant will tell you how long you should avoid eating and drinking beforehand. And you should arrange for someone to drive you home from the hospital.

• Afterwards icon plus

  Your surgeon might have put a splint on your nose. If so, you'll need to keep this in place for about a week. Your nose will more than likely be blocked for about a week. Light nosebleeds are common during this time, too. Bruising and swelling should start to go down after about three weeks. Sleeping propped up on a pillow can help with this. And don't be surprised if your nose feels sore or strange for a few weeks. Your consultant will let you know when you can get back to your usual routine. Because the bruising lasts a while, when you go back to work might depend on how comfortable you feel.