Question:
I had my nose job about five weeks ago and the swelling seems to be coming and going on a daily basis. In the morning the swelling is really extreme but then it sort of fades as the day goes on and it is significantly less by the end of the day. I knew to expect swelling but I did not expect this. Is it normal or should I be concerned?
Answer:
The type of swelling that you are describing is very normal after a nose job. Five weeks is not very long and we see swelling to some degree for two to three months after a nose job. Also, there will be some residual swelling possibly for up to a year. The kind of swelling you are explaining, which is more noticeable in the morning and disappears by the end of the day, is significant for the fact that when you lay down flat your head has more fluid in it and there is obviously more swelling in the nose. As you spend most of the day standing up or sitting and gravity can take hold, it removes much of the swelling that is in the face and the nose. This is very common in anyone who has surgery on their face, whether it be a nose job or a facelift. If you do not have redness or tenderness or any evidence of an infection, I would say your swelling at this point sounds very normal to me and with a little patience should disappear nicely.
Posted by Richard Galitz, MD, FACS
