Have you decided to perform a nose surgery? One of your concerns, might be the number of days you need to take off  work. Your answer depends on many factors:

  • Your job
  • How comfortable you feel to work with a cast, sticker, bruise or edema on your nose. A recovery time schedule can make it easier for you to decide.

First 7 days:

  • There is a cast on your nose for 7 days after the surgery
  • You may feel heaviness for 3 up to 7 days
  • There is a holding gauze beneath your nose for over 3 days (to absorb plasma and discharges)
  • You will feel a little annoyed during first 3 days because the swelling of the nose reaches its highest level.
  • You will feel tired and drowsy due to anodyne medicine usage
  • There will be a little of bruise and edema around your nose and eyes
  • You can remove the cast after 7 days

Note: those patients who do not care about being seen with a little of bruise or edema usually take a week off the work. This is when ones job includes light work, sitting, and  not lifting heavy objects or other physical activities.

Days 8 until day 14

In second week after the surgery it is expected that:

  • Dissolvable stitches of your nose start to pull out, almost on 10th day
  • The bruise and edema of the nose start to get better or completely disappear
  • You feel more comfortable in public, although your nose might still be inflated
  • You can return to most of your ordinary activities (apart from intense physical activities and sports)
  • You can cover the stitch prints by make up

Note: those patients who want a more complete recovery during the off time must apply for a two week sick leave from work.

Days 15 until day 21

In the  third week after the surgery it is expected that’

  • Some delicate and impalpable changes are seen on your nose; including inflation of long term ebbs
  • You can return to most of daily activities
  • You can feel the nose tip dropped a little bit, especially if your surgeon has headed it up more than normal deliberately
  • You can easily wipe out the stitch prints by make ups

Days 22 and afterwards

In fourth week after the surgery and so on it is expected that:

  • After 2 or 3 months, there will be no stitch prints anymore
  • You will completely recover, apart from a little long term edema on nose tip
  • You will see delicate and impalpable changes on your nose for over a year after the surgery

Comfort level and professional needs

Like before, your days off depends on your comfort level when you are seen with general signs of surgery. It also depends on your profession. If you work at home or behind a desk, it may be better for you to do light office activities for the next 2 days after the surgery. During the time in which your voice is not suitable for job-related phone calls. If your job demands activity (like a trainer or a nurse) you have to wait for two weeks to return to work, even if you feel ready to go back earlier. Finally, if you work outside home, remember to always protect your stitch prints by sun cream to improve the recovery process.

In a case that you cannot have two weeks off

If you can leave your work only for one week and your job includes physical activities, try to do inside-office duties  for the second week.

Hold your phases

If your work demands your appearance (like an actor or a model) it is better to perform your nose surgery 3 months before being in front of cameras. Due to the fact that recovery time, especially in nose tip area, will be one year after the surgery, so if your job really needs a flawless nose you may want to take all these factors into consideration.