The Risky Business of Nose Jobs
As far as surgeries go, nose jobs are relatively low on the list in terms of complication rates. The rate varies anywhere from 5-15% depending on the definition and source, with severe life-threatening complications occurring in less than 5% of cases. Although no one wants to be part of that small minority, it’s still a generally routine procedure that most patients are willing to undergo given the favorable benefit to risk ratio.
The important thing to keep in mind is that the healing process for nose jobs can be fairly long – patients should refrain from physical activity, touching the nose, wearing glasses, applying cosmetics, etc. for at least 2 weeks and ideally for up to 8 weeks. Some of the most common risks associated with rhinoplasty involve temporary side effects such as headaches, pain, bruising, discoloration, and swelling. However, these typically subside within a couple weeks and are not too severe.
It should be noted that when nose jobs are performed by a fairly experienced, qualified surgeon, the risk and possibility of complications is significantly lower. In addition, following the doctor’s pre and post surgery instructions “to a T” goes a long way in reducing the chances of incurring any of the below more serious issues:
• Burst blood vessels – tiny, long-lasting red spots on the skin’s surface
• Irregular nose shape – either caused by a mistake during surgery or as a result of not keeping the head elevated enough afterwards
• Wound infection – less than 2% chance of this happening but possible
• Toxic shock syndrome – very, very rare
• Nerve damage / loss of smell
The bottom line is that as with all surgeries nose job surgery patients should go in aware of the facts and somewhat cautious, but in this case, comforted by the encouraging odds.
