55 Frequently Asked Questions About Rhinoplasty

We've compiled the most frequently asked questions about rhinoplasty for you. You can find the answers to everything you're wondering about rhinoplasty under these questions. To make it easier for you to find what you're looking for, we've categorized these questions as the most frequently asked before, during, and after surgery. Here are the frequently asked questions about rhinoplasty:

What You Should Know Before Getting Rhinoplasty

👃 Can You Drink Herbal Tea Before Rhinoplasty?

Herbal teas are drinks that can, in rare cases, increase bleeding. Since bleeding is not desirable in rhinoplasty, you should stop drinking herbal tea 1 week before your surgery.

👃 Will I Get Depressed After Rhinoplasty?

You should feel psychologically ready before rhinoplasty, and it's important that you don't have underlying psychological issues. This is because rhinoplasty creates a visible change, and if you aren't prepared for that, there's a chance you could become depressed afterward. You can take a look at the article below to understand whether you're a suitable candidate for rhinoplasty.

👃 Can You End Up Disappointed After Rhinoplasty?

The answer to this depends on what you're expecting from rhinoplasty. For example, if you expect to become a completely different person or for your whole life to change after surgery, you'll end up disappointed even if the result itself is beautiful. Going to a surgeon with a celebrity's photo and having that surgeon agree to replicate it will also lead to disappointment, because every nose needs to be designed specifically for that person's face shape. Choosing the wrong surgeon can also lead to disappointment due to the complications that can arise. You can learn more about choosing a surgeon by reading our article below.

👃 Can Rhinoplasty Be Done During Your Period?

The common belief is that rhinoplasty shouldn't be performed during your period. Women tend to avoid having rhinoplasty during this time because it can cause swelling and because they feel more stressed. However, rhinoplasty can be performed during your period — physiologically, it doesn't pose any problem.

👃 Can You Have Rhinoplasty While Wearing Braces?

Yes, rhinoplasty can be performed while you're wearing braces. Braces are not an obstacle to having rhinoplasty.

👃 Does the Skin Peel After Rhinoplasty?

No, skin peeling is not seen after rhinoplasty.

👃 Does the Skin Get Oily After Rhinoplasty?

Yes, the nose tends to become oilier than normal after rhinoplasty. The swelling that occurs after surgery partly resolves itself through increased oil production, which is why the nose's oil level rises after the operation.

👃 Can You Get Skincare Treatments After Rhinoplasty?

For skincare treatments, the post-operative effects need to have subsided first, which takes at least a month. Your post-rhinoplasty follow-up check-ups should be completed, after which skincare treatments can begin.

👃 How Do You Perform Ablution After Rhinoplasty?

You can perform ablution once you're able to start showering again after rhinoplasty. You can perform ablution in a way that doesn't strain you, without drawing water up into your nose.

👃 Can You Have Sexual Intercourse After Rhinoplasty?

A certain amount of time needs to pass for the patient to heal after rhinoplasty. It takes roughly 1 month for the swelling in the nose to go down and for the person to return to normal daily life. For sexual intercourse, however, caution should be exercised for 4 to 5 months.

👃 Can You Get a Nose Piercing After Rhinoplasty?

Piercing the nostril or septum after rhinoplasty — especially within the first 6 weeks after surgery — can increase the risk of infection and allergic reaction. It can also negatively affect the tissue healing that needs to take place in the nose, and it can cause discoloration of the skin.

👃 What Happens If I Yawn After Rhinoplasty?

You're free to yawn after rhinoplasty. Yawning after rhinoplasty doesn't cause any harm to the surgery.

👃 What Happens If I Sneeze After Rhinoplasty?

It's recommended that you avoid smelling activities for a few weeks after rhinoplasty. However, it's not possible to prevent sneezing entirely. If you have chronic allergies, you may be advised to take medication for them. When you do need to sneeze, you should keep your mouth open to reduce the pressure on your nose. Generally speaking, sneezing does not cause a problem after surgery.

👃 Can Rhinoplasty Prices Be Paid in Installments?

The answer to this depends on the policies in place at the clinic performing the surgery.

👃 Does Social Security (SSK) Cover Rhinoplasty at a State Hospital?

If you've decided to have rhinoplasty at a public hospital, Turkey's national health insurance (SSK) covers rhinoplasty needed as a result of an accident or a fracture. Beyond that, SSK does not cover rhinoplasty performed for aesthetic reasons alone.

👃 What Is Rhinoplasty?

Also known in the literature as rhinoplasty, this is an aesthetic surgical procedure performed to correct an existing shape irregularity in the nose. It stands out as the most commonly chosen type of surgery in the field of aesthetic surgery in Turkey. Besides being performed for aesthetic concerns, it's also carried out to resolve issues such as difficulty breathing through the nose caused by genetics or a past injury.

👃 What Is an Ideal Nose?

An ideal nose is a concept that can't be generalized — it's suited to each individual's face shape and varies from person to person. To achieve an ideal nose, criteria such as symmetry, proportion, harmony, naturalness, and function need to be met. This is how the conditions for a natural-looking, ideal rhinoplasty result are achieved for that particular person. For more detail, see our article: What Makes a Great Rhinoplasty Result?

👃 What Is Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery?

'Plastic' comes from the Latin for 'to give shape,' 'reconstructive' means 'to repair or rebuild,' and 'aesthetic' means 'to aim for what is beautiful.' In that sense, virtually every type of surgery falls under the broad umbrella of plastic surgery in one way or another. As plastic surgeons, we can define the procedures we specialize in as reconstructing any kind of tissue defect and performing aesthetic surgical procedures. Our field spans a wide range of age groups — from congenital conditions like cleft lip and palate to facelift surgery.

👃 In Which Situations Is Rhinoplasty Performed?

Rhinoplasty is mainly performed for two different reasons. The first is aesthetic concern, which is the most common reason people choose rhinoplasty. Underlying this concern is often a lack of self-confidence or unhappiness caused by the shape of the nose. Aesthetic issues that lead to this include a crooked nose, a dorsal hump, and a nose that is too wide, too long, or too short. While this is usually genetic, past accidents and trauma can play a role as well. The second reason for nose surgery is health. For example, someone may need rhinoplasty because they can't breathe comfortably through their nose, they snore, or they can't get restful sleep. To learn the answer to 'What health problems is rhinoplasty performed for?', you can read our related article at the link below.

👃 At What Age Can You Get Rhinoplasty?

Setting aside medically necessary or health-related nose surgery, it's not advisable to have rhinoplasty before the nasal bone has finished developing, which corresponds to around age 18 — nasal bone development continues up until roughly that age. For this reason, the most suitable age for rhinoplasty is 18 and older for men, and 17 and older for women.

👃 What Season Is Best for Rhinoplasty?

One of the most frequently asked questions about rhinoplasty is, 'When should rhinoplasty be done?' The most suitable season for rhinoplasty depends on the technique used. For open-technique rhinoplasty, winter is generally considered more suitable than summer, since the body tends to swell more during months with stronger sun exposure. This means that having open-technique surgery during warmer months can cause post-operative swelling to resolve more slowly than usual. The main reason for this is that open-technique rhinoplasty involves an incision on the nose. With closed-technique surgery, on the other hand, there's no external incision, so the season in which the surgery is performed poses no particular health-related concern. For more detail, click here: What Is the Best Season for Rhinoplasty?

👃 Is Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty Possible?

Non-surgical rhinoplasty refers to filler treatment. It's suitable for smaller, more subtle changes and is carried out by injecting hyaluronic acid filler or fat harvested from the patient's own body into the relevant areas of the nose. It offers a temporary solution for minor irregularities. Since filler treatment involves injecting additional material into the nose, it can only be used to add volume — it's not possible to make the nose smaller with this method.

👃 How Do You Choose the Right Rhinoplasty Surgeon?

It's a good idea to start by researching a shortlist of surgeons, from various sources, whom you think would be suitable for the procedure you want. Next, be sure to schedule initial consultations with a few of these surgeons to ask the questions you have in mind. You can also share the nose shape you're hoping for with your surgeon and use their answers to help you make your final decision. For more detail, see: Tips for Choosing a Rhinoplasty Surgeon

👃 What Are the Leading Rhinoplasty Techniques?

Rhinoplasty is mainly performed using one of two techniques: open or closed. Closed, atraumatic rhinoplasty offers several advantages over the open technique. While the open technique is more convenient for the surgeon and more widely used, it involves an incision across the tip of the nose, which can leave a visible scar afterward. With the closed technique, no external incision is made, so scarring isn't a concern. In addition, because there's no incision at the tip of the nose, healing tends to progress much faster with the closed technique.

👃 How Much Does Rhinoplasty Cost?

'What determines rhinoplasty prices?' is one of the questions most frequently asked by people considering nose surgery. Rhinoplasty prices vary based on many factors, which is why it's impossible to quote a price to a prospective patient without an examination first. Among the leading factors affecting rhinoplasty prices is your surgeon's level of skill and expertise in the field. This is followed by factors such as the hospital where the surgery takes place, the scope of the planned procedure, and the number of days spent in hospital.

👃 Can Rhinoplasty Be Done During Pregnancy?

No, rhinoplasty absolutely cannot be performed during pregnancy. Even if the patient requests it, the surgeon will decline, mainly because of the surgery's potential risk to the fetus. It can only be considered in traumatic situations such as an accident or a fracture. You can read our article, Rhinoplasty During and After Pregnancy, for more information.

👃 Can a Breastfeeding Mother Have Rhinoplasty?

It's not advisable for breastfeeding mothers to have rhinoplasty unless there's a traumatic reason such as a fracture. Any surgery requiring general anesthesia affects breast milk and isn't suitable for breastfeeding women. In traumatic cases, enough breast milk is expressed and stored beforehand to feed the baby until the effects of the anesthesia have worn off, and the baby is fed with this stored milk in the meantime.

👃 Does the Flu Prevent You From Having Rhinoplasty?

One of the most unfortunate things that can happen before surgery is coming down with the flu, a cold, or another similar illness. Conditions like these do prevent rhinoplasty from going ahead and must always be reported to the surgeon performing your operation. In short, any upper respiratory infection experienced before surgery should be shared with your doctor. On the other hand, it's worth reminding you that being on your period is not an obstacle to having rhinoplasty.

👃 Is Male Rhinoplasty Different?

Broadly speaking, there's no difference between male and female rhinoplasty in terms of the techniques and methods used. That said, the surgical adjustments made do affect how feminine or masculine the nose looks. This mainly relates to the angle between the tip of the nose and the upper lip. In women, this angle is generally set between 100 and 110 degrees, while in men it tends to be closer to 90 to 100 degrees. Of course, what matters most is how the patient themselves wants to look. To continue reading: What Approach Is Taken in Male Rhinoplasty?

👃 Should You Shave Before Rhinoplasty?

If you have a mustache or beard and are planning to have rhinoplasty, it's a good idea to shave beforehand. This makes it easier for your surgeon to work during the operation, and it will also make caring for the area afterward more convenient.

👃 Can You Eat Before Rhinoplasty?

You shouldn't eat anything for 8 hours before your rhinoplasty. Similarly, you shouldn't drink even water during this period. This means you should avoid any food or water after midnight before your surgery.

👃 How Is Rhinoplasty Performed on Thin-Skinned Noses?

For anyone considering rhinoplasty, determining whether the nasal skin is thin or thick is very important. In thin-skinned noses, the skin covering the nose is fine in structure. People with thin skin are at an advantage compared to those with thick skin, since they tend to heal much faster after rhinoplasty than thick-skinned patients do.

👃 How Is Rhinoplasty Performed on Thick-Skinned Noses?

For patients with thick nasal skin, the surgical process tends to be more challenging than for other patients, and the surgeon's experience matters even more in these cases. Because the skin is thicker, fine adjustments to the nose need to be planned carefully in advance so that they remain visible in the final result. Both before and after surgery, thick-skinned patients go through a longer recovery process compared to those with thin skin. Choosing the right surgeon for thick-skinned rhinoplasty will also help you complete the process with a result you're happy with. You can click the link below to read our article for more detail on thick-skinned rhinoplasty.

👃 How Is Surgery for a Dorsal Hump Performed?

At TAS Aesthetic Surgery Clinic, we take a fully patient-specific approach to dorsal hump surgery. We use a range of methods — reshaping the hump instead of removing it, rasping it down, camouflaging it internally, or removing it altogether. To work with precision when reducing a dorsal hump, we use instruments known as micromotors.

👃 Is Surgery for a Dorsal Hump Difficult?

In Turkey, a large number of people seek rhinoplasty specifically because of a dorsal hump, so this is one of the questions this group asks most often. The short and clear answer is 'No.' Having a dorsal hump or a crooked nose isn't among the factors that affect how difficult the surgery is. What actually affects the difficulty level of rhinoplasty is differences in bone, cartilage, and skin. For example, surgery is more difficult for patients with thick nasal skin than for those with thin skin. One reason for this is that the fine aesthetic adjustments made in thin-skinned rhinoplasty are relatively harder to see reflected on the surface in thick-skinned noses.

👃 How Is Nasal Tip Surgery Performed?

Nasal tip surgery involves reshaping the cartilage at the tip of the nose. Depending on the patient's goals, this cartilage can be reshaped to adjust the angle between the nose and the upper lip. For patients who want a slimmer nasal tip, the tip cartilage is also addressed. This procedure is typically performed on people who don't have a dorsal hump but are unhappy with the appearance of their nasal tip or their nostrils.

👃 How Is Nostril Asymmetry Corrected?

Asymmetry between the nostrils is one of the issues that bothers many people about their nose. Correcting nostril symmetry also requires a surgical procedure. It's usually carried out as an additional step during surgery performed for the patient's primary nasal concern, with the operation addressing the nostril wings (alae) directly.

👃 What Is the Rhinoplasty Process for Patients Coming From Abroad?

The process for international patients seeking rhinoplasty has become quite straightforward. Before the patient travels to Turkey, they're first asked to send a video showing all the details of their nose. After this video is reviewed, an appointment date is scheduled. On the day of the appointment, a detailed examination and the necessary pre-operative tests are carried out, and a surgical plan is put together. The patient then goes ahead with surgery. In total, staying in Turkey for about 9 to 10 days is enough to complete this process. Patients who are unable to return to Turkey for their post-operative check-ups are asked to send detailed follow-up videos instead.

👃 How Is Deviated Septum Surgery Performed?

As with all of our surgeries, we use the closed, atraumatic technique for correcting a crooked nose. With this technique, there's no external incision or scarring on the nose, giving it a clear advantage over other techniques when it comes to recovery. Alongside the aesthetic surgery performed to bring the nose back to the midline and improve its outward appearance, we also address any deviation of the septum. This makes it possible to achieve a nose that looks well-proportioned to the face while also functioning well for healthy breathing. For more detail: What Is a Deviated Septum? How Is It Treated?

👃 Can Septoplasty and Rhinoplasty Be Performed in the Same Operation?

Yes, septoplasty and rhinoplasty can be performed together in a single operation. If the pre-operative examination shows that septoplasty is needed, any deviations or problems in the nasal cartilage can be corrected at the same time as the rhinoplasty.

👃 What Should You Pay Attention to Before Rhinoplasty?

Once you've scheduled an appointment with your surgeon for rhinoplasty, a treatment plan is put together. Work then begins on determining what nose shape will be created. The patient also undergoes the necessary tests to confirm they're ready for surgery. Your surgeon will also guide you on what to do and what to avoid before your rhinoplasty. Some of the main things to keep in mind before surgery include:

• Avoiding blood-thinning medications and foods

• Quitting smoking at least 6 months before surgery, since smoking prolongs the healing process

• Not consuming any food or water for 8 hours before surgery

• For more detail, see: What to Pay Attention to Before Rhinoplasty

👃 How Many Days Do You Stay in the Hospital After Rhinoplasty?

You generally stay in the hospital for 1 day after rhinoplasty. The purpose of this overnight stay is to keep you under observation. If you're traveling from out of town for your surgery, you'll be discharged after this one night in hospital. Once discharged, if you live outside the city or abroad, you can travel home and rest there — there's nothing preventing you from flying. You will, however, need to return for your scheduled follow-up appointment.

👃 When Can You Wear Makeup After Rhinoplasty?

You can start wearing makeup again as soon as the splint and packing are removed after your rhinoplasty.

👃 When Can You Smoke After Rhinoplasty?

Your surgeon will let you know how long you need to avoid smoking, both before and after surgery. The main reason smoking is restricted for a certain period is that it delays and complicates the healing of swelling and edema. If you smoke and want to have rhinoplasty, you should quit at least 6 months before surgery and must not smoke at all afterward. This restriction also applies to hookah/shisha.

👃 When Can You Drink Alcohol After Rhinoplasty?

You should avoid alcohol for 10 days before and after rhinoplasty. Important reasons for this include the fact that alcohol causes the body to retain water, dries out the skin, and interferes with the healing of bruising and swelling.

👃 When Can You Sleep on Your Side After Rhinoplasty?

The splint and packing are removed 1 week after rhinoplasty. From that point on, you're free to sleep flat on your back or on your side. When sleeping on your side, however, you need to make sure your nose doesn't touch the pillow, and you should avoid sleeping face-down, for a period of 2 months.

👃 When Can You Wear Glasses After Rhinoplasty?

'How long after rhinoplasty can you wear glasses?' is one of the most frequently asked questions about nose surgery. The answer varies depending on the type of surgery performed and the corresponding period during which glasses should be avoided. Glasses are generally permitted around 2 months after surgery. For procedures where the nose takes longer to settle into its final shape, the restriction on wearing glasses continues until the nose has fully healed.

👃 How Long After Rhinoplasty Can You Fly?

Once you're discharged from the hospital after rhinoplasty, you're free to fly if you need to. In other words, you can board a flight as soon as you've been discharged — rhinoplasty does not prevent you from traveling by air.

👃 When Can You Exercise After Rhinoplasty?

You should avoid strenuous movement or any kind of impact, especially during the first 6 to 8 weeks after rhinoplasty. Over time, you can gradually ease back into your normal exercise routine. During the first week, provided the weather isn't too hot or cold, short, gentle walks are fine. After the first week, you can gradually extend the duration of your walks. That said, strenuous exercise must be avoided entirely for the first 6 to 8 weeks. Sports involving a risk of being hit by a ball, such as basketball or volleyball, take considerably longer before you can return to them — you need to be careful about potential impacts to the nose for a full year after surgery. For more detail: When Can You Start Sports Again After Rhinoplasty?

👃 When Can You Blow Your Nose After Rhinoplasty?

It's recommended that you avoid blowing your nose, especially during the first 2 weeks after surgery. Depending on how your follow-up check-ups go, your doctor may extend this period a bit further.

👃 Do Nostrils Get Smaller After Rhinoplasty?

Alongside this question, prospective patients are often also asking, 'Do nostrils get bigger after rhinoplasty?' Changes in nostril shape are indeed observed after surgery, but these changes are planned in advance based on the patient's own goals, which helps avoid an unsatisfying result. If a patient's nostrils are already large, they can be made smaller, and if they're small, they can be made larger — this is shaped entirely around the patient's wishes and expectations.

👃 How Much Does the Nasal Tip Drop After Rhinoplasty?

Just as a building has structural elements holding it up, the nose has internal structures that hold up its framework. And just as restoration work on a building requires careful intervention around the elements keeping it standing, the same care is needed in rhinoplasty. Thanks to advances in aesthetic surgery in recent years, it's now possible not only to avoid damaging these supporting structures but to actually reinforce them and prevent the nasal tip from dropping over time. These precautions are focused on the cartilage that supports the nose's structure. In short, you shouldn't need to worry about your nasal tip dropping after rhinoplasty.

It's also worth remembering that swelling occurs after every rhinoplasty, and as that swelling resolves, the appearance of the nose does change along the way. This isn't the nasal tip dropping, though — it's simply the nose settling into the final shape you were aiming for.

👃 What Are the Reasons for Revision Rhinoplasty?

Revision rhinoplasty refers to a second nose surgery performed on someone who has already had rhinoplasty but, once the nose has settled into its final shape, isn't satisfied with how it looks or functions. There are two main reasons for this. The first is that the patient hasn't achieved the look they were hoping for, or isn't as happy with it as they expected even if they did. The second is the development of breathing problems after surgery, or an existing breathing problem that wasn't adequately resolved. Patients considering revision rhinoplasty need to be even more careful when choosing their new surgeon. For more detail: Revision Rhinoplasty

👃 What Should You Pay Attention to After Rhinoplasty?

The list of things to pay attention to after rhinoplasty is quite long. Just as your surgeon gives you advice on what to do before surgery, they'll also give you guidance on what to watch out for afterward. Some of this advice includes:

• Blowing your nose, straining, coughing, bending over or standing up quickly, and lifting or carrying anything heavy can increase your risk of bleeding.

• Avoid these movements unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

• You'll find it more comfortable to sleep with your head elevated on 2 or more pillows. This position helps reduce swelling in your nose and face after surgery.

• Your nasal splint will stay in place for 7 to 10 days and will be removed by your doctor. Never touch or tamper with the splint yourself.

• Avoid foods that require forceful, effortful, or prolonged chewing (for example, avoid biting into an apple or a carrot).

• Limiting salt in your diet for 1 month will help your swelling resolve more quickly.

• Eat a protein-rich diet (meat and dairy products).

• Rest more than you normally would.

• Stay away from activities like yoga, pilates, and gym workouts for 8 to 10 weeks. You can start swimming 1 month after surgery.

• Brush your teeth gently, using a soft toothbrush.

• Patients having rhinoplasty for the first time should avoid sun exposure and sunbathing for 8 weeks, while revision-surgery patients should avoid it for 12 weeks.

• To prevent post-operative bruising from becoming permanent discoloration, protect your face with SPF 50 sunscreen.

• For two weeks, wear clothing that buttons up the front or back. Avoid pullover tops or tight, high-collared sweaters that have to be pulled on over your head.

• Only use the medications prescribed by your doctor, and in particular, don't switch your pain medication without consulting them first.

• Don't wear prescription or sunglasses that rest on the bridge of your nose for at least 8 weeks.

• Contact lenses can be worn again 2 to 3 days after surgery.

👃 Do You Have to Undress for Rhinoplasty Surgery?

👃 Can Rhinoplasty Harm the Eyes?

Core Rhinoplasty Guides From Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas

• Rhinoplasty in Istanbul — closed atraumatic technique, results and consultation with Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas

• How to choose the best rhinoplasty surgeon — the checks to make and the questions to ask

• Rhinoplasty in Turkey for international patients — safety, process and aftercare

• Revision rhinoplasty guide — when a second nose surgery is needed and how it is planned

• Closed atraumatic rhinoplasty technique — how the operation avoids an external incision

• Preservation rhinoplasty explained — dorsal preservation and who it suits

• Rhinoplasty cost in Istanbul — what sets the price and what a quotation should list

• Complete rhinoplasty guide — from consultation to recovery