Europe trip will be fine 6 weeks after surgery
Generally speaking, the initial healing phase after an open rhinoplasty approach should only take about three weeks.
Most individuals will be able to go to black tie function at that point so a trip to Europe should be fine about six weeks after your surgery. (Babak Azizzadeh, MD, Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon)
How Will Nose Look 6 Weeks After An Open Rhinoplasty?
It should look normal. There will still be swelling but not noticeable.
Occsionally, excessive swelling may occur but is transient. (Mohsen Tavoussi, MD, DO, Newport Beach Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Expectations 6 weeks after nose job – rhinoplasty
6 weeks after rhinoplasty or nasal surgery, your breathing should be back to normal if not significantly improved.
Approximately 60%-70% of the swelling should have subsided and your nasal scar should be almost imperceptible.
Your nose after rhinoplasty at 6 weeks may still be a little sore if it gets bumped and you may still have some numbness and stiffness around the tip.
You should be back to full work out activity. You will be completely presentable and no one should notice anything other than your eyes, lips, and hair – the features your want them to concentrate on! (Etai Funk, MD, Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Recovery from rhinoplasty
I tell my patients it takes four weeks the significant swelling to be resolved. At three months enough swelling is gone such that the finer detail start to become apparent.
However, it takes a full year to get the best sense for the final results. With that said most of my patients are very presentable at 1-2 weeks. (Adam Bryce Weinfeld, MD, Austin Plastic Surgeon)
Nose healing 6 weeks after rhinoplasty
It’s hard to say how noticeable your surgery will be 6 weeks after surgery. A lot depends on what is being done, your anatomy, skin thickness, etc.
I do find that following a low sodium (1500 mg a day or less) diet helps quite a bit with postoperative tissue swelling.
Your tip skin would certainly have swelling in it, but it you have relatively thin skin this may not be noticeable. Ask your surgeon to get more specific thoughts. (Thomas A. Lamperti, MD, Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Open Rhinoplasty Healing Timeline
After 2 weeks, all bruising is usually gone and incision is starting to fade. Tip swelling is significant. At 6 weeks, the patient can resume all activities, including vigorous exercise and sports. Although it generally takes 3 months for half the initial swelling to go away, 6 weeks is certainly a reasonable recovery period for travel and socializing. You will still have some numbness of the nasal tip. The incision should be hard to see if you’re not looking for it. I have had patients embark on similar plans after 3 weeks with no problems. (Edmund Fisher, MD, Bakersfield Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Nose will be swollen 6 weeks after Open Rhinoplasty
I have performed Rhinoplasty, Revision Rhinoplasty and Open Rhinoplasty for over 20 years and IMHO, you would certainly be able to travel to Europe 6 weeks after your Open Rhinoplasty but you will in no way be healed from the procedure.
This means that your nose will be more wide, stiff and swollen (bridge and tip) than it will be in the months following. People you meet may not know but close friends and family might be able to tell that your nose appears thicker than usual. You can always say that you had root canal work just before your trip and that’s why you look a little puffy. You should also be prepared for your nose to swell and do so unevenly, side ti side, during your trip especially if your are exerting yourself.
Ask your Rhinoplastry surgeon about icing your nose and manual lymphatic drainage daily manipulations (We teach these to all our Rhinoplasty patients for them to use daily starting 1 month post op) to decrease nasal swelling and improve the shape of the nose during the healing process. (Francis R. Palmer, III, MD, Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon)
After six weeks your open rhinoplasty should look perfectly acceptable. 90% of your swelling and all the bruising should be gone by then. (Talmage J. Raine, MD, FACS, Champaign Plastic Surgeon)