Your nasal cast is less important than your internal stents
But yes, its there for the first week. Why? The usual answers are to protect your new nose and to reduce the post operative swelling.
However if you look with a critical eye, a nasal cast doesn’t really do either of these functions very well.
Its too small to really protect and post operative swelling is more effectively treated by the taping beneath the cast.
So the third reason is probably the best; its traditional. Surgeons are by and large conservatives.
Surgeons do what they were trained to do, so if your surgeon’s teather/mentor used a cast, then your surgeon will too.
There’s essentially no down-side, unless its a denver metalic cast and then because of its inflexability there’s a fractional risk of ischemia and tissue loss.
So lie back and relax. There more important issues to focus on. (Oakley Smith, MD, Toronto Facial Plastic Surgeon)
The nose takes a month to stabilize after Rhinoplasty
Most surgeons use tape and or firm splint or cast for 5 to 7 days. I have patients mold the nose with their fingers (in a mirror) for weeks after.
This offers more control of the final shape of the nose, especially asymetry. (J. Smythe Rich, MD, Columbia Facial Plastic Surgeon)
The cast in rhinoplasty is to help with swelling more than maintaining correction
Nose cast after rhinoplasty in my opinion serves two main purposes. The first is to keep the swelling down so that it does not shift the bones or grafts for the first five to seven days. The second is to serve as a reminder not to bump your nose. The timing of removal may be more dependent upon the extent of rhinoplasty you are having and if it is smooth and uncomplicated those two days should not make a difference.
The only reason not to fly sooner is because of the risk of bleeding. If you are young and otherwise healthy there probably will not be any issues. However, I will say if you have work done on the inside or there is significant swelling, the flight could be quite miserable before two weeks due to pressure changes and the inability to clear your ears. (Scott Trimas, MD, Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Nasal cast removal after Rhinoplasty
It’s true that the nasal cast is more often removed after 7 days. However, removing the cast a little earlier will almost certainly not change the long-term result. Flying 5-6 days after the surgery is ok so long as your post-operative recovery is smooth. (Paul L. Leong, MD, FACS, Pittsburgh Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Nasal cast off in 5-7 days.
Most surgeons leave the cast on for 5-7 days. It is only the preference of each surgeon. It keeps swelling down and protects against trauma. (Toby Mayer, MD, Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Cast can be removed 5 to 7 days after rhinoplasty
As you can see, the range is 5 to 7 days. And yes flying would be acceptable in 1 week. (Darryl J. Blinski, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)
Removal Nose cast after rhinoplasty
With my patients, I have a cast on the nose for the first week, then the nose will have tape on it for the second week. I prefer my patients avoid flying for a minimum of two weeks. (Paul S. Nassif, MD, Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon)