Most of the time, the only people who will know you had a rhinoplasty are the ones you tell. If you give yourself 7 to 10 days to recover, your peers should not notice.
They may suspect that something is different but rarely put 2 and 2 together. A good rhinoplasty should not be obvious. (Oleh Slupchynskyj, MD, FACS, New York Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Rhinoplasty appearance
Rhinoplasty, like all Plastic Surgery, should not be noticeable post operatively. The idea of it and any cosmetic surgery is to make you look natural, not operated. As far as your friends go, they will notice a splint on your nose for about a week and bruising and swelling for several weeks if you allow them to see you during that time.
After the splint is removed, you can generally disguise the bruising with make-up, but this is not perfect. After that, the only thing that should be noticeable is that your nose looks “better”.
Good friends may be able to detect a change, but may not recognize what the change is. What you tell them is entirely up to you. Sometimes, just saying you have been sleeping better is enough. (Robert T. Buchanan, MD, Highlands Plastic Surgeon)
Well performed Rhinoplasty Surgery leads to an inconspicuous result.
You’ll likely be able to return to work 10 to 14 days after your nose job surgery without anyone noticing. You’ll benefit from a good concealer to cover any bruising. Our makeup specialist will match your foundation before surgery, and provide detailed instructions on the proper use of our post-op makeup kit.
If you’re having dramatic changes in the appearance of your nose (i.e. long with a large bump to cute), it might be impossible for folks at work not to notice. (Eric M. Joseph, MD, West Orange Facial Plastic Surgeon)
“Nose Job” should not be noticeable.
Even when a large bump is removed, you will be surprised that very few people will notice – IF it is done well. That should be the basis of which surgeon one picks. (Toby Mayer, MD, Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon)
A well done rhinoplasty will look natural
The main goal of plastic surgery is to give the patient a very natural look. If someone can tell you’ve had a rhinoplasty, then that’s the sign of a poor work.
I would seek out a surgeon who has the reputation of giving a very natural appearance. (Robert M. Jensen, MD, Medford Plastic Surgeon)
How to avoid obvious Rhinoplasty
From a practical standpoint, there will be a 10-14 day period after the surgery when bruising under the eyes or swelling of the nose will be noticeable to others. For the next 1-2 weeks after that early timeframe, only your friends and family should be able to tell that something is different.
A month or so after surgery, the nose is well settled and will not typically look like something was done to it. Down the line, a well performed Rhinoplasty should not be noticeable to others. Noses that are overdone, overworked, or overgrafted are easy to spot as having an operated appearance.
The nose should have no sharp edges and should have a certain height to the bridge. When the profile is over-reduced, patients get an unnatural look where the nose is all tip. This is a fairly obvious sign (the ski slope nose). The tip itself can also produce obvious visual changes that people will notice.
If done right, the tip should retain smooth and rounded contours, not be over-lifted, and not produce extra nostril visibility. There are several different types of tip-plasty techniques, each one having a specific indication based on a patient’s own anatomy.
Using the right technique for the right patient, as well as having a conservative eye towards volume removal should result in a natural result. (Richard W. Westreich, MD, Manhattan Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Will people notice if I had surgery
In most cases, I suggest changing something else about yourself – like your hair style or color or wear glasses or contacts. This way, people focus on these other things instead of if you had surgery. (David Shafer, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)
Rhinoplasty and natural results
Ideally, the rhinoplasty should not be obvious. You’re under no obligation to tell anyone about it, either, it’s your personal medical information. You will be swollen for the first few weeks after surgery, so if you can have it done during a break or over vacation, that will be best. (Nina S. Naidu, MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)
Minimal Rhinoplasty may yield results that are not noticeable
If you get a done looking nose, then your peers will notice it – if it is a natural rhinoplasty or a minimal rhinoplasty, then perhaps they won’t notice it. It is up to you and your surgeon. (William B. Rosenblatt, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)