When Can I Go Back to Work After Rhinoplasty? Tips for Returning to Work

How Much Time Should I Take Off Work for Rhinoplasty?

A surgical nose procedure requires proper recovery time before going back to work after rhinoplasty. Patients can safely be “up and about” the next day and resume reasonable activity including mild exercise. For some patients, whose work does not involve direct contact with colleagues or customers, or who can work “from home”, back-to-work can be within one to two days. For those who are in the public eye, ten days is reasonable. For a minority in whom bruising or swelling has been a bit more than average, two weeks is the long end. 

A typical nose job recovery allows one to be functioning at a pre-operative level. It’s just a matter of how you look to the public’s eyes and that is why ten days is a good number of days to consider yourself “off work”. Unlike other more invasive procedures, such as operation on the heart, or abdomen or limbs, there is hardly any true disability post-operatively. 

Tips for Returning to Work After Rhinoplasty

Are you about to return to work after rhinoplasty? Here are some tips and tricks to help returning to work go smoothly:

Tip #1

Decide how much work you can do at home

You can be on the computer and interact with any and all business contacts. And, depending on your position and employers, you can be on “Medical Leave”. 

Tip #2

Ask your doctor about prescribed medications

If you have minimal swelling and bruising after rhinoplasty or even rhinoplasty with septoplasty and turbinate surgery to fix blocked breathing, you can return to work in the public eyes, perhaps as soon as six to seven days. It all depends on Nature’s schedule, but with medications prescribed such as Arnica and others to reduce swelling, you may be back sooner than ten days. You will enjoy some time for yourself, away from the workplace.

Tip #3

Take advantage of concealer

There are cosmetic products and techniques to conceal bruising which is generally limited to the eye area.

Tip #4

Don't forget sunglasses

Yes, it may seem a bit odd to report for duty with sunglasses, but there are always “little white lies” you can tell, if asked, “Why the sunglasses?” There’s, “I had some eye surgery” or “I injured my eye at the gym” or “my five-year-old threw his toy truck and… “ of course, you can use the same untruths to explain bruising if visible. Be creative. Have some fun.

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