How to Manage Your Nasal Cast After Rhinoplasty
Casts are frequently used to provide support and protection to your bones while they heal from a break or fracture. Odds are good that you or someone you know has had to wear a cast at some point. Nasal casts are frequently used in rhinoplasty to stabilize and protect the nose during the initial recovery phase. Most people don’t get to experience having a cast on their nose, and it can be a little strange to deal with. Here is some helpful information about nasal casts as well as some major things to avoid while wearing them.
A nasal cast is made of two basic components: steristrip tape and casting material. The tape is the first part to go on your nose and sets up the foundation for the casting material. It also helps to manage the swelling and acts as a barrier between the cast and your skin. The casting material is added and then shaped to match your nose before it is allowed to set. Once the material is hard, your cast will be complete and your nose will be stable.
Things to Avoid While Wearing Your Cast:
- Bumping into things – The cast is hard, but it isn’t as thick as a cast you might find on your arm or leg. Hard blows or rough impacts can still damage your nose through the cast. You don’t have to walk around with your hand over your face ready to block anything that might come near your nose, but you should be mindful of your surroundings and avoid bumping your nose as much as possible.
- Pulling on your cast – As your nose starts to heal, the swelling will go down and cause your cast to loosen. It may even get loose enough that it falls off completely. Even though it’s tempting, do not help it along. Pulling or picking at your cast could cause it to come off before it’s ready and damage your nose in the process.
- Getting your cast wet – Like any other cast, nasal casts should not be getting wet. Water causes the cast to loosen and lose its structural integrity, which means that it can’t do its job of protecting and supporting your nose while it heals. Until your cast comes off, try taking sponge or tub baths to prevent your face from getting wet. If you need to wash your face, do so carefully and avoid going anywhere near the dressing.
Your cast will come off anywhere between five and ten days, though most patients have theirs removed in about a week. The length of time depends on how extensive your rhinoplasty is and how well your nose is healing. Sometimes patients can have their casts removed earlier if they are progressing along very well, while other patients may need to keep theirs on for a couple extra days.
When it’s finally time to get your cast removed, your doctor will basically pull the cast off. There will be a little bit of pulling on your skin, sort of like removing a Band-Aid or a sticker, but nothing that will cause you a significant amount of pain or discomfort.
This will be the first time that you’ll actually see your nose since before your rhinoplasty. If you don’t like what you see, that’s perfectly normal. After all, your nose went through a major surgery and then was covered up with lots of sticky stuff. There will also likely be some residual swelling and bruising. The important thing at this point in your recovery is not to panic and think that this how your nose is going to look from this point on. Because guess what – it’s not! As your recovery period progresses, your nose will continue to get better and better until it looks normal again.
If at any point during your recovery stage you have a question or concern, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor. They will be giving you a set of post-surgery instructions and guidelines to care for your skin and your cast, but you can absolutely ask if there is anything you need extra help with.
Rhinoplasty from Dr. Nassif
Dr. Paul Nassif in Beverly Hills, CA is widely considered one of the best rhinoplasty surgeons in the country and is Trusted with Noses Worldwide. To set up a rhinoplasty consultation, you can call (310) 275-2467 on weekdays between 8am and 5pm or reach us 24/7 through our Contact page.