Planning a holiday after your rhinoplasty? How long before and after plastic surgery until you can take a vacation or travel? If you’ve recently had rhinoplasty and find your thoughts turning to travel, there are several considerations you need to take into account prior to booking a trip. While recovery times differ among patients, it’s generally recommended you wait at least three weeks before jetting off. However, it’s critical to speak with your own surgeon before calling your travel agent – as a rhinoplasty specialist, he or she will best be able to help you make a good decision about any subsequent travel you may wish to do.
Dr. Buonassisi, one of Canada’s top rhinoplasty specialists, encourages his patients to review their travel plans with him, and keep the following in mind:
Share your travel plans. Work with Dr .Buonassisi to decide how much recovery time you’ll need before going away. Remember: wherever you plan to travel, be sure to get the go-ahead from your surgeon first.
Consider the risks. While the vast majority of patients don’t experience nosebleeds or infections after rhinoplasty, these types of complications tend to occur within the first three weeks of recovery. It’s best to wait at least that amount of time (or more, as per your surgeon) before heading off on holiday if you are going to a destination where it would be difficult to get medical attention quickly.
Follow-up visits. Dr. Buonassisi will schedule several important follow-up appointments to his office after your rhinoplasty. It is best to attend these to ensure all goes smoothly with your nose job, so keep in contact with your surgeon’s office manager to ensure follow up visits can occur when you plan to be in town. Generally speaking, the one week post operative appointment needs to be scheduled 7 days or so after your surgery so that your cast can be removed. If you are an out of town patient, Dr. Buonassisi may be able to show you how to remove the cast on our own if you plan to travel home before the cast removal appointment. The other follow up appointments (usually roughly 2 months and 6 months after surgery) are more flexible and can be planned around schedules.
Where are you going? Just as every patient is different, every vacation is unique. If you’re planning a weekend road trip to a nearby locale, the risks of running into trouble are far less than if you take a flight halfway around the world. Your objective should be to ensure you can get help quickly within the first three weeks of your surgery – if you had a complication. Complications like bleeding and infection are rare – but it is best to be safe.
What will you be doing? Certain activities may interfere with your recovery after rhinoplasty. Be totally honest with your surgeon about the things you plan to do while you’re away so that he or she can make recommendations to help mitigate the risk:
Make a plan. If your surgeon has given you permission to take a vacation, be sure to come up with a plan on what to do if you experience complications while you’re away. For example, figure out where you can get medical help and be sure to buy adequate travel insurance.
Get the go-ahead. What it really boils down to is getting the OK from your surgeon before boarding a bus, boat, train or plane. By consulting with their surgeon, some patients will find they can take a vacation as soon as two weeks after rhinoplasty – it’s all about being open and honest about where you want to go and what you plan to do, asking questions and complying with your surgeon’s feedback.
Have questions about your recovery or need some travel advice?
Dr. Buonassisi’s patients are encouraged to contact they patient care manager with any questions about their rhinoplasty recovery. We are here to help!
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