What Happens on Cast Removal Day
How exciting! We love cast removal day at Dr. Buonassisi's clinic. Your cast is typically removed 7 days after your rhinoplasty surgery. This is your first chance to see your nose (albeit a swollen version of it) for the first time. You are probably feeling nervous both about what you are going to see and if there will be any discomfort. The good news is this visit is an easy one. In the above video, we bring you into a real 1 week post-op appointment to see our patient Ashley's experience on cast removal day.
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Before we continue on about the details on what to expect on cast removal day, we would like to mention that at 8 West Clinic, we believe at the forefront that educated patients are happy patients, and this is why Dr. Buonassisi has compiled his 20 years experience performing rhinoplasty into a must read eBook. This is an essential tool for anyone considering cosmetic nasal surgery. Download your free copy now.
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What to Expect
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Dr. Buonassisi's removes Amanda's cast at her 7 day post operative appointment[/caption]Cast removal—this is easy and not painful. Essentially, Dr. Buonassisi gently peels it off and you won't feel anything aside from a slight tugging sensation as the glue that holds the cast to your nose pulls away.This isn't painful. At this stage you are still feeling like you have to be a little careful with your nose. You'll get over this feeling quickly in the next week or so as the remainder of the obvious bruising and swelling goes away.Skin Irritation & OcclusionFresh air! Wow that feels good! The skin on your nose will have been occluded by the stiff and non-breathable cast materials for a whole week. It may be irritated, red, peeling or covered with blemishes. Don't worry—things will improve quickly now.Bruising & SwellingEvery patient bruises and swells differently. On cast removal day, some patients look like they could go our for dinner that night - with no signs of having had surgery. Some patients have really swollen noses and bruising below the eyes. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do about bruising and swelling aside from letting it go away on its own - this process is a natural part of healing. The majority of patients see all their bruising go away by 10-14 days post op. The majority of swelling is gone by 2 weeks post-op—but I am referring to the obvious swelling that is a tell tale sign of having had surgery. A small amount of residual swelling that only the patient can notice can stay around for up to a year after surgery.Your Stuffy NoseOne of the worst parts about the rhinoplasty recovery is a feeling of nasal obstruction. You might feel like you can't breathe through your nose at all. Don't worry—this will improve this week. In some cases, Dr. Buonassisi recommends saline nasal rinse. Be sure to ask us about nasal rinses if you would like to use them.Get Thee Outside!The worst part about the recovery from rhinoplasty is being stuck inside. Some patients don't care if they are seen with their cast and continue with life as usual—lucky them! Others prefer to keep their surgery private and wait until they look appropriate to be seen in public. You should be ready to go outside any day now—if not today.