Q. Can I smile after nose surgery? How long should I be careful?

Hello! This is AB Plastic Surgery.

Today, we’ll answer another frequently asked question about nose surgery.

Q. Can I smile after nose surgery? How long should I be careful?

A. This is one of the questions we are asked most often when patients come in for treatment one week after surgery. In fact, right after nose surgery, as the bridge and tip become higher, the surrounding skin is pulled, so when you smile or make facial expressions, you may feel a pulling sensation or an awkward feeling. The reason we do not recommend excessive facial expressions or smiling after nose surgery is as follows.

First, it is related to the shape of the nose.

The chart above is taken from a plastic surgery textbook by Neligan. As you can see from the chart, by week 6, about 80% of tensile strength has formed. This can be understood as the force that resists deformation, meaning that before 6 weeks, the shape can change due to external force. Therefore, in theory, if an external force is applied before 6 weeks, the nose shape may become deformed. However, considering real-life situations and the amount of force involved when smiling, we recommend avoiding big smiles for about 2 weeks.

Second, it is related to wound separation. This is also connected to the chart above, and you should be especially careful if you had medial alar reduction, because there is tension applied from side to side.

Medial alar reduction

In my case, when I perform sill excision, I also do cinching of the alar base, so separation is rare, but being careful does help recovery.

Again, theoretically, based on the chart above, it is best to avoid big smiles or facial expressions for about 6 weeks, but considering real-life circumstances, I recommend being careful for at least about 2 weeks.

I hope today’s answer was helpful, and if you have any additional questions, please leave a comment and I’ll reply.

Thank you! :)

#nose surgery #nose surgery recovery #alar reduction #pulling at the nasal tip #board-certified plastic surgeon