When can you fly after rhinoplasty

The first days after surgery

Rhinoplasty is usually performed under general anaesthesia. Some patients go home on the day of the operation, while others stay in hospital for one or two nights, depending on the operation and the advice of the surgeon. When you wake up, there is usually a splint on the outside of the nose, held with tape, and sometimes soft packs or small supports inside it. If packs are used, they are often removed the morning after surgery. Until then, and for several days afterwards, you will breathe mostly through your mouth.

The first days are for rest. The nose feels blocked, stiff and numb, light nosebleeds and some blood coloured watery discharge are common, and swelling and bruising around the eyes are usually most noticeable at this stage. Patients are advised to sleep with the head raised on pillows, to avoid hot baths, to keep the splint dry and not to blow the nose. If you need to sneeze, do it with your mouth open. Severe pain, heavy bleeding or any symptom that worries you should be reported to the surgeon at once.

When the splint and stitches come off

The external splint usually stays in place for about a week. At the check up the surgeon removes it, looks at how the nose is healing and, if the stitches are not the dissolvable kind, takes them out at the same visit. Small internal splints, when they are used, are usually removed one to two weeks after surgery. For many patients this is the first moment they see the new shape of the nose, but it is still swollen and will keep changing for months.

Bruising and swelling around the eyes usually fade over about three weeks. UK health services suggest planning up to two weeks off work, and hospital leaflets on nasal surgery recommend at least two weeks of rest at home, away from crowds and from people with coughs and colds. Swimming is usually possible after about three weeks, while strenuous exercise and contact sports are avoided for about four to six weeks. Your surgeon may set different timings, and the written instructions you receive take priority over any general guide.

Why flying needs approval from the surgeon

Air travel is not forbidden after rhinoplasty, but the timing matters. During a flight the cabin is pressurised to the equivalent of roughly 5,000 to 7,500 feet, or about 1,500 to 2,300 metres, so the air pressure is lower than on the ground and gas trapped in the body expands by around 30 percent. When the nose and sinuses are blocked by swelling, pressure cannot equalise easily, which can cause sinus or ear pain and sometimes bleeding. Cabin air is also very dry, with humidity of around 10 to 20 percent, and it dries the mucous membranes.

The second reason is blood clots. Both major surgery and air travel increase the risk of a clot in the veins, and the risk is higher on a long flight soon after an operation. UK guidance therefore suggests waiting 7 to 10 days after facial cosmetic procedures before flying, and some hospital leaflets on nasal surgery advise avoiding flights for two weeks. The surgeon weighs these factors together with your general health, the type of operation and the length of your journey, and only then confirms the date of your flight.

How many days to plan in Baku

For a first rhinoplasty most patients plan about 7 to 10 days in Azerbaijan. A typical stay looks roughly like the outline below. Revision surgery or an operation that also corrects the septum may need a longer stay, and the surgeon will tell you this after reviewing your photos and documents. It is sensible to book a flexible return ticket or to keep two or three spare days, so that you are not forced to fly if the surgeon would like to see you once more.

Do not plan sightseeing or a holiday straight after the operation. Rest is part of recovery, and sun, alcohol, swimming and busy places can slow healing. If you would like to see Baku, do it in the days before surgery. MedAzerbaijan can arrange a review of your photos by the surgeon, a written estimate before you travel, help with the visa, transfers, accommodation and an interpreter, so that the days after surgery can be spent on rest.

• Arrival, a consultation with the surgeon and tests before surgery.
• The day of the operation and, if needed, one or two nights in hospital.
• Several days of rest with the head raised, in contact with the coordinator.
• Splint removal and a final check, after which the surgeon confirms the flight.

Practical tips for the flight home

Keep the written care instructions, the surgery report and the contact details of the surgeon in your hand luggage, together with the medicines you have been prescribed. Ask the surgeon in advance whether any nasal spray or pain relief is advisable for the journey. An aisle seat makes it easier to get up and walk. Drink water during the flight, avoid alcohol and move your legs regularly. These steps help the circulation, although they do not remove the risk of a blood clot completely.

Wear glasses only if the surgeon allows it, because frames resting on the bridge of the nose can press on it in the first weeks. Avoid crowds in the airport where you can, and protect the face from knocks when handling luggage. Seek medical help urgently if during or after the journey you notice swelling, pain, warmth or redness in one leg, or sudden breathlessness or chest pain, as these can be signs of a blood clot. Nosebleeding that does not stop also needs prompt attention.

Follow-up at home and the final shape

Before you leave, agree with the surgeon how follow-up will work. Usually you send photos at agreed intervals and can ask questions remotely, but it is worth knowing in advance where you would be seen if a problem appeared, what happens if further treatment were needed and how it would be paid for. Ordinary travel insurance often does not cover complications of planned surgery, so check your policy. Show the surgery report to your own doctor at home so that they know what was done.

The nose changes gradually as the swelling goes down. Visible bruising usually fades within weeks, but swelling can take up to six months to settle completely, and it may be several months before you see the full effect of the operation. Breathing through the nose may also take a few months to become fully clear. The surgeon assesses the result over time, so try not to judge the new shape in the first weeks, and keep following the advice you were given about sun, sport and glasses.

Frequently asked questions