Frequently Asked Questions

I've been getting a couple of questions asked and I figured I would post some of them. Please be aware these are answers based of my experience only and I have no medical knowledge of your procedure. For any medical questions please ask your ENT.


When can I blow my nose after septoplasty?
I was cleared to gently blow my nose a month after my procedure.

Can I hurt my septoplasty?
Of course you can but think of it in terms of healing. Bones and cartlige take about 6-8 weeks to fully heal. Try not to hit your nose. Only you will know if something is wrong. If you're truly worried see your ENT, but remember noses are very durable!

When can I wear sunglasses?
A month after and only for short periods of time.

Why is my nose so big after my septoplasty? 
It will take months for swelling to go down! There's nothing you can do to speed up the process. Your nose should be "set" on how it will look after a year.

When will my nose stop being dry? 
It took at least 3 months for it to stop feeling dry. Even to this day (years later) I use KY jelly and saline spray during the cold, dry winter's of Colorado to get me by.

Why didn't my septoplasty stop my snoring? 
A septoplasty isn't meant to correct snoring. It sometimes helps by straightening the wall between the two nasal passages by allowing air to pass smoothly through. Snoring is usually caused by the soft tissues of the palate and tongue. I have noticed personally that I don't snore as loud but it's not gone all together. I got my septoplasty to regain airflow through my blocked left nostril.

What does your nose look like before and after septoplasty? 
I have posted the photos somewhere before but here is the old and my newest picture of me about 1 year and 4 months later. As you can see the major curve in my nose is gone and my nose settled nicely. I have full breathing ability from both nostrils, which is what I wanted!

1 Year Post Operation!

It's been an entire year since my surgery! I can't believe it's been that long already. My nose is totally healed up. It's not sensitive to cold nor does it feel "stiff" anymore and all the swelling is gone. It was pretty well healed after 6 months. For awhile I thought I might have nerve damage because it was so stiff and it wasn't that sensitive to touch but it just takes a long, long, long time to heal.

If you're wondering how long I felt like it took to heal, I'd say 9 months to a year, no joke. You can't speed up the healing process it's just how long it takes. I'm still very glad I got the surgery.

Feel free to ask any questions if you haven't found answers in my blog!

8 Months Post-Op

Not much has changed with my nose. It still is a little stiff when I wiggle it side-to-side but I suspect that is permanent. My nose looks pretty much the same as it did 5 months post-op. You can see a little bit of the curve but I love the fact I have full breathing ability.

If nothing changes then I'll post another photo at 1 year but I'm pretty sure this is how my nose is always going to look like now. 

5 Months Post-Op

Everything is adjusting well. Unfortunately I still snore, the surgery didn't correct that. My nose is "settling" into place and my old curve is becoming more noticeable. It's not as pronounced as it was but I can still see it. The main (and most important) thing is that I have both nasal passages open.

I'm still very glad I got the surgery. My self-esteem has been boosted. I didn't realize how much I didn't like my nose being curved. It's also nice for when I get sick. When one passage is blocked, I have the other to rely on. I would 100% recommend this surgery to anyone considering it. The benefits outweigh the recovery time. I'm not sure I'll ever get my curve fixed straight but I'm happy with the results.

My nose is becoming less sensitive. The base is still a little stiff but every month it gets better and better. I can no longer tell when it's going to snow either. I am still using the non-petroleum based jelly for my nose. I don't use it everyday but it helps with the snoring.

Here's me 5 months post surgery!

3 Months Post Op

My nose is just about back to normal. It's still sensitive and hurts when I accidentally hit it but I have full breathing nostrils! Most to all of the swelling has gone down and I'm really pleased by the results.

My nose is VERY sensitive to the cold. Since winter is here and it's getting below freezing and snowing, I don't like to be outside for very long.

The non-petroleum based jelly has been helping my nose for the dryness issue. I don't feel the need to pick/poke at it and it's not crusty anymore. The cartilage in the middle is still sore and tender but I can wiggle it around without any pain.

Check out the 3 month photo! The left side is looking good!!

Going to Monthly Updates

I had a checkup with my doctor today. He says things are looking good and that most of the swelling is gone. It will continue to improve and wont be totally normal for another 8-12 months. The bones are now pretty much set and now it's the waiting game.

The skin on my nose is very thin. What this means for me is you can tell where the bones are in my nose. If you had thicker skin it would hide some of the curvature of the nose. We can tell that I may have a small curve but nothing we "couldn't carve down later". I'm really happy with the result and I probably will not undergo surgery to correct it. We wont be able to tell for another year though.

Because it's cold out and it is Colorado, my nasal passages are dry. I was recommended to use a non-petroleum based gel (like KY jelly) on the inside once or twice a day for the remaning of the winter. Sounds good to me.

I'll now be posting monthly updates/pictures on how the healing is going, what the swelling looks like, and if I have a little curve still! Next update: 3 months Post-Op (December 13th)

6 Weeks Post Op: Still Healing

So I was correct that a storm was coming. Way to go forecasting nose! It's been bitterly cold here and my nose hurts whenever I'm outside. It really hurts to breathe in.

My nasal passages still get clogged and I have to take hot showers to clear them. It doesn't hurt as much to blow my nose nor wiggle it. It is still tender and sore and obviously not healed completely.

Thank God my left side of my nose is going down finally. You really can't notice unless I take a photo of myself withe the camera 6 inches away. 

And here's week 6 photo!