Rhinoplasty Recovery Skin-Care Routine Tips From Dermatologists

For those who have face wipes around, Eunice Park, M.D., a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Long Island, New York, approves of them for the first five to seven days post-rhinoplasty. Dr. Farhang agrees, adding, “I am not opposed to wipes when used in desperate measures,” she says. “I just don’t think people should use them daily.”

Once your bandages are off, you can get water and face wash involved. A mild, fragrance-free formula, like the Best of Beauty-winning La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser, is crucial. “Your skin will likely be especially sensitive during this healing time,” Dr. Bowe says. “Therefore, your cleanser should be a pH-balanced, water-based cleanser that doesn’t leave skin feeling tight or dry.” Dr. Park even created her own face wash to give to her patients as they transition back into their usual skin-care routine. If you’re interested, the Airem Canvas Hyaluronic Cleanser combines hyaluronic acid with allantoin for soothing hydration.

Instead of rubbing the face wash directly onto wet skin, consider adding a pump or two onto a soft, reusable cloth or cotton pad instead. Next, dampen it with warm — not hot — water, and wring out any excess water, Dr. Bowe says. Then, gently wipe your skin around the bandaged area, which is sure to be tender and swollen, and avoid tugging at it as you do so. Finally, remove the cleanser with a separate moistened cloth or pad, and pat dry with a clean towel, she adds.

2. Make Moisturizing Your Mission

Once your skin is fresh and clean, you can grab a fragrance-free moisturizer and slick it with clean fingertips and a featherlight touch. Pressing too hard could cause bones to shift, Dr. Farhang says. Also, be sure to avoid getting product too close to your bandages as you pat them on, Dr. Park adds.

If you’re unsure which moisturizer to use, Dr. Bowe suggests looking for one infused with at least three of the following ingredients for optional skin healing: ceramides, glycerin, squalane, hyaluronic acid, and sunflower seed oil. (More information can be found in the Allure Ingredient Index.) The Best of Beauty-winning Murad Intense Recovery Cream is an outstanding option, as well as the product below.

After your bandages are off, you’ll want to slather on a lightweight barrier repair cream to aid with the healing process and your overall complexion health. “The bandages alter the balance of healthy bacteria on your skin, also known as the microbiome, so you’ll want to restore it,” Dr. Bowe says. The Boscia Plant Stem Cell and Ceramide Barrier-Defense Moisturizer and Kinship Supermello Hydrating Gel-Cream Moisturizer, in particular, have dreamy mousse-like textures.

3. Treat Blackheads With Care

I’m sorry to break this to you, but blackheads, unfortunately, will take over your nose once its released from the confines of bandages. According to the dermatologists I interviewed, blackheads are incredibly common post-rhinoplasty because sebum gets clogged in your nose’s pores underneath the bandages and oxidizes to become those annoying black, strawberry seed-like spots.