The amount of time it takes for you to completely heal from rhinoplasty will depend on a number of factors. The first factor is how complicated and extensive your surgery was. For major reconstructive surgeries, several months may be needed before the person sees the final result or results of the surgery, while a simple refinement may only take 4-6 weeks before the final results are visible.
Your first 24 hours after surgery will be the most intense in regards to pain, bleeding, swelling, and bruising. Pain medication and anti-inflammatories will be prescribed to you to help control your discomfort levels. You will not want to move around during this time period, so plan on staying in bed with your head elevated for 24 hours after your surgery. If you have young children, you will need to arrange for someone to care for them during this period, as you will be incapacitated and you will not able to tend to their needs. You will also probably want to have someone take care of you during this period. You will need help moving around to use the toilet, and you will need someone to bring you fluids and your medication.
During the first two to three days you will experience swelling, pain, bleeding, and bruising. The unpleasant sensations that these things cause will seem to intensify over the first few days, however, they will be dramatically reduced at about day four, and they should subside completely within a couple of weeks. To help reduce the pain, swelling, and bruising you can also use cold compresses on your face. Many plastic surgeons will recommend a specific compress devise that is designed for this purpose, or you can use a bag of frozen peas or corn wrapped in a soft cloth to experience the same result.
To reduce the chance that you will damage the results of your rhinoplasty surgery you should be careful not to bump or put too much pressure on your nose during the first week or so. This time will allow the modified structures in your nose to stabilize the structures. You should also avoid blowing your nose during the first week as this too could impair your results or even re-break your nose.