Recovery and Complications

Facial implants

The recovery time for chin implants is usually modest. Some patients might return to work in a few days if that's all they had done. Bruising, infection and nerve damage are possible but unlikely. Chin implant movement and subsequent asymmetry is also a complication seen in a small percentage of patients. This is usually easy to correct with another minor procedure. Chin reduction, which involves removal or changing of the chin bone, involves more pain and chance of bruising and other complications listed.

Cheek and angle of the jaw (mandible) implants may cause a bit more swelling for a few weeks. Cheek implants usually cause swelling of the lower face. The other complications possible are the same as with chin implants.

Nose Surgery

The recovery is about the same for both functional and cosmetic nose jobs. After your procedure, you'll leave the office wearing a splint or taping, which must stay in place for about five days. Occasionally there will be a gauze or cotton packing placed inside the nose to inhibit bleeding, and this usually remains in place for two to five days. But about day five, everything comes off, and you will usually be able to clearly see the new shape of your nose. There will be swelling, but by the third week, it is usually reduced by 70 percent. In some cases there will be bruising under the eyes. This is usually minimal and temporary. Some physicians say it takes a full year to see the final shape of a new nose, so be patient.

Normally, there is little or no pain during the recovery period, and most patients do not need prescription pain-killers, although these are often given just in case. In a few cases complications occur, such as immediate post-operative bleeding (less than two percent), or irregularities in the shape of the nose. "Touch-up" surgery may be necessary. The need for a touch-up depends on the skill of the doctor, the patient's body and natural healing process, and the patient's desire for perfection.