I had surgery with Dr. Lee Jeong-jun in July. They dissolved my previous filler as a complimentary service, and I also had dorsal hump reduction, correction of the parrot nose, silicone in the nose, one piece of ear cartilage, cartilage suturing, and rhinitis surgery. I read many reviews before choosing them, and most said recovery was very fast because it was closed surgery and the swelling went down quickly, so I may have taken it too lightly... Since I also had functional rhinoplasty, my nasal congestion and swelling lasted quite a while. Now, three months later, most of the swelling seems to be gone (will it go down more..?), and I no longer worry about my nostrils showing. It seems they improved naturally as the swelling subsided.
Below is a record of my condition after surgery that I kept in my phone memo. I hope it helps.
Day of surgery - I went home by public transportation wearing a mask. I had a bandage on my ear, but I could still wear a mask! Almost no pain. However, my nose suddenly kept bleeding. At night, blood flowed so much that I lightly stuffed both nostrils with tissues and slept, but woke once or twice before dawn to change them At that point I wondered whether this was normal... Everyone said there would be a little bleeding, but I wondered if this much was okay.
Day 1 - Took my medication and applied ointment carefully. As the anesthesia fully wore off, my nose felt slightly tight. No pain as long as I did not use my facial muscles too much. My ear was still bandaged, so there was no pain, although the incision felt slightly tight. The tip of my nose was a little red and felt firm when touched. I used a cold compress four or five times, took one packet of Newvain and three packets of Danggui-Susan, and also drank one packet of pumpkin juice from home. The bleeding was dark until morning, but by afternoon it became thinner and decreased. I used a stepper for 40 minutes to help reduce swelling.
Day 2 - My nose was still completely blocked. I could not smell or taste anything The bleeding had decreased considerably. Instead of blood, clear nasal discharge? was flowing. The tip was still red. The swelling was similar to yesterday. I walked outside for 40 minutes.
Day 3 - Removed the tape in the morning. My glabella, nasal bridge, and tip were very swollen overall. From the front, I looked like I had an upturned nose. My nostrils were uneven... I still could not breathe through my nose. Is this really okay.... The one improvement? The color of the tip had returned. The amount of running discharge had decreased (but it felt thicker?). I lightly used an indoor cycle for 60 minutes.
Day 4 - The swelling was slightly reduced compared with day 3. The congestion was still severe. I woke several times at night and was told I was snoring a lot (I normally do not snore). I walked more than 10,000 steps through daily walking and a 30-minute stroll.
Day 9 - The congestion had improved a little but was still present. The tip still looked lifted (I kept wearing a mask to work). I planned to visit the clinic to have the ear stitches removed and receive a swelling laser treatment.
Day 12 - Still congested, with a little nasal discharge. The tip had come down considerably, so I was living normally without a mask. I hope it comes down a little more as the swelling decreases! I alternated between an indoor cycle, stepper, and outdoor walks. The nostril shape was becoming more symmetrical. I continued taking one packet of Newvain and three packets of Danggui-Susan.
One month - Almost no congestion. Very occasionally my nose still runs a little. As more swelling went down, the visible nostrils improved. I have also been drinking alcohol, getting massages while traveling, and managing almost all daily activities without difficulty. It still feels firm when touched, so I am being careful when washing my face and applying makeup!