What Not to Eat After Rhinoplasty? List of Foods to Avoid After Rhinoplasty

It is normal to want to get back to enjoying your favorite foods as soon as possible once you have undergone rhinoplasty.

While rhinoplasty can improve the nose’s appearance, keep in mind that it can also lead to significant complications if a proper post-surgical diet is not followed.

Therefore, it is vital for all patients undergoing nose surgery to know what foods to avoid after rhinoplasty.

Hot soups, spicy meals, bagels, candies, alcoholic beverages, raw vegetables, hard fruits such as pear or apple, nuts, popcorn, potato crisps, and bubble gum are some food items you should avoid after rhinoplasty.

After undergoing rhinoplasty, the last thing you’d want is for your nose to swell up again. This article will serve as a guide that will help you through what foods to avoid eating after rhinoplasty.

What Not to Eat After Rhinoplasty – Detailed Overview

Life on the other side of a rhinoplasty journey is exciting!

However, there are still some essential things you should pay attention to, such as what foods to avoid after rhinoplasty and how to eat appropriately.

After rhinoplasty, you can experience nasal congestion, nosebleeds, and swelling. As a result, you should avoid certain foods for a few weeks after your surgery.

Rhinoplasty recovery is a long-term process that requires commitment and dedication from the patient. In addition to paying attention to details like rest and stress reduction, it’s also essential to avoid certain foods after rhinoplasty surgery.

These foods can cause side effects that you may not realize are related to food consumption. These side effects include bleeding, irritation, swelling, and infection.

By the way, I also have researched and written an article about What to Eat After Rhinoplasty?

Following are some examples of food types that you should avoid following rhinoplasty:

1. Alcohol

Alcohol can cause internal bleeding of your nasal tissues after surgery(1). It can also dehydrate your body, leading to nasal dryness and crusting.

Alcohol dries out the mucous membrane inside your nose and slows down the blood circulation in the outer layer of the skin, which protects your skin from bacteria, viruses, and injury.

If you smoke or drink alcohol daily before any surgery, then it’s recommended that you take time off after rhinoplasty.

2. Spicy Foods

Spicy foods irritate the nasal area. They tend to make one’s nose run, which can irritate the nasal area and cause post-nasal drip(2).

Another point to consider is that spicy foods can dilate blood vessels, making it more challenging to eliminate edema and swelling after consuming them. Furthermore, due to the powdery nature of spices, they also have a sneeze-inducing effect.

3. High Sodium Foods

While it is crucial to keep hydrated during the recovery time after rhinoplasty, it is also essential to avoid high salt.

Salt will cause you to retain more water, but it will also aggravate the swelling of your nasal tissues, slowing your recovery process even further(3).

Salty snacks like chips and crackers and salty cheeses like feta are on the list of foods to avoid when it comes to sodium consumption.

When you’re recovering from surgery, pre-made foods may appear to be a convenient method to receive the nourishment you need without having to cook.

It’s true, but here’s the rub: prepared foods frequently include excessive sodium. Swelling can be worsened by high sodium consumption.

If you make your meals at home, you have more control over the quantity of salt you consume.

4. Smoking

Smoking interferes with the healing process since it constricts the arteries and prevents proper blood flow(4).

As a result, you should abstain from smoking for at least two months before surgery. I would also recommend you refrain from smoking for at least a month following your procedure.

5. Hard to Chew Foods

When it comes to eating thick, sticky food, your mouth and jaw aren’t the only engaged areas of your body. Every bite causes your nose to twitch a little.

Usually, this would not be a significant issue. But it is crucial to keep your nose as still as possible after surgery to limit the risk of problems after the procedure.

6. Too Hot or Cold Foods

Extreme temperatures of food can cause severe pain and distress. When you’re recovering from nose surgery, the last thing you want to do is burn your tongue on any hot liquid. Cold can be just as damaging.

Eating too hot or too cold meals can worsen the condition and slow the healing process.

List of Some Other Foods to Avoid After Rhinoplasty

Since good nutrition can make your recovery time more manageable and pave the path for a rapid recovery, it is essential to consider it after rhinoplasty.

Diet can considerably impact both the outcome and the reduction of postoperative issues.

Generally speaking, following any surgery, particularly those conducted under local or general anesthesia, the body has difficulty digesting certain meals due to the anesthetic being absorbed into the body.

After rhinoplasty, it is important to remember that your nose is still healing, and some foods can interfere with the healing process. These foods tend to cause problems such as bleeding and swelling.

There are so many foods to avoid after rhinoplasty that it is impossible to provide a complete list; instead, I have listed foods that are more likely than others to create complications following the procedure.

These food items are:

1. Bagels
2. Ice
3. Nuts
4. Popcorn & Chips
5. Hard fruits
6. Raw vegetables
7. Candy
8. Corn on the cob
9. Sandwiches
10. Caffeinated drinks
11. Alcohol
12. Bubble gum
13. Steak
14. French bread loaves and Baguettes
15. Chili
16. Hot beverages or food
17. Crackers
18. Salty cheese
19. Beef dry jerky
20. Frozen or packaged foods

Is It Ok to Drink Coffee After Rhinoplasty?

Consuming caffeinated beverages for many days following rhinoplasty surgery is not recommended.

Since caffeine can affect wound healing, it is essential to restrict your coffee intake following nose surgery(5).

While it may be difficult for people who routinely consume coffee or tea to refrain from drinking it throughout the healing time but doing so is necessary.

Take Away

After you have had a rhinoplasty done, it is essential that you follow the rules and not eat any of the prohibited foods listed above.

Taking proper precautions is essential during this healing time. You must help your body heal faster by avoiding foods that can cause discomfort and delay recovery after rhinoplasty.

Do you have any further dietary advice you’d want to share following the rhinoplasty procedure? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.