Rhinoplasty Abroad: What to Know, Recovery Week by Week and When You Can Fly Home
Having rhinoplasty in another country means planning two things at once: the operation and the journey home. This guide explains how to prepare, what recovery looks like day by day and week by week, when splints and stitches come out, and how to think about the date of your flight, which your surgeon decides.
What to know before rhinoplasty abroad
Rhinoplasty is not a procedure to book on price alone. The shape of the nose is decided by millimetres, and the recovery lasts far longer than the trip. Before you choose a clinic in another country, make sure you understand three things: who will operate, what happens during the first two weeks, and who looks after you once you are home.
The NHS guidance on cosmetic surgery abroad recommends checking the surgeon's qualifications and experience, having a proper consultation before you commit, and planning follow-up care in advance. Those points apply to Moscow as much as to anywhere else.
At City Medical Centre the first consultation is free and can be held online if you live in another country. The exact cost of rhinoplasty at our Moscow clinic is confirmed after an in-person examination and then fixed in the contract.
Open or closed technique
The surgeon may recommend an open approach, with a small incision on the columella (the strip of skin between the nostrils), or a closed approach, with all incisions inside the nose. Tip correction and septorhinoplasty, which also straightens the septum to improve breathing, are discussed at the consultation. The clinic uses 3D modelling to show the expected result and an ultrasonic piezo device for work on the bone.
How to prepare: the 21-day plan
Preparation starts about 21 days before surgery. It is easier to do most of it at home and bring the results with you, but ask your coordinator which tests the clinic accepts from abroad.
- Tests: complete blood count, biochemistry, coagulation panel and infection tests.
- ECG, chest X-ray, and an X-ray or CT scan of the sinuses.
- Stop blood-thinning medicines, but only with your doctor's agreement.
- No alcohol and no smoking for at least a week before surgery.
- No food or drink for 6 hours before the operation.
- Buy class 2 compression stockings.
The operation is done under general anaesthesia or TIVA (total intravenous anaesthesia). You spend one day and night in the clinic's inpatient unit.
Rhinoplasty recovery day by day: the first week
Day 0 to day 1. The first 24 hours are spent in the inpatient unit, where staff monitor you after anaesthesia. Expect a blocked nose and a dull ache rather than sharp pain.
Days 1 to 3. You breathe through your mouth because there are splints in the nostrils. Swelling and bruising around the eyes are possible and usually peak in these days. Sleep with your head raised and keep the room air moist.
Days 4 to 6. Swelling starts to go down. Most people feel well enough to walk around, but this is a week for rest, not sightseeing.
Day 7. The nasal splints are removed, and breathing through the nose becomes much easier.
Rhinoplasty recovery week by week
From the second week, recovery is measured in milestones rather than days. The timeline below follows the clinic's recovery guidance.
| Time after surgery | What usually happens |
|---|---|
| First 24 hours | Inpatient unit, monitoring after anaesthesia |
| Days 1–3 | Mouth breathing, splints in nostrils, swelling and bruising possible |
| Day 7 | Nasal splints removed |
| Up to day 14 | External splint worn; stitches removed on day 14 |
| Weeks 2–3 | First visible improvements |
| First month | No exercise, sauna, pool, hot baths or sun |
| 1–1.5 months | Mild nasal congestion can persist |
| About 4 months | Tissues fully healed |
| 1–1.5 years | Final shape of the nose |
Week 2 is the point most patients look forward to: the external splint comes off and the face looks much closer to normal. Week 3 and week 4 are about patience. The nose can look slightly wide or swollen at the tip, and that is expected.
When the final result appears
Swelling leaves the nose slowly, and the tip is usually the last area to settle. That is why the final shape takes 1 to 1.5 years, even though you look presentable after a few weeks. Judging the result at month two or three is too early.
Avoid glasses resting on the bridge, contact sports and anything that could knock the nose until your surgeon says otherwise. Follow the sun restrictions your surgeon gives you, as the clinic advises avoiding sun for the first month.
Flying after rhinoplasty: how long to wait
This is the question most international patients ask, and there is no single answer. The NHS advice on surgery abroad suggests not flying for 7 to 10 days after facial cosmetic procedures, because air travel and major surgery both raise the risk of a blood clot.
For rhinoplasty, the practical timeline matters too. The nasal splints come out on day 7, and the stitches and external splint are removed on day 14. Many patients prefer to stay until those steps are done, but the date you fly is your surgeon's decision, based on your healing and your route. Ask your coordinator early how long to stay in Moscow, so you can book flights and accommodation with some margin.
Tips for the flight home
- Wear your compression stockings and drink plenty of water.
- Walk around the cabin when you can and keep your head raised when resting.
- Carry saline spray and the medicines prescribed for you in hand luggage.
- Keep the clinic's contact details with you in case you have questions on arrival.
Warning signs and aftercare at home
Possible risks after rhinoplasty include swelling, bruising, infection, bleeding, temporary breathing problems and minor asymmetry. Most of these settle with time, but some need attention straight away.
See a doctor immediately if you have difficulty breathing, severe pain, a high fever or a sudden change in the shape of the nose. Before you leave Moscow, agree how remote follow-up will work. The clinic states a lifetime guarantee on the result and a free check-up after surgery; ask your coordinator how check-ups are arranged once you are back home. If you are also weighing up the practical side of the trip, our guide to surgery in Moscow for foreigners covers visas, payment and planning.
How much rhinoplasty costs in Moscow
Prices at City Medical Centre are listed in US dollars. Primary rhinoplasty costs $4,200 (previously $6,000). Revision rhinoplasty is $5,400, rhinoseptoplasty $5,000, reconstructive rhinoseptoplasty $4,700, and reconstructive surgery with a rib cartilage graft starts from $5,400.
When you compare with clinics at home, compare what is included: anaesthesia, the inpatient night, check-ups and splint removal, rather than the headline figure. Patients from the UK can read more on our page about rhinoplasty for patients from London, and all other prices are on the clinic home page. The free consultation is the right place to get your own quote.
Frequently asked questions
How long after rhinoplasty can I fly?
There is no fixed date for everyone. NHS guidance on surgery abroad suggests avoiding flights for 7 to 10 days after facial cosmetic procedures because of the blood clot risk. In practice, nasal splints come out on day 7 and stitches on day 14, and your surgeon decides when it is safe for you to travel.
How long is rhinoplasty recovery?
The first two weeks are the most noticeable: splints in the nostrils until day 7, an external splint and stitches until day 14. You avoid exercise, sauna, pools and sun for a month. Tissues are fully healed after about 4 months, and the final shape appears in 1 to 1.5 years.
How bad is the first week after rhinoplasty?
Most patients describe it as uncomfortable rather than painful. For the first three days you breathe through your mouth because of the nostril splints, and swelling and bruising are common. Once the splints are removed on day 7, breathing becomes much easier and most people feel more like themselves.
How long will I stay in hospital?
At City Medical Centre you spend one day and night in the inpatient unit after rhinoplasty. How many days you should stay in Moscow in total depends on your healing and your surgeon's advice, so ask your coordinator before you book flights.
Can I combine rhinoplasty with another operation?
Combined operations are sometimes possible at the clinic, but they are decided individually after a consultation. The surgeon weighs your health, the length of anaesthesia and the recovery of each procedure before agreeing to a combined plan.
Get a free consultation and a fixed quote
Send your name and phone number, and a coordinator will call you back. You can also send photos and questions on WhatsApp.
- The first consultation is free, online consultations are available
- The doctor names the cost after the assessment, and it is fixed in the contract
- A personal coordinator guides you from the first message to recovery
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