A careful evaluation is where a safe, beautiful rhinoplasty begins. Your preoperative visit has two purposes: to confirm that surgery is the right choice for you, and to plan every detail so your result reflects the vision you and Dr. Namin share. Here is what to expect, and how to prepare.
What Dr. Namin Reviews at Your Evaluation
Your consultation is a conversation. Dr. Namin begins with the most important questions of all: What are your goals for rhinoplasty? What would you like to change? And why now? Understanding what brings you in, and what a successful result looks like to you, shapes everything that follows.
He will then review your complete health picture to ensure surgery is safe, including:
- Your medications and supplements, including peptides, GLP-1 and other weight-loss medications, and any topical medications
- Your bleeding history
- Nicotine, alcohol, and any recreational drug use
- Vital signs and a focused physical examination
- Laboratory testing, including markers of your nutritional status
Dr. Namin will also review any prior nasal surgery or trauma and create a simulated preview of your result, a tool for making sure his vision and yours align.
In the Weeks Before Your Surgery
A few simple steps in advance lower your risk of bleeding and bruising and help your recovery go smoothly:
- Avoid anti-inflammatory medications (Advil, Motrin, ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen), as these can increase bleeding and bruising. If you take them regularly, please let Dr. Namin know before surgery.
- If you take blood thinners (aspirin, Plavix, warfarin/Coumadin, Eliquis, or Xarelto), these typically need to be paused. Dr. Namin will coordinate with your primary care physician or cardiologist to confirm it is safe to stop them for a period before and after your procedure.
- If you smoke, use other tobacco products such as chewing tobacco, or drink alcohol daily, please discuss this with Dr. Namin in advance, as these affect healing.
Before Surgery: What to Purchase
The following items can be purchased over the counter at any drug store:
- Nasal saline spray (such as Ocean spray)
- Normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride)
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Afrin nasal spray (for bleeding only)
- 4x4 gauze (30-40 pieces)
- Cotton-tip applicators
The Night Before Surgery
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight.
- Shower with an antibacterial soap such as Hibiclens.
The Day of Surgery
- Arrive in loose-fitting clothes. A button-down shirt is ideal: it will be much easier to put back on after surgery, when you will have an incision on your face.
- You will typically be notified of your arrival time the day before surgery.
- If the hospital or surgery center has not told you what time to arrive, please call our office a few days before your procedure so we can make sure you have that information.