How to Stop Bleeding After Nose Surgery

August 25, 2025 | Rhinoplasty

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Just like with any surgery, cosmetic or otherwise, the healing process after rhinoplasty comes with a few expected side effects. One of the most common is light bleeding from the nose. While it can be surprising or even a little alarming to see blood coming from your nose as you recover from your rhinoplasty, knowing what to expect can be comforting and help you watch out for actual complications. In this blog, we’ll go over what you need to know about bleeding after rhinoplasty, including how to avoid it and when you should be concerned.

Is It Normal for My Nose to Bleed After Rhinoplasty?
How to Avoid Nosebleeds During Rhinoplasty Healing
How Long Will My Nose Bleed After Rhinoplasty?
What to Do to Stop a Post-Rhinoplasty Nosebleed
When to Contact Dr. Weinfeld

Is It Normal for My Nose to Bleed After Rhinoplasty?

Mild nosebleeds are a common and expected part of the healing process following rhinoplasty. The inside of your nose is filled with delicate blood vessels, and surgery can irritate and disrupt them. This is especially true if your rhinoplasty included work on your septum (as with septoplasty), which increases the likelihood of post-operative nasal bleeding.

You may notice blood-tinged mucus or light bleeding for the first few days after surgery, particularly when you stand up, strain, or lean forward. These occurrences are usually nothing to worry about, as in most cases, the bleeding is minimal and subsides on its own with proper care and patience.

How to Avoid Nosebleeds During Rhinoplasty Healing

While it’s normal to experience a small amount of bleeding after rhinoplasty, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of triggering or worsening a nosebleed after your surgery, including:

Sleeping with your head elevated on two or more pillows to minimize swelling and decrease blood flow to the area.
Avoiding strenuous activity, heavy lifting, or bending over for at least two weeks.
Refraining from blowing your nose for at least one to two weeks, and then only do so very gently once Dr. Weinfeld says it’s safe.
Using a humidifier to keep the air moist and prevent your nasal passages from drying out.
Following your post-operative instructions carefully, especially when it comes to the use of saline sprays, ointments, and prescribed medications.
Avoiding smoking or alcohol, as both can interfere with healing and irritate your nasal passages.

How Long Will My Nose Bleed After Rhinoplasty?

Most patients experience some nasal bleeding during the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery. After that, bleeding typically lessens and changes to a lighter pinkish or yellowish discharge as your tissues continue to heal.

However, rhinoplasty recovery is different for everyone. You may notice a few drops of blood up to a week after surgery, especially after sneezing or gently blowing your nose.

What to Do to Stop a Post-Rhinoplasty Nosebleed

If your nose begins to bleed during your recovery from rhinoplasty surgery, follow these steps to manage it safely:

Stay calm: Stress and anxiety can raise your blood pressure, which may increase bleeding.
Sit upright and tilt your head slightly forward: This helps prevent blood from draining down your throat, which can cause nausea or coughing.
Use gauze or a drip pad placed lightly under your nose to catch the blood: Change it as needed, but avoid stuffing anything up into your nose.
Avoid blowing your nose or sniffing hard: This can irritate healing tissues and make bleeding worse.
Breathe through your mouth: Slow down your breathing and try to relax to reduce pressure in your nasal passages.

If the bleeding is a steady stream of blood that lasts more than 30 minutes and saturates multiple pieces of gauze every 10 minutes, contact Dr. Weinfeld.

Please keep in mind, Dr. Weinfeld uses very gentle techniques. In his practice, severe bleeding is extremely rare. In his 18 years of practice and over thousands of nasal procedures, he has only had to take patients back to the operating room to stop significant nasal bleeding 2 times. We point that fact out to help patients understand that bleeding, even moderate amounts, is normal and is typically not a source of concern. Please use the guidelines below in this blog to guide the actions you need to take should bleeding occur.

When to Contact Dr. Weinfeld

Before contacting Dr. Weinfeld, use the following technique, which will stop 95% of bleeding occurrences.

First, spray nasal saline through the nostrils to clear any loose clots or liquid blood. Then, spray an ample amount of Afrin® nasal spray through the nasal splint opening and around the splint into the nostril itself. The best way to do this is to lie the head back with the bottle nozzle pointed down so that instead of an actual mist spray, the medication comes out as a stream of fluid. Any medication that reaches the back of the throat can be spit out. Do this to both nostrils, even if only one is bleeding.

There are many generic versions and store-brand preparations of Afrin®. Look for nasal sprays that contain Oxymetazoline. Afrin® and all of the generic versions are over the counter, and no prescription is needed. Nosebleeds can be scary. This technique stops almost all of them.

While some bleeding is an expected side effect and generally not a cause for concern, there are times during your rhinoplasty recovery when you should get in touch with Dr. Weinfeld, including:

Bleeding that soaks through several gauze pads, each within a 10-minute period.
Nosebleeds that last longer than 30 minutes.
Bright red, continuous stream of blood for over 30 minutes that does not stop, rather than light spotting.
Sudden onset of significant bleeding, as described above, after several days of no symptoms.
Any signs of infection, such as fever or foul-smelling discharge.

Learn More About Rhinoplasty Recovery in Austin, TX

When you’re ready to move forward with rhinoplasty surgery, the first step is choosing the right surgeon. Dr. Adam Bryce Weinfeld is a board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in rhinoplasty surgery, who has honed his skills and techniques to ensure his patients receive balanced and natural-looking results.
If you’re experiencing unusual nosebleeds after your rhinoplasty surgery or have any concerns about healing after rhinoplasty, Dr. Weinfeld and his team are always available to ensure your recovery is as safe and comfortable as possible. To learn more and schedule a consultation with Dr. Weinfeld, call (512) 253-2845 or complete our online contact form.