How careful do i need to be about washing my face after septoplasty? i understand too much pressure can move the cartilage around inside my nose. will gently dabbing it dry after washing the rest of my face be a problem?

The : The answer to your question has more to do with comfort level. The area around the base of your nose and upper lip will be sensitive to movement and pressure around that area for at least several weeks. Its not likely you will be doing any damage to your septal repair with the acts of normal washing and bathing.

With : With a standard septoplasty you should be able to wash the outside of your nose like normal right after surgery. You should check with your surgeon first, though, in case you have a different situation which would change things.

Obviously : Obviously you should the nasal dressings dry immediately after your surgery. Once they are removed you can gently wash and dry your skin without massaging or rubbing your nose.