Posts by Thomas Alvarez90

So, I’ve been poking around here before asking, but I figured I’d check in one more time. I'm 16 and a half right now, and dealing with a deviated septum and what they call a nasal crest—it’s honestly a nightmare. I really want to get surgery done because I can't participate in any sports at all, not to mention how much my sleep and everything else suffers. It’s becoming unbearable. My doctor mentioned that the development of my nose is basically finished, but he wants me to hold off for another two years before we actually fix it. I just can't wrap my head around waiting that long—it feels like it's literally ruining my life. Is there actually a real risk of negative consequences if I go through with it now versus waiting those two years?

How long does it usually take to actually get nose surgery once you finally have a solid diagnosis? I’ve got a deviated septum, and my doctor basically just threw every pill in the book at me—told me if they don't cut it, then we can "start thinking about surgery"—but I really want to get this sorted out before summer hits...

For anyone who’s gone through the private route... how long did you actually have to wait for your surgery? I’m trying to get a feel for what the waiting lists look like these days—I’m really hoping to get this all sorted out before summer hits...

Sam Kim12 said:From my friend's daughter.😉I think she might be on the younger side—she’s actually pretty active in sports, which makes sense, but having breathing issues was clearly a huge deal for her. She actually had surgery back when she was just a month old at Oakland. Generally speaking, there's this standard rule that you don't mess with facial bone structure until someone hits 21, mostly because that's when growth finally stabilizes—though, of course, that's not set in stone since everything really depends on the specific diagnosis and what's actually causing the issue. It might be worth getting a second opinion just to be safe.🤷

Twenty-one?! Seriously? It’s funny how that works—every surgeon seems to have their own personal cutoff age when it comes to deciding who can actually handle an operation...🙂 I mean, I have no clue how they word it over on the website for the American Plastics Association—and let’s be real, those guys are hands down the best in the world—but apparently, you can go in for surgery as young as thirteen.🤷

Has anyone here actually gone through with septorhinoplasty when they were only 16? I’ve checked in with both the local hospital and some private surgeons—including folks over at the Mayo Clinic—and everyone just keeps telling me I’m too young. They basically think I’m being dramatic about my breathing issues, which is frustrating because the functional stuff is real—but hey, if I really have to sit around and wait until I'm eighteen, then fine, I guess I will!

So, I’ve got this deviated septum situation going on—definitely need to get it sorted out at Merkur Hospital—but it got me thinking... could they maybe touch up the aesthetics while they're at it? Like, a little two-for-one deal? Does anyone here have any actual experience dealing with cosmetic procedures at a hospital like that?

So, I’ve just got one question here... I wore braces from when I was about 12 until I turned 14, and my orthodontist told me back then that my teeth were perfectly straight. But the thing is—and this is what's bugging me—I've always had these little gaps between my front teeth, and I honestly thought the braces were supposed to fix that part of it. Now that I'm 16, I finally decided to go back and get it sorted out once and for all, but when I saw the orthodontist again, he actually told me I can't get braces just because of those gaps! Is that actually true?!