Posts by Sam Kim12

Nicole Ortiz34 said:I’m really hoping it turns out just like you said 😢—my nose feels completely swollen today, which I definitely noticed, so I’m praying things settle down ASAP because this is driving me insane 🙂. The doctor was pretty vague about it, too; he just said it felt soft to him, but if it doesn't clear up, we guess we'll have to go back in 🙂. Plus, a few days ago my little niece accidentally hit me right in the nose, and that was when I truly started panicking that everything might get messed up
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Where did you have the surgery done?

It honestly sounds like that doctor hasn't the slightest clue what he actually did to your nose if he's being that dismissive—I mean, he should be the one who knows whether we're dealing with bone or not, especially since he was the one poking around in there, presumably 😬
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In my experience, when the bone itself hurts to the touch, you know immediately—there’s a distinct difference between actual bone pain and just a hard swelling 😉
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Amy Richardson86 said:They actually shoved a needle right into my nasal passage to drain the lymph that had been building up in there—it was absolutely excruciating...

😲 brrrrrr, but why on earth was the lymph even accumulating? 😕 If they had actually blocked the flow, they really should have just inserted a catheter instead 😢

Nathan Taylor2 said:Sam Kim12, you say it’s normal, but honestly, it scares the hell out of me—that whole SRMC vibe... did you actually have those bones sticking out on the sides too? And how long does it take for that to smooth over? Should I be using massage oils or maybe some specific creams?

In my case, the bones weren't protruding right after surgery—instead, I had this hard lump that felt just like bone when you touched it. But looking back, it was really just swelling that took at least two months, if not longer, to subside; I could feel it, even if the people around me didn't notice anything unusual.😉
You can definitely try facial lymphatic drainage (there are plenty of tutorials on YouTube showing you how to do it).

Grace Richardson44 said:Just a heads-up for the ladies on birth control: you absolutely have to stop taking them two weeks before surgery to lower the risk of an embolism. Nobody bothered to tell me that, by the way—so they basically sent me home today and canceled my entire procedure.🙂 🙂 🙂

Well, isn't that just wonderful—our healthcare system at its finest.
😢

neonwolf9 said:Is nobody else talking about cleaning out the nose—with those little sticks or whatever?—after removing the tampon, or did I just miss that part? Is the pain from pulling out a tampon basically zero compared to this?!

This is the first time I've ever heard of that idea.😕

neonwolf9 said:I don't want to scare anyone, but I'm essentially in shock here—and honestly, I’d only recommend surgery if that nasal breathing is truly, absolutely terrible.

So, what actually happened to you to make your experience that bad?😢

silverorca6 said:Thanks for the info—I really need to hear from people who have actually been through this.
Can you tell me which tests are required before surgery and if there's any way to get them all done in one place?
I know they need to check my heart because of the anesthesia, so I’m assuming blood work and maybe a urine test too...
Also, can you compare the recovery to something like the flu? Last winter I had this absolutely vile flu—vomiting and diarrhea for about five days—it was pure sadism.
I think I’m panicking, but honestly, what else am I supposed to do? One minute I'm pulling myself together, the next I'm falling apart again. I read some comments, start spiraling, try to calm down, then spiral right back into it...

I had all my testing done at the hospital the day before the surgery: urine, blood work, an EKG, and a consultation with the anesthesiologist. But don't take my word for it—every facility is different, and some might demand lung scans and things like that.

It's hard to compare surgery to anything else since it's its own beast, but based on my experience, I’d rank them like this: nose surgery was the easiest, then tonsillectomy, then the flu (but I mean the kind of flu that pins you to the bed for ten days with a 104 fever), and by far the absolute worst was my hernia surgery. Now, that’s just my perspective—how I handled it—and it doesn't mean everyone feels the same. Everyone processes illness and recovery differently; for some, getting tonsils out is a joke, whereas I felt like I was dying.😉

If you're talking about going through with the surgery itself, just dive in—there's no sense in stalling. 😁

silverorca6 said:I’m wondering if anyone is planning to undergo surgery soon—I’m feeling pretty anxious about it myself since I'm looking to get my nose straightened out shortly, so I’m searching for some comrades to chat and lament with.
I’m also looking for some intel regarding the recovery process....
How physically fit does a person actually need to be to handle all this? If I won't even be able to eat or sleep properly for days—I assume I'll need quite a bit of stamina.
Someone mentioned taking B-complex vitamins; is that actually necessary, or was that just meant in the sense of "oh, you're going to be a mess"?
I’ll be recovering at a spa, though I have no clue how long it will take before I can get up, get dressed, and make my way home on my own (ideally with minimal swelling).
I'm doing this for my career as much as for myself; I'm counting on having more energy, so I don't end up moving like a turtle when I actually need to step up and perform.
If anyone feels they have plenty to vent about regarding this topic, feel free to send me a DM or an email at tatjana.kovacz@gmail.com

Physical fitness has absolutely nothing to do with recovery.
And it is a total lie that you won't be able to eat or sleep; I had dinner less than five hours after being brought from the OR to my room—wherever you read that, they were clearly talking about some kind of mimosa plant, not a human being.☕

By the second day after my surgery, I was already walking around the hospital and headed down to the lobby to grab a coffee from the machine 😉 (my surgery wasn't even until around noon), dressing myself perfectly fine. I don't see the issue here because you aren't having abdominal surgery, you're having nose surgery.
You are overthinking and panicking way too much over nothing 😁. I wouldn't call myself a superhero, but I can tell you that my rhinoplasty was a piece of cake. Complications like bleeding can happen anytime, which is why there's that recommendation not to lift anything heavier than a 1 kg bag for a few good days and generally to avoid housework due to the sensitivity of the nasal vessels (I know a girl who nearly had a massive bleed just because she was being "too smart" for her own good).

Five months after my nose surgery, I had an inguinal hernia repaired—now *that* is a situation where you actually have things to say about recovery, the struggles of getting up, getting dressed, and so on.

Nathan Taylor2 said:Hi there,

I had my surgery 12 days ago—deviated septum and a hump. My nose looks straight and breathing is fine too. Of course, everything is still a bit swollen, but that doesn't bother me too much. What does worry me is that when I run my fingers along the sides of my nose, I feel a very pronounced ridge, almost as if the bones are still protruding.

I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience? Does that eventually smooth out or what?

Thanks,

That is completely normal.😉

Nicole Ortiz34 said:The swelling isn't even visible anywhere except at the very top—though, honestly, I’m desperately hoping I’m just seeing things and that it’ll shrink, even if only slightly, compared to how it looks right now. As for the hump, I’m really not sure if physical therapy is going to cut it, to be perfectly blunt... If the hump doesn't improve, I’ll have to go back under the knife. And if that becomes necessary, of course, I’ll trim the top a bit more, because what I have now just isn't enough—or rather, you can't even tell anything was actually done, other than the fact that I now have this little decoration (the hump) sitting on my slide. 🙂

I see you’re being persistent.

Of course you don't notice any change—either she wanted it that way, she went ahead and tweaked it behind your back, or maybe your own nose is just too swollen for you to realize it. But let’s be real: there is absolutely no way your nose looks exactly the same three weeks after surgery as it did before. It's just impossible.😉 The swelling isn't uniform—in your case, it’s more pronounced at the top, while the rest of the nose shows much milder inflammation. You really won't be able to judge the true state of things until about six months have passed—and honestly, you might not see the final result for a full year.

Look, here’s my experience—after just two months, my nose looked absolutely incredible, and honestly, nobody could even tell I'd had work done. But fast forward nine months post-op? I’ve still got this tiny bit of swelling right at the bridge of the nose—you know, that spot between the eyebrows—plus a little bump on the left side because the internal sutures are sitting right there. It’s minimal, sure, but it’s just one of those things where everything hasn't quite snapped back to "normal" yet, which is what you'd expect to see by now.

Nicole Ortiz34 said:My nose isn't swollen anymore, but that bump—it’s still right there... It's actually harder now, even more prominent than before. I am LOSING IT! And of course, because my luck is just legendary, I know I'll have to go back for a revision surgery eventually. 😢

Nicole Ortiz34 said:It's been exactly three weeks. The tip is swollen, but the rest seems fine. I look absolutely terrible, and the worst part is having to wait six months for the next procedure—that's the real kicker. 😢 Having a worse nose after surgery is honestly traumatic; once I see the doctor, they're going to hear about it!!! I'm seriously considering suing them for emotional distress and for this horrific physical appearance :/ Honestly, it looks exactly the same, except the hump is bigger now—a true masterpiece.

🙂

The fact that your nose is swollen is completely normal—but this idea you have that the rest of your nose isn't swollen anymore? That's just you kidding yourself. It is physically impossible for the rest of your nose to have returned to its original state that quickly 😉, it's all just an illusion right now, and in three or four months, you'll realize exactly why I'm saying this. 😁
Why a second surgery?

Hannah Booth2 said:I’ve got this issue with my nose—it’s crooked, just terribly crooked. I remember being at the doctor maybe 6 or 7 years ago for something else entirely, and they mentioned my nose was deviating, but I didn't take it seriously back then—I mean, I was only 14, right? But now, it’s starting to become really noticeable. One side of my profile looks relatively okay, while the other side... well, not so much. On top of that, I have breathing issues, though maybe I'm exaggerating that part. I’m heading to the doctor tomorrow, so I’ll ask for another exam and hopefully get some clarity. My question is: what happens if they determine that because my nose is crooked (and has a hump), I’m having trouble breathing? Does that mean insurance will cover the surgery to make it look pretty, or will they just fix the breathing functionality and leave me with an ugly nose? I don't quite get how it works. If it's just about breathing, I might honestly just opt for a cosmetic surgeon instead, since the breathing isn't even my main concern.

That’s a tough one to call. If they have to perform a reconstruction—similar to what happened with me—then they’ll likely address everything. However, if a reconstruction isn't medically necessary—meaning that deviation isn't actually affecting your breathing—then any changes to the aesthetics are purely up to the doctor's discretion, even though most of them will fix the look without any issue at all.

I went to see an ENT specialist specifically because my breathing had been getting worse and worse for years. When we were discussing the surgery, I asked him if he could remove the hump, and he agreed. Well, once the surgery actually started, I found out he had to reconstruct my entire nose because he only saw the true state of things—or rather, the absolute mess 🙏of the situation—once he actually opened it up. Apparently, he couldn't tell from my old CT scan, especially since I had broken my nose again later on ☕. Anyway, the result is that my nose is now hump-free and narrower 😍
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William Robinson80 said:Which doctor did you have the surgery with?

Well, I'm answering here too—it was Dr. Ozegovic.😉

Olivia Gray42 said:So many people end up seeking private care—simply because they can't get any real traction at the local hospital—and honestly, let’s be real: sometimes going private actually *does* mean better service.

Maria Jones84 said:I couldn't agree more!! Honestly, I know way more people who walked out of a public hospital feeling completely dissatisfied than anyone who’s ever stepped foot in a private clinic. 😉

Hospitals are the smarter play when you're dealing with functional issues—real structural stuff—whereas private clinics are generally better suited for aesthetics, simply because that's their bread and butter. But look, if you want the job done right, functionality is everything. You need an ENT specialist at the helm—someone who actually understands the underlying anatomy and knows the material inside and out.

I just walked out of the Dubrava KB feeling absolutely thrilled—finally, I can actually breathe again. Plus, my nose looks perfect; you can't even tell I had work done. I don't end up looking like the vast majority of people out there with those ridiculous, cookie-cutter "copy/paste" noses. Honestly, whenever I even think back to my conversations with certain plastic surgeons, I feel physically ill—and don't even get me started on all that nonsense people spout regarding how long the surgery takes.😂Honestly, they just drag everything out—you go in for surgery and suddenly you're stuck there for two or three hours minimum. Meanwhile, I had a full-blown reconstruction plus aesthetics done on my nose, and the whole thing took less than an hour and a half—and even then, people act like that’s considered a "long" procedure just because it involves the nose. Unbelievable.

By the way—if you're looking for aesthetics, feel free to head over to private clinics. But when it comes to actual functionality? Don't even think about it. Those hospitals are absolutely overflowing with re-operations—all because some "big name" specialists decided to play games instead of doing their jobs right the first time. 😢

Elizabeth Davis said:I’m trying to figure out how much pain we're talking about after nose surgery—and I mean an average estimate, since I realize everyone handles it differently. How long do the bruises actually hang around? And more importantly, how long does it take before my face looks somewhat "normal" again—you know, enough to show up in public without causing everyone to pass out from shock😁?

I have a pretty standard nose, though I deal with a slight septal deviation—which absolutely wrecks me whenever I catch a cold, hit an allergy flare-up, or when the seasonal changes kick in. I’d like to make some minor aesthetic tweaks too (just narrowing it slightly, since my nostrils seem a bit wide, if that even makes sense). So, while the correction would be minimal, it would mean a lot to me... but the primary driver here is the septum. Before allergies became an issue, I could manage, but lately, my breathing has been a disaster (the right nostril is completely blocked) from Easter all the way until we hit the coast in August—it was only then, thanks to the salt air and everything else, that things finally cleared up. Now that winter is approaching, the central blockage is bothering me constantly; my nose just won't cooperate.
It turns out that in a single year, I can only breathe normally for about two months.😬

Thanks in advance for any insight you can offer.🙂

In my case, there was absolutely no pain at all (I had internal surgery—essentially just a cut through the septum).
I was discharged after three days, which is when they removed the stitches and the packing from my nose. Ten days later, the mold was taken off, leaving me with nothing but a discreet little bandage on my nose. My bruising was minimal, though it was deep-seated, so it lingered a bit longer—maybe about 2 to 3 weeks—but I was already back at work after two weeks because, thank God, concealer exists.😬

After those initial ten days and once the mold was out, my nose had almost zero swelling; honestly, only someone looking at my nose with a magnifying glass would have noticed a millimeter of difference.🤣

As for the cost, every hospital has a price list, though you can usually get a quote without needing a formal bill first,😁 but it really just depends on which doctor you choose.

Honestly, if functional breathing is your main priority, go to a hospital rather than seeing a private cosmetic specialist—this is the job of an ENT, not an aesthetician.😉

mel23 Asks:
I’m heading in for septoplasty soon to fix my deviated septum—basically getting my nose straightened out—and I have a bit of a stupid question... I currently have gel nails done, so am I allowed to keep them on during the surgery? Please give me a quick answer, thanks!

Betty Edwards22 said:She simply shouldn't have it.

Hannah Wright6 said:Both my doctor and two different anesthesiologists gave me the exact same warning—I am absolutely not allowed to have one. It’s all because of how they monitor your vitals during surgery—that little clip they put on your finger, the pulse oximeter, you know the one? Apparently, it’s a total non-starter for them. 😁 And then there’s the whole issue of oxygen saturation—it's just one more thing to worry about!

It seems like the nonsense is starting to pile up all over again.☕

Let’s get one thing straight—gel nails aren't going to cause you any trouble. Look, if you want my advice—and you really should listen to me on this one—you should try to go with a clear gel if you have extensions or gel manicures. Ideally, they’d be able to see the actual nail bed clearly. But honestly? Don't lose any sleep over it. It isn't some massive deal, and I can guarantee you that nobody is going to postpone your surgery just because of what's going on with your nails.😉 The real issue here—and it’s a significant one—is that this indicator is a pulse oximeter. It functions based on spectrometry to measure blood oxygen saturation levels, and having nail polish on is a massive problem because it throws off the readings entirely. What’s actually most dangerous, though, is the potential for false positives; if someone has painted nails, the device might show deceptively healthy results, which could lead to a patient being mismanaged or denied critical care when they actually need it.

Listen, if you’re planning on having any kind of procedure done, there's a little detail about your manicure that you really need to get straight—and I mean properly straight. If you happen to have a clear gel overlay on your nails, don't sweat it; it won't cause any issues at all. However, you absolutely must mention it to your anesthesiologist before they start their work. Now, here is where people usually mess up: if you're rocking those flashy, neon gels that glow under UV light, or anything loaded with glitter and shimmer, just take it off. It isn't just a cosmetic suggestion—it's practical. Those fancy finishes interfere with the pulse oximeter, which means you won't be getting accurate readings on your oxygen levels. And trust me, when you're under, you want those numbers to be spot on. Don't let a bit of sparkle compromise your safety. ALI Believe it or not, even that isn't going to stop the surgery—and honestly, it’s almost laughable. Just three weeks ago, I was heading in for my third operation of the year, and wouldn't you know it? Every single time, I had gel polish on my nails. This last time was even worse—I had this full-on glitter manicure that was absolutely impossible to scrub off overnight, especially since I only found out a day before the procedure that I was being wheeled in. But the anesthesiologist just looked at me and told me not to stress about it one bit; apparently, if they can't get a solid reading on your finger, they just pop the pulse oximeter on your nose instead. Problem solved. 😉

So, here’s the breakdown—take it however you want, but this is exactly what I’ve gone through under gel nails: 😬 Two births and three surgeries—tonsils, nose, and an inguinal hernia.🙂

By the way—this woman who wandered into my room in the middle of the night, straight from emergency surgery following that collision (she was coming from the surgical ward)—she had bright red nail polish on every single nail, both hands and feet.😁)

Eric Brown7 said:I’m looking for someone who has actually gone through nose surgery to give me the lowdown—specifically, what kind of tests and X-rays am I going to need to clear before they take me under the knife? I haven't started any of the preliminary testing yet, but if I’m being honest with myself—and I usually am—it looks like a classic case of a deviated septum paired with some aesthetic correction. I’m fully aware that I have to show up for a formal consultation and run through every possible discussion with the doctor, but I’d much rather walk into that office already armed with some actual information instead of flying completely blind.
Thanks.

What exactly do you need to have in your arsenal before you even step foot in that doctor's office? It’s a bit of a headache—some physicians will insist on running a full battery of tests, demanding everything from a CT scan to X-rays or an MRI, just as a prerequisite. And then, of course, there is the whole ordeal of actually negotiating the terms of a surgery if they even decide to move forward with it in the first place.
I’m currently looking into a whole battery of diagnostic tests—we’re talking an EKG, deciding whether or not to pull the trigger on a chest X-ray, and a series of various blood panels that cover everything from my blood type to my Rh factor.

slydriver56 said:Is it actually true that you have to go shirtless for the surgery—like, completely bare from the waist up—or are they at least going to cover you with something?

The top half absolutely has to come off—you'll just be wearing underwear underneath, so you're covered the entire time.
Let me tell you how it actually works at a place like Dubrava—you get wheeled in on your own hospital bed, and then, once you hit the recovery room, they just transfer you over to a surgical gurney and throw a different sheet over you. It’s a clinical, almost mechanical process.😉

rustyjackal26 said:Sam Kim12, do you happen to have any before-and-after photos lying around? And regarding that doctor—is he strictly an ENT, or does he actually dabble in aesthetic work as well? Thanks...😉

I don't have any photos from before the procedure saved on my phone—nothing at all—but I do have the after shots ready to go, so I can shoot those over to you via email whenever you're ready.
That doctor is from a small-town clinic—honestly, I wouldn’t trust him to touch me for a simple cosmetic procedure, let alone anything serious. My entire reason for needing surgery in the first place was to fix a functional issue, not just for looks, and that's exactly why I'd stay far away from an aesthetic specialist.🙂

Michael Cruz9 said:What’s the average wait time from that first ENT consultation to actually getting a septum surgery at the Mayo Clinic?
And when people throw around the term "aesthetics"—what are we actually talking about here? Does that imply major structural changes to the nose's shape, or does it cover things like a bump caused by an old fracture that started the whole mess in the first place?
To be more precise—if the breathing issues were triggered by a break, and a small bump formed where the bone healed, will they fix that bump during the procedure, or is that strictly categorized as "cosmetic"?

Look, if a fracture caused actual functional impairment, then yes, obviously that gets addressed—but a bump? That has nothing to do with breathing. It’s purely aesthetic, which means it's not covered by Medicare.
That said, you can negotiate just about anything with your surgeon—whether they’ll smooth out that bump really depends on the specific scope of the procedure they plan to perform.
For instance, I personally worked it out with my doctor to have the bump removed, but in my case, he actually had to do it anyway because he was performing a full reconstruction—so that little bit of calcification was getting in his way regardless.😉

Someone asked about the Mayo Clinic—you’re looking at roughly a six-month wait, though it could fluctuate anywhere from a month to eight months. Personally, I waited four months before being operated on by dr. Ožegović—and frankly, I can’t say enough good things about him; he’s handled everything from my check-ups to my tonsillectomy and adenoid removal.😁

Elizabeth Fox57 said:Excuse me???

It’s because—obviously—they work in healthcare, and just like most of our medical professionals out there, they act like they’re some kind of deity who lacks even the slightest grasp of basic communication—snarky remarks, "take it off" attitudes, whatever—but hey, as long as they get to say something and their post count goes up, right? Even if they aren't providing a single concrete answer.😬

UglyKidJoe
Hit the nail on the head?😁

Actually, the reason is that the indicator being used is a pulse oximeter—you know, the device that measures blood oxygen saturation via the fingernail—and nail polish is an issue because it can throw off the readings. But honestly, the worst part is that even with painted nails, it wouldn't provide falsely *good* results at a patient's expense during treatment.

Look, when you try to act smart around people, you actually have to explain the what, the how, and the why.

Women wearing clear gel nails are allowed to keep them, but they really ought to mention it to the anesthesiologist—though the standard recommendation is to remove any neon or fluorescent gel that glows under light, because that’s what prevents the oximeter from giving accurate data.

Rachel Fisher97 said:Hey everyone—what’s the deal with smokers? 😁
I’ve heard it’s incredibly tough to smoke when you can’t breathe through your nose, and honestly, thank God I can't go a single day without a cigarette—do you think I'll actually survive this? hehe 🙂

Personally, I don't think you'll have any trouble smoking—both of my roommates were smoking on the very same day 🤣 and even though they kept complaining about how weird it felt since they couldn't really taste anything, it didn't stop them one bit.😁

Amanda Lewis66 said:She only found out later that she could actually get the surgery covered by Medicare—since it’s for functional reasons, of course—and apparently, they can just tack on the aesthetic refinements during the same procedure without charging a single extra cent.

It sounds absolutely unbelievable—bordering on suspicious, really—but it’s the honest truth, and it remains just as relevant today as it was back then. Anyone dealing with a deviated septum can get that procedure done entirely free of charge through Medicare.

It’s actually quite straightforward—you just need to head down to your primary care physician, walk into the office, and make a bit of a fuss about your breathing difficulties. Once you complain enough about the congestion, they’ll issue you a referral for some diagnostic testing. After those tests come back, they'll pinpoint the deviated septum, and then—as if on cue—they’ll start pitching you on having surgery to fix it.

It’s always the same routine—right before the surgery, they corner you and ask if you want to "fine-tune" the aesthetics of your nose, too. They essentially want to know exactly what your ideal look is. In my case, I wasn't looking for some dramatic transformation; I just wanted them to shave down that unsightly bump and scale back the overall size, since it was frankly way too large for my face.
Look, let’s be real here—the surgeons performing these procedures are mostly residents just looking to get their hours in. It’s basically practice for them at this point. Honestly? They don't have much to lose, and they’re more than capable of nailing the aesthetics if they actually put in the effort.

Of course, Medicare covers septoplasty at no cost to you—but let’s get one thing straight: that doesn't mean anyone who walks in claiming they have a deviated septum is automatically getting scheduled for surgery. It isn't that simple. A deviation isn't an automatic green light for an operation; there has to be a legitimate clinical indication that justifies the procedure. You can't just demand it because it's "free."
It is a complete fallacy to suggest that every single doctor is just going to start offering aesthetic procedures—let’s be realistic here. First off, most of them have zero interest in performing work they aren't being compensated for; nobody wants to pick up extra labor for nothing. Second, there is no legal or financial obligation for them to provide services that Medicare refuses to reimburse to the hospital in the first place. And third—and this is the part people always seem to overlook—not every specialist is even equipped or willing to dabble in aesthetics; you can't exactly expect an ENT surgeon to suddenly pivot to cosmetic tweaks. It's just not how the system works.

It’s a total fallacy to suggest that aesthetic procedures should be handled by some trainee just because the hospital—as if they’d ever actually take accountability for their mistakes—could potentially dodge responsibility. And honestly, since when did we all become experts on who performed our cosmetic work? It’s absurd.😳...and if we’re really going to get into the weeds about this—I actually went under the knife for both the aesthetic side and the functional repair. And just to set the record straight before anyone starts speculating: no, I wasn't being operated on by some junior resident—it was a full-blown, board-certified ENT specialist.😉

Amanda Lewis66 said:I went to visit her at the hospital, and I noticed there were several other people in the room—it seemed like everyone was being seen by residents rather than attending physicians. Honestly, I’m not entirely well-versed in the medical hierarchy—specifically when they assign a resident to a case versus when you actually get a full-fledged doctor—but that was definitely the vibe in there.
When I dropped by to visit, I couldn't help but notice the glaring inconsistency—not everyone was sporting the same amount of surgical tape or bruising. It’s quite obvious: they aren't all performing the procedures the same way.
Some people just want the function fixed—straight to the point, no fluff—and they go under the knife. Their recovery time? Significantly shorter. This group was mostly older patients—people who simply couldn't afford a lengthy downtime because of their work schedules—or those who were perfectly happy with how their nose looked and had zero interest in dealing with the grueling, drawn-out recovery that comes when you try to tackle both aesthetics and functionality at once.

Every single young person I encountered out there was also busy sorting out their cosmetic procedures.

The amount of bandages used doesn't have anything to do with the surgeon's skill—it’s almost certainly not even the doctor applying them, but rather some technician or nurse in the OR.😉 Bruising is bruising—it’s directly tied to how sensitive your tissue is, and let’s be honest, no two bodies react the same way. At the same time, you have to account for the surgical approach itself; not every surgeon uses the exact same technique, so the physical impact varies wildly from one procedure to the next.

When it comes to recovery times for functional surgeries, you’re talking absolute nonsense again—honestly. Recovery is entirely subjective, and whether the procedure was purely cosmetic or strictly functional doesn't dictate the timeline. I'll happily back my stance here because I've lived through a major surgery myself—where the "aesthetic" part was just a minor tweak to remove a bump—and I bounced back significantly faster than the girl in the room next to me. Her procedure was purely functional, much simpler than mine, and far shorter in duration, yet she lagged behind me every step of the way.

Amanda Lewis66 said:I remember her explaining how anyone—even someone with zero medical training—can basically perform a quick DIY check at home to see if they have a deviated septum.

All you have to do is hold a mirror or a piece of glass under your nose and blow out hard.
If the fogging is perfectly even across both nostrils—you’re golden; no deviation.
But if one side fogs up significantly more than the other, while the second side barely shows anything—congratulations, you’ve got a deviation.

That is complete nonsense.🙂

What about people dealing with mucosal folds or nasal polyps that make breathing a nightmare, even when their septum is perfectly straight? — those folks would get the exact same "result" using that mirror trick.

Michelle Carter52 said:Well, you can—if you happen to have a deviated septum. I’ve heard quite a few stories about people cutting deals with doctors who don't actually have any structural issues; they just get a diagnosis written up so they can sneak in some cosmetic work for free 😁 which, honestly, sounds ridiculous to me, but hey, anything goes these days

Look, we are talking specifically about what Medicare covers—not what happens under the table outside of the Medicare system—so let's not conflate two completely different things 😉 And there is nothing absurd about it; why on earth would Medicare pay for purely aesthetic procedures in the first place?
The fact that someone strikes a private deal with their surgeon is a whole other matter entirely, and frankly, it isn't something every doctor is doing 😉
Getting a septum repair or having a hump shaved down doesn't even have a sexual component to it—it's simply a matter of having a good rapport with your doctor and reaching an understanding 😉