Posts by Ashley Peterson44

briskgardener6 said:Who would you go to? Can you recommend a top-tier surgeon... maybe Zambelli, or someone else who is really great?

After my initial surgery, I actually went to see three different doctors for consultations. I think I liked Zambelli and the surgeon Planinšek the most (they both spotted the exact same issues right away and suggested the same way to fix them). Zambelli seems incredibly focused on his work, and based on the photos I've seen and what others have said, he does a wonderful job. He doesn't do any of that unnecessary sweet-talking or hand-holding—which was a bit much with my first surgeon—so I really appreciated that about him. I haven't had my revision yet, so I can't say too much more than that.

I’d probably suggest getting a few different opinions if you can, just so you can get a feel for things like their specific techniques, their level of expertise, and how they treat you... I guess when it comes to a procedure like this, your intuition is probably everything. It might be best to meet the surgeons in person so you can see for yourself who you feel most comfortable with.

briskgardener6 said:Has anyone here had any experience with the Arcadia Medical Center in Madison?

Actually, I did have surgery at Arcadia with Dr. Ignatovski. I actually went through his representative, N. S., to set everything up. Honestly, because of all the unprofessionalism and just how poorly I was treated by both her and the doctor after the procedure, I really can't recommend them.

To make a long story short... I just wanted to fix a bump on my nose. During my consultation, I made it very clear that I didn't want anything looking fake—I wanted it to still look like "me." The doctor seemed to agree, but in the end, he didn't really respect what I asked for. He tried to give me this tiny, upturned nose and ended up completely changing my facial structure. They took way too much cartilage, so now I’m dealing with breathing issues I never had before; my nose is mostly blocked, and I basically have to breathe through my mouth at night. And as for how it looks... I honestly get chills every time I see myself in the mirror. I mean, the bump is smaller, which doesn't bother me, but since the tip is in such bad shape, it looks deformed and unnatural. My nose looks too droopy and too long for my liking, and they didn't properly join the bones, so I have these two holes on the sides (it's called an open roof deformity). Overall, I feel like my face looks worse than it did before, especially when I smile. Once it's been a year since the surgery, I'm planning to see a different doctor for reconstructive work using cartilage from my ear.

@ wanderingmason86: I think Dr. Zambelli might be able to sort that out for me here in the States. I actually just sent you a private message about it too.

Hi there,

Since it’s been over six months since my initial rhinoplasty, I thought I might share how everything has turned out for me.

I actually liked my nose overall, but there was this tiny bump that really bothered me. I wanted to get it fixed, so I spent some time reading through various American forums to see what other people had experienced. I noticed that the posts regarding Dr. Ignatovski were incredibly positive—I couldn't find a single negative comment, which felt reassuring. Later on, his American representative, N. S., mentioned to me that she actually wrote most of those reviews herself, but at the time, I just decided to go ahead with him based on the feedback. Everyone I met was so kind and professional. I made it very clear that I didn't want a whole new look; I just wanted my own nose without that little bump. The doctor told me he could definitely handle it, so we scheduled the surgery.

Unfortunately, my nose actually looks worse now than it did before the procedure. It feels way too dropped at the bridge, there's a noticeable dip in the middle, and the tip seems far too high and short—plus, when I look at it from the front, it appears overly wide and kind of distorted. To make matters worse, I've started having breathing issues that I never had before.

When I reached out to express that I wasn't happy, both the doctor and his representative became quite unprofessional. The doctor eventually stopped replying to my emails and started avoiding me altogether; he didn't even show up for my last scheduled follow-up appointment.

In the meantime, I've gone to consult with three different surgeons, and they all seem to agree about the situation. Because of some valve collapse, it looks like I'll need a reconstruction using ear cartilage, and they'll probably try to refine the tip using alar grafts to help it fit my face better. I am really just counting down the days until it has been a full year since my first surgery so I can finally get this sorted out.

I truly wish everyone who is planning a surgery the best of luck, and for anyone else who might be going through a tough time like I am, I hope you're able to find a successful solution to your problems.