Posts by wiredcrane12

I had surgery with Dr. Glusac about three years ago, and honestly? It was a total bust. I still can't breathe—actually, I feel like I’m breathing worse now than I did before the whole ordeal. I went back to see him a few times, but he just keeps insisting everything is perfectly fine, refusing to admit anything went wrong. Even the aesthetics aren't great, though that's a secondary concern compared to the breathing issues. I ended up getting a second opinion from Dr. Cikojevica over at the Mayo Clinic, and his take is that if I actually want to breathe again, I’m going to need another surgery. Apparently, my septum is straight, but the tip of my nose is blocking the airflow completely. Visually, the nose looks bumpy, but the bridge is so sunken that my glasses constantly slide right off my face. The doctor said one side of my nose basically collapsed, and they’ll need to rebuild it from the inside using cartilage from the septum. I really wanted to trust Dr. Glusac—he seemed so reliable—but I guess even the "experts" mess up sometimes. It just wasn't okay how he spent two years making me feel like I was crazy for thinking something was wrong instead of just owning the mistake. Good luck to everyone else out there...

hiddengardener11 said:It’s been 4 weeks since my surgery. I’ve got this weird indentation on the left side, near the base. At my checkup today, the doctor told me the skin has stuck to the bone. Has anyone else dealt with this?
By the way, I still have a little swelling on my upper lip too... :-(
please, help!

Hey there. So, here I am, 6 months post-op. Honestly, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, so let me walk you through it.

1. The skin on my nose actually fused to the bone. I knew right away something felt off, but I was honestly too terrified to touch it. Then the doctor told me to massage it a few times a day to try and loosen the skin from the bone. After about 10 days, I just couldn't wait anymore, so I ended up back on the exam table for a quick little procedure. He used a needle to get under the skin and separate it. It wasn't exactly "fun"—that sensation of a needle scraping against bone is just gross—but the skin detached way faster. Since then, I’ve been massaging constantly because if I hadn't, it would’ve just stuck again. It feels a lot better now, though you can still see a tiny bit of that dent, just barely.

2. Whatever you do, do NOT blow your nose. Just don't. One time I blew my nose a bit too hard and noticed the skin on my nose actually puffed up. It meant air was leaking through a wound that hadn't fully closed yet. I got chills just thinking about it, but luckily it healed up fine and the little bubble on my nose is gone :-)

3. About two months in, I noticed this black speck on the tip of my nose. It was poking out slightly from under the skin. I thought maybe it was just a stray stitch, so I tried to grab it with tweezers, but it wouldn't budge even a millimeter. That went on for a month until the whole thing got inflamed and people started asking if a wasp had stung the tip of my nose. Needless to say, I was back at the doctor's office. Turns out, my body was rejecting the synthetic suture he used to join the cartilage at the tip—my body just refuses to accept anything artificial. I joked with him that I'm glad I didn't get any silicone put in, or it might end up migrating down my neck haha. The doctor had a bit of a struggle getting it out, but thankfully everything healed up perfectly with no lasting issues.

4. Now for the big one—I still can't breathe properly. I never used to snore in my life, and now look at me. My doctor says the airway is clear and tells me to just be patient, that it'll get better. It opens up sometimes, but mostly it feels congested, though I think it's improving slightly. Maybe I should start using nasal drops? I've been avoiding them. If anyone knows of some gentle ones that won't mess up my mucous membranes, please let me know.

Man, crazy stuff happens. But honestly? I still think it was worth it. I feel great, my nose looks sweet, and it totally fits my vibe... it's just *me* now.

Cheers everyone

http://reg.imageshack.us/content.php.../4408/novi.jpg

Hey everyone, how’s it going?
I’m feeling amazing after a month and five days. Honestly, things just keep getting better every single day. My breathing isn't quite 100% perfect yet, though—it's kind of hit or miss sometimes. :-) I started swimming in the ocean, which has been incredible for my breathing; it clears everything out, but then it eventually gets stuffy again. I’m actually heading out on a trip to Africa later today, so hopefully, it's not too soon to travel.
My profile looks beautiful, and from the front, it keeps looking better every day. I feel more confident than ever. Just happy... even if people don't really notice, besides those who know me well. I’d recommend the surgery to anyone because there’s zero pain—aside from these little doubts and that nagging fear of whether everything will turn out okay.
Big hugs to you all!

Here it is!

http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?i....jpg&via=tfrog

Hey, honestly, the scab usually just flakes off on its own after a month or two—maybe even longer—but I don't have the patience to sit around waiting that long, so I just massage it to speed things up.
You’re actually the first person I’ve heard from who had the exact same issue. I checked in with Doc yesterday, and he mentioned it doesn't happen to everyone; it really depends on your skin type and how they do the procedure. Like, if they use a filing method, it's one thing, but he was using a scalpel to scrape the bone, so there was this raw spot that just kept sticking to the skin. One little patch was stuck so tight it looked like a permanent scar, so I had to go in with some needles to loosen it up, then I had to keep massaging it constantly just to make sure it didn't heal shut again.

Hey guys... I mostly use massage to make sure my skin doesn't get stuck to the bridge of my nose. Plus, my doctor mentioned it’s great for circulation—it’s basically like doing your own lymphatic drainage. You just massage right up to where it starts to feel tender at the base of the nose to loosen the skin away from the bone, left and right side.
For me, the skin actually started sticking, so I'm trying to get it separated as fast as possible.
I've been using Neosporin to help.

Best to everyone

electricwolf6 said:Here's my update, 25 days post-op 😁

I totally agree with everything she said above, except nobody ever told me I needed to massage my nose specifically...

They just suggested facial lymphatic drainage, and that was it.

What exactly is this self-massage supposed to do, and what's the best way to actually do it?

Hey everyone... checking in at day 25 post-op. Honestly, my nose is looking better every single day. No bruising left, and I haven't dealt with any real pain—the swelling finally chilled out after about eight days. My only tiny headache is some skin sticking to the bridge of my nose. My doctor took care of it, but I’m low-key paranoid it’ll happen again, so I’ve been massaging it constantly. Breathing is getting easier too, though I'm still not quite 100% through the nostrils yet. I can't wait for the final healing stage so I can just say, "Yep, totally worth it."
The mental side of this is a bit of a trip, though. It’s weird trying to get used to a face that has definitely changed. I’m actually kind of vibing with my new look and enjoying this whole new version of myself.
Sending love from Los Angeles

So, here I am, 20 days post-op from my surgeon. Look, he’s definitely got a bit of an ego and can be a total loose cannon sometimes, but honestly? I think he nailed it with my case. If anyone actually wants to see the photos, just shoot me an email—I can't really post them here. My profile looks super sweet, maybe a little too cute, and from the front, I don't look all that different. He did operate on my sister too, but she wasn't looking for a massive transformation, so he stuck strictly to her requests. I didn't have much pain, and the bruising cleared up in about ten days, but then something really weird happened.
The skin on my nose basically fused to the bone in one spot, and from the front, it looks like a total mistake. I’ve been massaging it like a maniac, but it just won't budge. The doctor told me not to freak out and that it just needs time to separate. Honestly, if I hadn't worn the tape after the molding, this probably wouldn't have happened, but hey, just my luck. Does anyone know any tricks to get it to separate faster? The skin needs to be mobile, you know? Any advice is appreciated. I'm heading back for a follow-up tomorrow, so he'll give it a much deeper massage.
I guess nothing worth having comes easy, huh...
Best to everyone

I just noticed something that honestly gave me the chills. Every time I breathe through my nose, the skin right at the bridge starts crawling.
I feel like I can't even blow my nose without making it worse.
My doctor told me it just needs more time to heal up. Has anyone else dealt with something like this?
Now I'm too freaked out to even lift my head up to let it close properly because the sensation is just... ugh, gross.

Thanks for getting back to me so fast. I’m still feeling pretty swollen, honestly—just gotta give everything some time to settle back into place. Sending love from Miami!

Took my stitches out yesterday. My nose is so swollen right now, I honestly look like a little piglet from the front. My profile looks fine, but looking head-on? Not so much. I was digging through some old threads and it seems like this is pretty standard. Ugh, I had a total meltdown last night crying about it, but then things got even worse... Just gotta power through this.

Hey ladies, how’s everyone doing?

So, today marks day 11 post-op. I still have the bandage on, so I can't really see my nose "in person," but the shape looks absolutely precious. It's small, cute, and honestly fits my face perfectly—I feel like I look five years younger already. My friends are all saying it matches my personality exactly. I'm just crossing my fingers that I'll love it just as much once this thing finally comes off.

The bruising under my eyes is almost gone. A little concealer does the trick. I've been massaging my nose too, though I'm a bit nervous about it. Does anyone know when facial drainage is actually recommended? Is it something you do by hand or with some kind of machine? I'm low-key terrified my aesthetician might mess it up if I let her try.

The only thing really bugging me right now is my smile. It just won't come back. My upper lip feels pretty numb.
How long does it usually take for your smile to get back to its full glory?
It's like, you get the nose but lose the smile, which was basically the only thing working for my face hahaha. Ugh, I guess you can't have everything... kidding! My doctor says to just be patient and that it'll definitely come back.

I've been using Exelon gel on the bruising and it's actually helping. Just be super careful not to get any in your eyes.

Sending love to you all!

Phew, I feel way better now. So you're saying things felt totally numb too? Honestly, I was starting to freak out thinking something was actually wrong. I saw my specialist over in Miami, but I'm originally from near Washington, D.C.
I love taking long walks by the ocean late at night under the stars. We should probably walk together sometime—just two Hannibals hanging out. :-) I’ve stopped using those nasal strips, though, since they always seem to trigger a sinus infection.
Looking at everything under one mold makes me think my nose is going to look great. Ugh, I can hardly wait to see it, even though I'm low-key terrified I might lose my mind once I finally get rid of this profile I never even liked in the first place.
And Jesse Alvarez4, don't mess around... not if you aren't planning on being serious about this. None of us are doing this just to be reckless. It took a massive amount of courage and maturity to make this call. swiftheron48, hang in there—keep me posted on how you're doing.

Hey everyone,

I had nose surgery this past Friday—so, three days ago now. I’m really looking for some recovery advice from you guys.
The packing was taken out yesterday, and my splint comes off this Wednesday. Right now, I’ve got those nasty purple bruises around my eyes and I am just so swollen.
The only thing actually bugging me is how stiff everything feels above my lip; I can’t even crack a smile. And just to clarify, they didn't do an external incision on the nose, it was all done through an internal technique.
I've been wearing nasal strips and breathing through it. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good eye cream?
Should I be doing facial compresses or maybe some light massage? And honestly... is my smile going to come back to normal?
Do you think it's okay to step outside for a little walk in nature? Just somewhere quiet where nobody will see me, because I feel like some fresh air might actually help.
Also, do I really need to sleep propped up on two pillows?
Does anyone know anything about lymphatic drainage for the face after a procedure like this?

Thanks in advance, seriously. Any bit of advice helps while I'm sitting here feeling so uncertain and just waiting for things to settle down.